Reddit mentions: The best bath & shower cast & wound covers

I’m not sure what kind of stitches you’ll have, but if they happen to be the kind that you can’t get wet for 10-14 days then I’d definitely recommend getting a shower cast cover! Honestly it’s so easy to use and so worth it. Showering is equivalent to running a marathon in that first week, it’s absolutely exhausting. And being able to just slip a plastic cover over your knee and hop in was amazing. No hassling with plastic garbage bags, saran wrap, duct tape, etc. I bought this one from amazon and it worked great! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FKSGRZF?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Good luck with surgery and recovery! It’s a pain in the ass but it sounds like you’re super prepared and have a great support system in place. Keep us posted! This group helped me get through 2 ACL surgeries!

I love the feeling of a nice hot shower, and I get stinky, so showering was a must. I picked up the full leg cast version of this, https://www.amazon.com/Waterproof-Protector-Bandage-Watertight-Orthopedic/dp/B07LB2T649/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=leg%2Bcast%2Bcover&qid=1564602129&s=gateway&sr=8-7&th=1. It worked perfectly, easy to get on and off, and no water got past the seal. I previously used a garbage bag and tape when I broke my arm, the specific cast cover is an infinite improvement.

As for the actual act of showering, I'm lucky in that my shower has grab rails. Cast cover + grab rails equals a decent shower. If I didn't have the grab rails, I would definitely get a shower bench or chair.

As an in-between, a hobo shower with a sink works surprisingly well at keeping you reasonably clean. Soap up your private bits and pits with a small amount of soap, clean off with a wet towel or hand. Shampoo hair and face directly under the faucet.

// 29 year old male • dislocated kneecap, complete ACL tear, partial MCL tear • ACL reconstruction surgery with hamstring autograft // Today marks 21 days post-op. Days 2-5 were the worst for me. Day 6 was a noticeable change and improvement; it almost felt tangible. We are all different though so you might find that your day 6 comes sooner. Because you are probably just sitting on your ass trying to occupy your brain through the boredom and pain, Ill give you a personal status update: Currently I am walking with my brace unlocked, without a limp, and doing leg raises and several strengthening exercises like a champ - I was just given the green light to unlock my brace yesterday. I can finally go up stairs reasonably well (not gathering both feet on each step), which is a huge time saver. Going down stairs is still a pain in the ass, but all of it will come with time. Also, I can now do a standing squat to about 50-60% of the 'depth' I could get to before the injury. I was just measured at 118 degrees of bend while laying on my back and sliding my foot to my butt so my flexion is getting there. The swelling is still pretty intense and there is still some bruising lingering around but I am noticing some significant improvements. I go to physical therapy twice a week and the other 5 days I do a strengthening routine at home on my own.

Recommendations: Make sure that your ace wrap is nice and loose and possibly even remove it today or tomorrow (depending on what your doc recommends). I kept my leg wrapped with the ace bandages for like 5 days post-op because of the convenience of providing a barrier between my skin and the ice machine, but the wraps can be somewhat restrictive on the circulation in your leg and not allow the swelling to escape. My leg and shin bruised and swelled up like crazy. It was bad enough to where they thought I had a blood clot and had to go in for a doppler scan; luckily I did not have a clot. The doc said it was probably due to a combination of the ace wrap, the brace and the ice machine all strapping around my leg and restricting the circulation. So I would ditch the wrap as soon as you can and just put on some sweat pants or something. Also, you are probably going to want to shower soon and I can't recommend getting something like this enough: https://www.amazon.com/Waterproof-Protector-Bandage-Watertight-Orthopedic/dp/B07FSRYT7B/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=leg%2Bcast%2Bshower%2Bbag&qid=1568924454&sr=8-4&th=1. It made keeping my leg dry so easy and I was able to shower every day without going through 20 rolls of saran wrap.

Oh and I assume you are taking some form of an opioid and havent takin a shit yet. I sampled 2 different laxatives and 1 stool softener and this one was the best: https://www.amazon.com/Ex-Lax-Strength-Stimulant-Laxative-Chocolated/dp/B000GCI8JW. It tasted good and it worked without messing with my stomach too much and made my shits the most normal out of the 3. I ate two pieces an hour or so before bed and then took my meds right before bed.

Cheers.

Adult Full Leg Cast Covers Shower Waterproof Leg Shower Cast Protector, Watertight to Keep Dry for Broken Leg Cast, Knee, Shank, Ankle, Foot Wound and Injury

A little bit of water does get in, but it's a tiny amount. I just turn my liner over the top of my leg so the fabric doesn't get wet. I bought two of these just to make sure I'll always have at least one on hand. Using this I can stand up in any shower. I have one of those blue ones that has the bulb that you vacuum seal, but this is way easier and faster to use. I use it every day at the gym. I hang it up when I get home using a pants/shorts hanger so it can dry out. I also use a shower chair once a week to wash the inside of it out with soap and water.

I don't think it would be an issue especially for rainwater, but if you would like I've looked at these liners for keeping prosthetics protected while at the beach. https://www.amazon.com/DryPro-Waterproof-Vacuum-Sealed-Prosthetic/dp/B003XFSHUE/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=prosthetic%2Bcover&qid=1565738905&s=gateway&sr=8-1&th=1

I didn’t shower for 8 days and I found this
Doact Waterproof Adult Leg Cast... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FSRYT7B?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

This is a life saver, it worked pretty good for me.

The surgery really wasn't a big deal. It was dealing with the splint and the cast afterward. Taking a shower is a nightmare. Get something like this. Fucking Godsend!

And whatever pain pill they give you, make sure you time it so you have one just before bed or you get no sleep.

This worked wonders for keeping my leg dry when I was in a cast. It's very easy to use. Just slip on, tug downward, and it's completely waterproof.

Limbo Waterproof Cast And Dressing Protector - Half Leg - M80 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0056PQPKS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_DlGLBb3ZRMJFP

http://www.amazon.com/Drycorp-Cast-Wound-Cover-Large/dp/B0007KOFV8/ref=sr_1_6?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1408394446&sr=1-6&keywords=waterproof+cast+cover

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Get a shower chair and if you need to buy one of these from amazon...

https://www.amazon.com/ORIGINAL-Bandage-Protector-Watertight-Protection/dp/B001G0N6D6/ref=pd_sbs_121_2/139-9481403-8622336?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B001G0N6D6&pd_rd_r=66dcf2fb-6ce4-11e9-8bdd-799299fc1ec4&pd_rd_w=oEFTn&pd_rd_wg=wkHhM&pf_rd_p=588939de-d3f8-42f1-a3d8-d556eae5797d&pf_rd_r=SXFXDAB47SAHQ2WA6HC5&psc=1&refRID=SXFXDAB47SAHQ2WA6HC5

You may get a cast cover. My 4 year old broke his foot at the beginning of the summer, and this saved us.

https://www.amazon.com/DryPro-Waterproof-Vacuum-Sealed-Cover/dp/B000LX5AUQ

Why not ask your son (in a couple of days) if he still wants to go? I figure his attitude towards the trip will be the deciding factor.