so much for any nightclubbing (that's actually a relief, truth be told)

June 26, 2009 11:40 AM

Traveling to London / Oxford on July 2nd. Tore some ankle ligaments 6 days ago. Looking for advice on the next few days of recovery, and traveling with crutches.

Starting July 2nd, we'll be spending 5 days in London & 5 days in Oxford (for a conference my sweetheart is attending).

Unfortunately, 6 days ago I tore some ligaments in my ankle 6 days ago -- the e.r. judged it to be a 3rd degree sprain, which seems to mean "the worst it can be and still not be fractured / broken". The E.R. put a temporary cast on it, which we were told to remove after 2 days (which we did). I'm now using a kind of plastic splint (I think it's called a stirrup). And Motrin.

At this point, the pain is still annoying enough that even getting around with crutches is a bit much, and I'm starting to worry it might still be an issue when it's time to get on that plane. Just standing up -- with my foot completely off the ground -- still causes pain (presumably from the blood flowing to my foot?).

So, I'm looking for two things: what I might expect in the next few days of recovery (anecdotal evidence welcome) -- am I fooling myself that the pain will be much less significant in five days? and, two, any advice anyone might have on traveling around London with crutches, assuming I'll be able to do that much. We are definitely on a budget, the thought of paying for a cab everywhere we go makes me wince almost as much as hobbling to the bathroom.

Some possibly relevant info: traveling from USA, never been to England before, never had to use crutches before (but otherwise in decent shape and completely willing to crutch about as much as possible without doing more damage to myself). No insurance.

posted by the bricabrac man to travel & transportation (11 comments total)

I did something similar when I was canyoning in Switzerland. I literally could not walk and had to haul myself out of the canyon on this rope they had at the halfway point. My friends and I had intended to leave the next day but we had to stay until I could at least get around on crutches. That took about two days, and within a week and a half or so I could walk about, though I'd still get a twinge if I took too big of steps. I considered myself to be fully recovered after about 3-4 weeks, at which point I promptly injured myself again but that's unrelated.

IANAD, but in your case I think you'll actually be just fine getting around the airport and London 2 weeks after your initial injury, especially if you're in decent shape. Just to be sure, you should make sure to keep off of your ankle. Don't walk, even on crutches, unless you absolutely have to. Invest in some ACE bandages or the like to provide additional support for your ankle while you're traveling.

Also, is your foot still swollen? If so, taking some ibuprofen may help with that and quicken the healing process.
posted by scrutiny at 12:04 PM on June 26

I've actually been wondering a little how disabled people manage in metro/subway/underground-dependent cities, so I Googled [london underground disabled] for you and came up with this, (which includes some tube information and some airport information) and this "step-free" tube map and a companion (detailed) station guide/index.

The first thing I thought of when I read your question was "too many stairs!", but maybe this will help. Plus, if you do find a way to get / have a need for a wheelchair, this would help a lot.

-- side note about visiting Oxford: --

I just visited Oxford. If you have a car, and don't mind "walking" a little, I recommend (for fun) visiting Burford, which is a little town to the west - very old-style, and I'm told it's the nearest "Cotswalds" town (meaning, quaint and old-style). I loved the Burford Woodworking Shop - you can actually buy a little pony (OK, it's a horse, but who's going to know) to give someone as a gift. And they have tons of other high-quality things, better than I've seen here - I bought two lovely bracelets.
posted by amtho at 12:23 PM on June 26

Using the Tube shouldn't be a problem, and it's possible to avoid stations with lots of stairs and long interchanges, though it may add to your overall journey time: there's a step free map [PDF] which is designed for wheelchair users, but is probably worth having at hand to ease your way. Many modern buses have low-rise access, too.

Oxford's fairly compact, but if you're staying in or using college facilities, be warned that you may have to deal with plenty of stairs.

Stump up for some short-term travel insurance before you go; if you come a cropper, the NHS emergency services should patch you up, but better safe than sorry.
posted by holgate at 12:29 PM on June 26

London is horrible with crutches. I had a friend who used the for years and the tube is tough - lots of stairs. Be prepared to take more cabs to make it easier. Most pub toilets are also downstairs btw so be prepared!
posted by wingless_angel at 12:34 PM on June 26

I'm in London currently, having come from the US for the summer. Things I've noticed here that might be a problem for you: every single bathroom in every single restaurant I've been in is downstairs, sometimes very steep stairs; many of the sidewalks are cobbled, making regular walking troublesome at times; some of the tube stations don't have escalators, and I'm thinking that at least two that lead to significant destinations do not have them. Once you familiarize yourself with the buses, use them. Oyster cards are accepted on them and they'll be easier for you to use than some tube stations.

I've noticed several people using crutches, but not the crutches I'm used to seeing. They're not the ones that fit under your arms. These kind. So maybe those are the ones you ought to use over here?
posted by cooker girl at 12:44 PM on June 26

I'd recommend getting something more powerful than Motrin.
posted by rhizome at 1:26 PM on June 26

While I lived in London, I spent six months on crutches and also had to fly trans-atlantic.

1/ Flying

DO NOT do this on crutches. Call your airline and tell them you need assistance. They will wheel you from curb to plane, and from the plane through baggage and customs. The airport walk is MILES and takes FOREVER when you're going at the pace of a snail.

2/ Transport

Always choose the bus over the tube. They can lower the bus for you (it's great) and the handicap seats are well-positioned.

If you want/need to take the tube, ask for assistance at the ticket counter. In stations with an escalator, they will stop the escalator for you. Let them, because those things move faster than you think and pitching headfirst down the 196 foot escalator of Angel tube station is no joke. Screw the impatient people behind you and take your time.

3/ London

Call ahead to find out if a restaurant or pub is handicap accessible. I can name 30 pubs in London with ground-floor loos without trying too hard but it's hit or miss. You are, obviously, more likely to miss your footing with drink on board.
posted by DarlingBri at 1:27 PM on June 26

+1 on all of DarlingBri's excellent points.

But beyond that, in respect of your "no insurance" addendum, your major task is to avoid screwing your self up even worse, on crutches, than you are already. Don't underestimate, for a minute, the unusual wear and tear you will be shifting to your unaccustomed upper body, from your damaged leg, if you try to move very far on crutches. Nothing about using crutches is a natural, repetitive motion for any part of your upper body, and you can easily introduce new pains and dislocations that are as bad, or worse, than the pain you now feel from your leg, by ill-advised overdoing of it. My personal recommendation, given that you are highly motivated and consider yourself in good shape, is to limit yourself to a total of 100 yards a day of "crutching;" more than that, and you will certianly pay for it, in your shoulders, spine, neck, and ribs.

I'd also caution you about a long airplane flight. Your damaged leg is a prime territory for blood clots to form. You need to be out of your seat, moving about, frequently, and even then, if you do get a thrombosis at 30,000 feet above Iceland, things will be dicey for you. I'd very much consider dropping this trip, unless I'd made a remarkable recovery, according to a medically advised followup, before the trip begins.
posted by paulsc at 2:16 PM on June 26

If you can, avoid using public transport at rush hour. This applies to anyone, of any ability, but the buses can get so packed that it's almost impossible for people to get to the Priority Seats.

You might want to embrace tourist clichés such as open top bus tours, as these will give you easy access to the main attractions and will be cheaper than than a cab. In London and Oxford there's several companies who will let you buy a ticket for the day and you can hop on and off as you choose. I'd normally advise against such things, especially Oxford, which is walkable for most people.
posted by Helga-woo at 4:44 PM on June 26

Some very good advice here. A couple more points.

On the Tube and buses, ASK people to give up their seats for you. Almost everyone will if you ask, almost no-one will if you don't ask.

Central areas where people go out like Covent Garden can be very crowded and crushed on Friday and Saturday night. You may find it difficult to find anywhere to sit down.

Ditto DarlingBri on airports. Ask if you can get assistance, which should mean a temporary wheelchair. With the long distances, the waiting and the hurry, it's perfectly normal for people who can walk but with difficulty to get a wheelchair.

Taxis. Minicabs (normal cars, loosely regulated) are cheaper than black cabs, but they're not allowed to accept being hailed, so you usually have to phone them. If there's no meter, negotiate the price in advance.
posted by TheophileEscargot at 1:16 AM on June 27

Thanks to everyone who's answered. I'm headed to the doctor's this morning with some more questions, the pain is bad enough that I feel I may indeed have to skip the entire trip. Nonethless, your answers have been very enlightening.
posted by the bricabrac man at 4:37 AM on June 27