Help- Ankle injury 2 weeks before WDW Vacation!

[ptcbass]

Ok So over the last year I have had problems with my left ankle and have been wearing a brace when it hurts (and supportive shoes). That always helps. I have been worried about what I will do if it starts hurting for our WDW vacation the first week of May. Well over the weekend my right ankle has all of a sudden started hurting! It hurts on the outside of the ankle (same as other foot) but the shin also hurts up to my knee if I walk too much. For 2 days now I have walked very little to let it rest and heal. Now I am starting to worry about what I will do if it doesn’t heal in time for vacation. We are going May 4th and spending a few days at WDW and then going on a 3 night cruise. I have never had to deal with anything like this before on vacation. Does anyone have recommendations as to how to handle it? Healing tips? WDW with injured ankle tips? A few days ago when it started I had worn sandals all day. I also sit at a desk all day. I thought I just need to stretch the muscles out and maybe go for a walk and it would loosen up. Well I didn’t get very far before the pain started getting a lot worse. Now I am scared to stretch or anything

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) For WDW:
. . . rent a scooter
. . . keep the ankle bandaged per doctor instructions
. . . cold-hot-cold-hot alternating
2) Cruise:
. . . get some crutches

 

[ptcbass]

I have told my family they may end up pushing me around WDW. I sure hope not but it might happen. I wonder if they have something I can rent on the cruise so that I don't have to bring anything.

Does anyone know how much the scooters cost to rent at WDW?

I think I have done all the right things- Rest, ice, brace, elevate (no swelling so far). From doing a little research it looks like after a few days I am supposed to start stretches and then if the pain eases off I can start (slowly) strengthening exercises. I will try not to rush things but I sure hope it heals fast!
I wonder how long something like this usually takes to heal.

Every time I am on vacation I see someone in a cast or something and feel so bad for them.

 

[mttmilner]

I agree with the PP. Wear supportive shoes, use hot and cold compresses, and keep it wrapped per MD instructions.

I would probably hold off on the sandals. The lack of support is causing your ankle to work harder to support itself resulting in more pain.

 

[firstwdw]

I am so sorry and I feel your pain. I was all worried about my foot pain and determined my family would be pushing me around Disney but now I have really really horrible back pain. And we leave in 2 weeks as well-May 3rd. On my way to a chiropractor now and praying praying I can get some relief. At this point, I'll be happy to sit in a wheelchair in Disney as long as I"m not in constant pain!
Wheelchair rental in Disney parks is $12 per day or $10 if you buy a multi day
Scooter Rentals at the parks is $50 per day…but check out some of the off site companies-they deliver to the resorts.
Good luck! Happy thoughts and prayers we both are ok for the trip! Right now I can't even imagine going but lots can happen in 2 weeks, right?!?

 

[lanejudy]

... I wonder if they have something I can rent on the cruise so that I don't have to bring anything. ...

You can rent a wheelchair or ECV from Brevard Medical. My understanding is they deliver directly to the port. One note, though, if you decide to use an ECV on the cruise...it probably will not fit through a standard stateroom door and you cannot leave them parked in the hallway, so you would want to find out if an accessible stateroom is available. A manual wheelchair can be folded and brought into the stateroom.

As others have suggested, renting from offsite at WDW is likely a better option than an in-park rental.

Enjoy your land/sea vacation!

 

[ptcbass]

I am so sorry and I feel your pain. I was all worried about my foot pain and determined my family would be pushing me around Disney but now I have really really horrible back pain. And we leave in 2 weeks as well-May 3rd. On my way to a chiropractor now and praying praying I can get some relief. At this point, I'll be happy to sit in a wheelchair in Disney as long as I"m not in constant pain!
Wheelchair rental in Disney parks is $12 per day or $10 if you buy a multi day
Scooter Rentals at the parks is $50 per day…but check out some of the off site companies-they deliver to the resorts.
Good luck! Happy thoughts and prayers we both are ok for the trip! Right now I can't even imagine going but lots can happen in 2 weeks, right?!?

I can sympathize! Last year I felt like I was falling apart. I had hurt my other ankle and it was taking forever to heal and then my upper back started hurting terribly! I went to the chiropractor and then an orthopedist, had a MRI, went through physical therapy and traction, rested, used a lot of ice and was scared to do anything. Nothing was working and I couldn’t stand being in pain 24/7. They all concentrated on my neck and shoulders. The thing that finally helped me was to get a good pillow and do some yoga stretches (nothing that caused too much pain though) and upper back stretches. Finally I was able to get it to ease off. Now whenever it acts up I start my stretches again and it eases off again. I look back at all I went through and wish I would have known that some simple stretches would have helped me. I do get lazy though and really should do them every day. I hope you get relief soon!!

Now with my ankle I realize that complete rest for a long period of time is NOT the answer. I am just scared to start something too soon. The only reason I am worried about vacation is that it took my other ankle about a year to heal. I only have 2 weeks this time!
Looking back it is probably because I didn’t do all the right things. I sure hope I don’t end up in a wheelchair but I need to come to grips with it and figure it all out just in case. Too bad Disney doesn’t do the disabilities thing like they used to years ago. At least that would put a positive spin on it. Oh well.
I am thankful I am getting to go!

I am thinking if I am not better right before the trip I might could find one of those things you put your knee on and roll around. That way I could keep my stateroom on the cruise.

I didn't know if anyone has had this happen to them. Thanks for all the responses!

 

[ptcbass]

I agree with the PP. Wear supportive shoes, use hot and cold compresses, and keep it wrapped per MD instructions.

I would probably hold off on the sandals. The lack of support is causing your ankle to work harder to support itself resulting in more pain.

I think not being able to wear my sandles and flip flops is the worst part!
I better be better by summer or I will have to get a wheel chair just so I can wear my cute shoes.

 

[WheeledTraveler]

I agree with the others suggesting you rent an ECV from offsite for your park days. The in-park rentals are expensive and you do first have to get to the rental place to get one.

Honestly, I had one trip to WDW when I could walk the parks and I don't feel like I miss anything now that I use a wheelchair. It sounds like you're mobile enough to be able to go on any ride (whether you want to deal with the pain of the angle of the TTA moving walkway is something else, but from what you've said, you will have the physical ability). The only attractions I'd automatically assume you're going to miss this time are Tom Sawyer Island and Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse. An ECV is going to give you more independence than a manual wheelchair, but you could also alternate using a manual wheelchair as a walker with being pushed in it.

I will say that the ability to wear cute shoes again was definitely a bonus when I started using a wheelchair. Now if only I could afford to go for a shoe splurge

 

[cobright]

I can recommend hydrocodone and liquor. Seriously. 5 years back I spilled my bike and broke my ulna (one of the forearm bones) 4 days before our WDW trip. Never missed a step.

The stitches where the bone came through itched like mad, and I couldn't go swimming but it was actually one of our better trips

The secret is dialing in an all day buzz with the liquor. Too much and you get sloppy drunk and hungover. Too little and the vicodin has to work too hard and you end up loopy on pain meds.

Get started now and by May you'll be rolling through that place with swagger.

 

[WheeledTraveler]

I can recommend hydrocodone and liquor. Seriously. 5 years back I spilled my bike and broke my ulna (one of the forearm bones) 4 days before our WDW trip. Never missed a step.

The secret is dialing in an all day buzz with the liquor. Too much and you get sloppy drunk and hungover. Too little and the vicodin has to work too hard and you end up loopy on pain meds.

This is incredibly dangerous medically. Vicodin has acetaminophen in it to help the hydrocodone work. Acetaminophen, like alcohol, is processed by the liver. That combined with alcohol can really harm your liver, even if you only do it once or twice. You do not want to overdose on acetaminophen and you can do so without even realizing it. It honestly scares me that anyone would suggest this on a public message board.

 

[cobright]

This is incredibly dangerous medically. Vicodin has acetaminophen in it to help the hydrocodone work. Acetaminophen, like alcohol, is processed by the liver. That combined with alcohol can really harm your liver, even if you only do it once or twice. You do not want to overdose on acetaminophen and you can do so without even realizing it. It honestly scares me that anyone would suggest this on a public message board.

Too right. Here's the thing though, whatever formulation your narcotic comes in, when taken with a moderate dose of liquor, you need far less of it.

I was expected to eat 7.5mg of hydrocodone every 2 hours to manage the pain of my broken bone(it trashed a bundle of nerves on the way out). But by establishing a baseline BAC using about 1/4oz of overproof rum every 15 minutes or so throughout the day, I broke those pills into fourths and took one pill a day instead of 4. Now, do the math and see what's better for my liver.

Add to that, the calories from the alcohol are the perfect fuel for a recovering patient as liquor requires near zero processing before conversion to energy in the body and produces zero oxides and free radicals. It also stabilizes blood pressure, reduces stress, and encourages healing at the cellular level. That's not just drunken rationalizing going on right there, that's science. I can dig up the peer reviewed articles to prove it.

Anyway...

Generally speaking, vicodin is not really in vogue on the RX pad these days. I think Norco or something similar is more common and contains a lot less acetaminofen. Whatever... talk to your doctor, research what works for you and what your own body tolerates and what it doesn't.

Normally I would leave the opiates out of the mix altogether and just use liquor and ibuprofen, but a trip to WDW isn't a 'normally' kind of day. And that's what this is all about. Find something that works, lets you enjoy your vacation; if it's an unusual approach, or something that trades risks around a bit ... so be it. Find something that works and if anyone wants to tell you it's inappropriate ... tell them to [REDACTED]

 

[lanejudy]

OP has received some good suggestions about use of a wheelchair or ECV for a sore ankle.

I strongly recommend that anyone with concerns about a prescribed therapy regimen discuss those concerns, and any alternative suggestions, with their medical professional and/or pharmacist. This forum does not condone unapproved or unprescribed use of medications.