How do you handle walking on the beach, getting into the ocean, Etc w. a prosthetic leg?

[TigerLaw]

I am a new below the knee amputee and had reservations for sailing on DCL but now i am rethinking it. basically my prosthetic guy has said no Beach no swimming no ocean until I get my second prosthetic leg in a year so that I can use the first one to be my " junk up" one.

I have to believe there is a better answer than that right? I know I am far from the first person to have to be dealing with this issue, so just looking for some insights from everyone as far as what they have done in the situation. Otherwise it seems pointless for me to do a cruise right now in my first year with the prosthetic leg. Any advice suggestions thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance the help!

 

[elvispursley]

My BFF’s husband is a bilat BKA. When we all went to Hawaii together, he wore his prosthetics and removed them when we found a spot to settle. He’d then scoot into the ocean and smored, paddle boarded, etc.

As an OT, I’d recommend removing your prosthetic and use crutches to the water’s edge and then have someone take your crutches back up to where your towel is. It should be somewhat easier than my friend’s process since it sounds like you only have a single BKA. I’d definitely practice getting up from the floor to imitate how you’d do at the beach. I’d also think bringing a beach chair to the water’s edge would help with getting up/down.

Don’t let this stop you from your DCL—there are ways to make it work! Would love to know how it all works out for you and that you have an amazing cruise!!

 

[Evita_W]

Just to chime in here, it is quite possible to have a very enjoyable cruise without every stepping foot on a beach or going swimming, but for swimming, check with him, but it might be possible to swim by removing your prestetic before swimming, but not having ever had to deal with that, I don't know. I hope if you keep the cruise, you will have an amazing time.

 

[CJN]

I am a new below the knee amputee and had reservations for sailing on DCL but now i am rethinking it. basically my prosthetic guy has said no Beach no swimming no ocean until I get my second prosthetic leg in a year so that I can use the first one to be my " junk up" one.

I have to believe there is a better answer than that right? I know I am far from the first person to have to be dealing with this issue, so just looking for some insights from everyone as far as what they have done in the situation. Otherwise it seems pointless for me to do a cruise right now in my first year with the prosthetic leg. Any advice suggestions thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance the help!

My sister goes to pools and to the beach. She takes off her prosthesis and either uses crutches or hops to the water’s edge. It’s fairly easy at a pool. She can either hop down the steps or sit on the side to get in. Getting in and out of the ocean is more difficult and she usually needs an assist from hubby. Sometimes she’ll wade in with her crutches—she’d much rather junk them up than the prosthesis.

That said, she biggest worry at the beach is sand—getting it cleaned off her stump and keeping it out of the socket. She’s ended up with serious ouchies before because of overlooking a few grains of sand.

 

[KPeveler]

DCL has pool chair lifts to get you into and out of the pool without a prosthetic. My husband is a paraplegic and cannot walk, let alone climb into the pool or make it to the ocean.

Are you travelling solo or with someone else? If someone else is going, they have beach wheelchairs with really big tires that someone can push you over the sand and down to the ocean.

I think it is doable, just with some adaptations.

 

[cobright]

I build custom mobility tech. I’m not a prosthetist but I’ve built a few, and I’m curious if the concern here is that your replacement leg cannot handle exposure to seawater or sand? I always joked that I would never build a prosthetic that was a downgrade from the original.

 

[cobright]

I build custom mobility tech. I’m not a prosthetist but I’ve built a few, and I’m curious if the concern here is that your replacement leg cannot handle exposure to seawater or sand? I always joked that I would never build a prosthetic that was a downgrade from the original.