[JB63]

I am wearing AFO's on both legs, like wearing insulation. My car has no air conditioning, so going anywear is like getting into one of those sweat boxes you see in 1940's movies set in gyms. I am not traveling much, but I have a sudden increase in weakness in my legs, to fast to be anything pathological. I think the heat and sweat are draining and dehydrating me and it is hitting my weakest area first. (My husband had heat exhaustion yesterday and almost ended up in the hospital. He went and had the car inspected and stood outside for 2 hours. He is 63 has a pacer defibrillator and I guess he believes in living dangerously).

I do not want to wear tall socks or use powder on the foam on the AFO's. Maybe aI can find some of those cool packs that I could lightly wrap and stick down the AFO.s. Any other ideas?

[mrsD]

I would try the cool packs..but with this caveat:

I find that cooling off my whole body with an ice pack works everywhere. Put on the neck and wrist and it cools the blood everywhere.

They may cool your braces area from within, so try them first.
Putting the packs where the braces are may be a problem, because they tend to sweat moisture.

If moisture gets in that foam, then bacteria will grow. I had a young male patient who used other players football helmets...which had cheek foam supports. He developed a severe staph infection on his face that was difficult to get rid of (I had to compound special topical antibiotic for him).
So beware of that foam getting contaminated.

[JB63]

Originally Posted by mrsD

I would try the cool packs..but with this caveat:
If moisture gets in that foam, then bacteria will grow. I had a young male patient who used other players football helmets...which had cheek foam supports. He developed a severe staph infection on his face that was difficult to get rid of (I had to compound special topical antibiotic for him).
So beware of that foam getting contaminated.

So true. The sweat does this and stinks and gives me a heat rash. Powder turns to concrete. I also don't want to get burned from the cold. Releasing the straps helps somewhat, but the metal retains the heat. Guess I'll stick indoors for the duration.

[mrsD]

I think the foam should have a thin flexible impermeable plastic attached to it where it contacts the skin. This could be cleaned and kept germ free.

[DVORA]

Originally Posted by JB63

So true. The sweat does this and stinks and gives me a heat rash. Powder turns to concrete. I also don't want to get burned from the cold. Releasing the straps helps somewhat, but the metal retains the heat. Guess I'll stick indoors for the duration.

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I USE A COOLING THING CALLED A BED BUDDY THAT IS MADE TO EITHER GO IN THE FREEZER - OR THE MICRWAVE --
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IT S SOFT AND COFMY ENOUGH TO WRAP IN A DISH TOWEL AND PUT AROUNG YOUR NECK FOR DRIVING --
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THERE ARE OTHER SHAPES AND SIZES - MY HUBBY USES IT FOR HIS SHOULDER AND KNEE -
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I HOPE YOU START FEELING BETTER SOON WITH ALL YOU HAVE BEEN GONG THROUGH :-)
SHALOM FROM DVORA