Broke my arm.

chihuahuamom · ‎06-25-2015

64 years old and broke a limb for the first time. Advice on how to bathe and wash hair? THX

hennypenny · ‎03-10-2010

Oh, no, I am sorry to hear this.

The only thing I can think of is to put your arm in a plastic bag. I am sure there are those who can give you tried and true information.

Hope it heals quickly!

Pqfan · ‎03-09-2010

@chihuahuamom Oh no! I am so sorry you broke your arm.

Bellabutterfly · ‎04-10-2014

Dear pianomama:

So sorry to hear of you broken arm.

I have never broken an arm...However, I had a very nasty break that required surgury to my left foot. My advise when showering is keep it dry. Place your arm in a 13 gallon kitchen garbage bag...Wrap tape around the top so no water gets in. Keep your sling on and listen to the doctors...

I hope you will be on the mend in no time. Feel better.

Puzzle Piece · ‎06-29-2010

@chihuahuamom Like BellaButterfly said - good advice. Sorry for the situation.

@Pqfan I always like your Avatar.

Never Forget the Native American Indian Holocaust

foundinlv · ‎04-20-2012

@Pianomama wrote:
64 years old and broke a limb for the first time. Advice on how to bathe and wash hair? THX

Sorry to hear pianomama.....I haven't broken a bone yet but worry about it as I get older. I too heard about placing a plastic bag over the cast. When I was a kid a neighbor girl who was very athletic fell off a jungle gym and broke her arm. She was also a swimmer as her parents had a pool. She placed her arm in a plastic bag and used a rubber band I think to hold it in place and swam every single day....she did try to keep her cast out of the water though even though it was covered...not sure why, maybe it wasn't that secure for her. Good luck!

foggy! · ‎03-10-2010

Sorry to hear about your arm pianomama. I broke mine too, almost 2yrs ago. Good news...In our local drug store, I found a thick, vynl, arm-length, long glove with a rubber opening up at your armpit to hold it on snuggly, specially designed for use over a cast for showering. They had leg cast or arm cast shapes/lengths and were a one-size-fits-all. It was such a great relief to be able to stand up and shower again and not get the cast wet at all with these covers, after trying to bathe with a leaky garbage bag or towel wrapped around the cast, hanging it over the side of the tub. I even got a leg one for our 10yr old when she had a knee-length foot cast, and it worked just as well for her. You just slip your hand through the stretchy rubber opening(about 3" circle) and pull it up like a long glove, and it really is comfortable, and waterproof. When you're done showering and drying off, you just pull it down over the cast again. The thick rubber ring never stretched out or ripped or cut off circulation. Sooo helpful. We just hung it on the shower to dry until the next night. I will look for mine and see if I can get the company name, but I'm pretty sure you'll find one in your area. They aren't expensive and really worth getting.

10grands · ‎03-10-2010

Recently had hand in cast due to injury - you received good advice about bath/shower. I went to a salon and had them shampoo my hair!

cotton4me · ‎03-09-2010

Oh my goodness, so sorry to hear about your arm. My husband has had surgeries on his legs and arms that required covering them for showers. I second what Foggy said - get a cast protector. They work perfectly whereas a trash bag can leak. We purchased one at a medical supply store and another at a pharmacy. You can also order them online. There are different brands but be sure to get the kind with the rubber ring at the top. They look like this.

Cast protector.jpg