Note: This is a guest post from the folks at GoodbyeCrutches.

If you have to have surgery on your foot or ankle, you have some preparations to do in order to help the process go as smoothly as possible.  In the past, when you injured yourself, you would simply have to suffer through it.  Today, however, there are many inventions that can help you relieve yourself of the discomforts that surgery and injuries can bring to your life.  As you go through the recovery process, consider using a few of these items to help you get through it with more comfort.

1. Comfy Cozy Cast Toe Warmers

When you have a cast on your foot, your whole foot is covered, except your toes.  They are exposed and they can often get cold, even in the summer.  In past years, you just had to stretch a sock over your foot and do the best you could.  Today, though, comfy cozy cast toe warmers fit right over your exposed toes like a slipper and fasten around the back with Velcro.  Your foot might still hurt, but your toes will be warm.

2. Shower Stools

Taking a shower is tough no matter what when only have one foot to use.  It will never be easy, but in the past you just had to balance on one foot and do your best.  Today, there are shower stools available so you can sit and not worry so much about falling over.  You can also enjoy a longer shower since you will be sturdy and ready to go.

3. Cast Coverz

In the past, you would get a white cast and that was the only option.  After that, you had color choices, but once you picked one color, you had to stick with it for the duration of your recover.  Today, there are Cast Coverz that help you get through the recovery process in style.  There are a lot of different colors and patterns that you can choose from to make yourself feel better about your situation.

4. Cast Coolers

Casts can be rather itchy and hot.  If you needed relief in the past, you only had that straightened out coat hanger to help.  Today, cast coolers can be hooked up to your cast and a vacuum cleaner to suck the air from beneath your cast out.  They will dry the cast out and cool the area beneath it leaving you with a fresh, clean feeling that will allow you to feel and smell better.

5. Alternatives to Crutches

Crutches are wonderful mobility devices that can really help you balance and get around, but they can also be cumbersome and make you sore.  If you think you might be better served by something else, Goodbye Crutches has several great alternative options to crutches.

The recovery process is certainly never going to be easy, but today at least you have plenty of items that can help you make the time you have to spend on one foot easier, more comfortable, and as bearable as possible.