bad back !! help !!!

[crazyaboutdisney]

my sciatica is acting up and we leave in 10 days. do they rent any power scotters at the parks. we are going with 15 family members to celebrate my 50th birthday. stop laughing, it is not that funny. i have been laying flat for 3 weeks. any ideas !!!

 

[browniemtb]

Yes they do.....at the parks you can rent the scooters. But I beleive they have to stay in the parks........can't drive them "Home",
Brownie

 

[PamOKW]

Oh no! Sorry to hear about your problem -- that's no fun at all.

Yes, they do rent power scooters in the parks but I think it's "first come, first serve". You might want to look into renting a scooter from a local company to use for your entire trip. The folks on the disAbilities board here can probably offer lots of suggestions.

http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=20

 

[JimMIA]

Well, the Big 5-0 is certainly not funny, but it's no big deal. After a few days, you'll get used to everything in WDW being draped in black...

Yes, they rent scooters (ECV's) in the parks. However, I think they are first come, first served and I've seen numerous posts recommending renting your own for the duration of your stay from an offsite vendor. It would be a pain (literally) to arrive at Epcot for that special dinner and find no scooters available.

I'd also check with your doctor, if you haven't already, and be sure a scooter is the right conveyance for you. Sciatic pain is a funny thing, and it seems possible to me that a scooter may be as likely to aggravate the problem as it is to relieve it. I'd check with your doctor and get their recommendations.

You may want to check out the DIS DISabilities Board for info on ECV's. We took Grandma to WDW last year using one and found the place quite ECV-friendly.

 

[TammyAlphabet]

I had heard that you can rent one from Walker Mobility in Orlando for a reasonable price and they will deliver it and pick it up from the resort at the end of your trip. Google them.

 

[dr&momto2boys]

Quick, see a chiropractor! And if it's still necessary, rent a scooter from an outside source; they'll have it waiting at your resort when you get there. I was recovering from a broken ankle last time we went, and twice I had to exchange the ECV I rented from the park in the middle of the park. Also they go sooooo slow! My father has bad knees and had pre-arranged a rental and his was much nicer looking, reliable, and faster.

 

[crazyaboutdisney]

thanks, i did see the chiropractor for the first 3 weeks. it didn't help. today i am seeing a pain specialist for a shot. i am feeling much better, i can now sit for a little. i refuse to stay home and ruin the party. laying down gives the most comfort. thank you for the info.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I used a rental scooter from CARE Medical. It was about $200 for the week and was great to have it available. We were wondering what we would do if we got an upper floor at OKW, but if that happens, you can plug it in at HH and pick it up there in the mornings. As it turned out, when they saw there was a scooter there waiting for me, OKW assigned us to a ground floor one trip and an elevator building the next. Worked out great. There is a perfect place in the living room for parking and plugging in the cart.

 

[DisDaydreamer]

Sciatica is a real bad thing to have. When it is in a real bad state the only thing you can do to make a near immediate difference (6-12 hrs) is "Prednisone". This is a steroid, but it will completely relieve your symptoms and give you an opportunity to recover. Remember also, sitting is about the worst position you can be in for recovery, whereas lightly walking or swimming are some of the best things to do. So don't commit to riding a scooter all the time or you may get even worse. If you find yourself in pain still/again 2 days before you leave, call your doctor and ask about it.

EDIT: Oh and before you leave get that AARP card printed out for scooter discounts.

 

[keishashadow]

to OP, that stinks; glad you're still going thru with the trip!

not sure if you're driving or flying but, we bought a transport chair for my youngest son who had broken foot complication (actually cheaper than renting) last Dec. from a medical supply company near our hometown.

they rented ECVs too, less than @ WDW; but might be a problem w/transport vs the ones they deliver to your room.

good luck.

 

[crazyaboutdisney]

we are flying, just returned from the doctor. i am getting a shot of cortisone this afternoon. hopefully that will give me some relief. if not i guess i will swim in the hottub at the boardwalk.

 

[n2mm]

As others have mention, I agree, sitting in the scooter will not be a good thing. I suffered for the last 2 years with back issues--ruptured disc pressing on my S5 nerve which caused constant leg pain and a numb foot, plus a host of other back and muscle problems. Did PT 6 weeks 3 different times. Had the series of steriod injections in my spine and nothing helped. I was concerned about taking pain meds regularly -- mostly because I didn't want to get addicted and it interferred with my maragrita consumption. I had the discetomy last March and am pain free. While suffering with the back pain, I found walking (and stretching) to be the best theraphy of all. Sitting was the worse thing I could do. I had my back surgery last March and went to WDW 6 weeks after. I was limited, but did not have to rent a scooter. I did pass on the mountain rides and dinosaur (actually tried the safari and it almost killed me), but did make it to the maragrita stand in record time. Been back twice and can ride it all again (went in August and again in October). Good luck and get your back healthy...50 is too young to be having all of those issues and interfering with your Disney trips.

 

[goofy49]

As others have mentioned, they do have scooters at the parks, and it is on a 1st come basis. I checked into them on our last trip this past Dec. for the in-laws. The rate was $40 for the day with a $5 refund when you returned it. I don't know if you were to park-hop that you only pay once per day like they do with lockers! After reading this thread I may also look into off-site companies. I hope everything works out for the best, Good Luck!!!!

 

[Mahusky]

As others have said it is 1st come 1st serve.... get to the parks at opening no problems.... mid day if it busy.... you might be walking. It happend to my Mom one time! She had to wait 1 hour for a return.

Good luck! Have fun!

 

[bobbiwoz]

We had friends with us this December as day trippers, and he needed a scooter. We were in Epcot. They came in the main entrance, none were left there and he was told that there were "a few" at the World Showcase entrance. They would not call and reserve him one...he had to get there and hope that one of the few would still be available. I am amazed that Disney gets away with such poor customer service. The fellow had a very hard time walking, the story has a good ending, he got one, but really...I expect better service from Disney...they should have "held" one for him to be sure. Even a 1/2 hour hold would have been appreciated.

Bobbi

 

[SueM in MN]

In the disABILITIES FAQs thread, there is a list of links to the companies that DIS posters recommend renting from. The FAQs thread is near the top of the disABILITIES Board.
The ECVs from the parks are much larger, slower and cumbersome than the ones rented from off-site. The park ones are also only for use in the parks (you can't take it out of the park) and, as has been already mentioned, they are first come, first serve and can't be reserved.

PS - sitting might be more painful than walking. One thing some poeple have reported doing that might work for you would be to use the ECV to get from one general area to the next, then park it and walk from place to place in that area. It's easiest to park the ECV outside of shops and restaurants and walk in those.
If you decide not to rent before you leave, you might want to take some of the off-site company's phone numbers with you in case you change your mind.

 

[crazyaboutdisney]

I got the shot tonight and i'm feeling better. the reason i was thinking of getting the ecv was to go to the different areas and parking it. i will still do alot of walking. thanks again for caring!!!

 

[WDWorld2003]

Glad you're feeling better. Back pain is no fun - been there, done that. I have a chronic condition that was diagnosed in my early 40's. I took pain medication, went to a chiropracter, physical therapy, etc. etc. and finally considered surgery. The thing that finally helped was acupuncture. It took a few times but it worked! If you don't get relief soon you may want to try it.

Hope you have a great time in the parks and your back is back to normal soon! Happy 50th! (I just hit that milestone, too!)

 

[pickles]

I suffered a back injury in 2002..it laid me out on the floor and I couldn't move(from the pain not paralyzed)
Anyways, the solution finally was back massages..honest.
The massage doctor told me that folks who just see the chiro dr are wasting their money. The muscles pull the bone out of place, so to be totally effective folks that need chiro work should also get massages done to help stretch the muscles back out or they will just keep pulling the bones out of place. My problem was not bone related, so I wasn't seeing a chiro at all
I don't know much about your type problem, but I would suggest about 2 weeks 2-3 times a week of massage and see if it doesn't help. Even if it doesn't cure the problem it sure will feel good anyway!!!

Hope you have a pain free Disney trip!!

 

[pickles]

I suffered a back injury in 2002..it laid me out on the floor and I couldn't move(from the pain not paralyzed)
Anyways, the solution finally was back massages..honest.
The massage doctor told me that folks who just see the chiro dr are wasting their money. The muscles pull the bone out of place, so to be totally effective folks that need chiro work should also get massages done to help stretch the muscles back out or they will just keep pulling the bones out of place. My problem was not bone related, so I wasn't seeing a chiro at all
I don't know much about your type problem, but I would suggest about 2 weeks 2-3 times a week of massage and see if it doesn't help. Even if it doesn't cure the problem it sure will feel good anyway!!!

Hope you have a pain free Disney trip!!