Parents Any good advice for kids in air casts/boots?

[2G1B]

I posted in MAG that DS has a stress fracture and is now in a boot for at least a few weeks. He is starting off with 2.5 weeks in it, then we go back for new x-rays.

The first 2 days in the boot weren't bad. But... that is probably because he was also sick with a fever of around 101.

He is no longer sick and is getting stir crazy. I keep reminding him that if he just wears it and does what the doctor said (no cartwheels, no jumping, no running, no p-bars, no rings, basically nothing that impacts the foot at all) that he will get out of it sooner. That basically, suffering now for a few weeks will up the odds of him getting out of it sooner and back to life as normal.

He is trying. He really is. He is just not used to walking everywhere, not being active. And we have more than 2 weeks to go with this thing. And possibly more depending on how the new x-rays look.

Anyone have been there, done that advice for keeping an active kid calm while they heal when they are no longer hurting?

 

[gymmomtoo]

Wish I had great words of wisdom, but my daughter's been in a cast or a boot for a few years now (not constantly LOL!) and each time it's hard to get her to slow down. I would just keep reminding him of the restrictions--and I'd remind the coaches too.

 

[krisnkids]

Ugh good luck with that. My kids over the years have had some freaky injuries that have required creative parenting. I think the most challenging was when the 14yo fractured his eye socket and had to wear eye patches on both eyes until he had surgery. Trying to keep a normally seeing bow blind child busy was insane.
What I have done is books on cd, models(works great sitting still concentrating), 500-1000 piece puzzles with the promise to glue and frame.

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[BlairBob]

How old is he?

Quite honestly, I'd probably assign him a lot of conditioning off a low bar or low rings or parallettes besides stretching.

 

[2G1B]

How old is he?

Quite honestly, I'd probably assign him a lot of conditioning off a low bar or low rings or parallettes besides stretching.

He is 8, almost 9 (birthday at the end of May). We are now 1 week down. It is getting harder for him as his ankle is feeling better. I sure hope that when we go back late next week that they say he can start back to life as normal. Right now in practice they have him doing mostly conditioning. It is killing him because he is moving up and wants to start working on his new skills. At home he is just sick of the boot. I just hope that it is healing.

 

[Jill Fox]

Oh boy! 20 years ago when I was a gymnast, I fractured both ankles at the same time in a tumbling pass!! Coming out of the backhandspring I fractured one, and broke the other one coming out of the full. Can't believe a body and mind can be so trained that I still went for the flip!
Lots of crossword puzzles!! He's probably not much into baking, but I remember sitting on my knees on a rolly chair in the kitchen and would push myself from counter to cupboard baking and cooking. Some good old quiet solitude time, practicing being okay being still may just be the practice he needs right now too...maybe get him some good music and books.
Good Luck!!!