Write an article based on this "Take good care while showering. Change the bandage incision daily to monitor it and refresh it. Inform your health care team of your injury. Lower your bed to allow for easy access. Set up your living area to accommodate you. Protect yourself from extreme heat to prevent bleeding. Immobilize the limb. Apply a cold compress to reduce the risk of bleeding and swelling. Elevate the affected limb to aid in circulation."
When showering, make sure to cover your brace or immobilizer with a plastic bag to keep it dry. Also, be careful to not fall or further injure yourself. If an immobilizer is not present, carefully wash the incision site with soap and. Pat it dry gently afterwards. Remember not to rub the incision site or to put any kind of cream or lotion over it. Avoid falling by sitting on a stool while showering. Never soak in a tub or pool unless otherwise advised by the doctor. Install hand rails in the shower, near the tub or next to the toilet. Put a slip proof mat on the bathroom floor inside the shower and even in the tub. Change the bandage on a daily basis in order to expose the incision site to air and allow it to heal. Make sure that the wound looks healthy, and is not suffering from infection. Watch out for the presence of redness, excessive drainage and unnecessary opening of the wound. Let your primary care physician and your dentist know that there are rods and pins in your leg. This will allow your doctor and dentist to take any possible metal in your system into consideration when they are treating you for other ailments. Note that antibiotics should be taken before any kind of dental work is done, to reduce the risk of infection. Antibiotics are a prophylactic therapy done for as long as pins and rods are inside your body. The bed where you sleep in should be low enough to allow your feet to touch the floor. This will not only allow you to get in and out of bed without straining your femur, it also helps to prevent falls and other accidents from occurring. Make sure that your house and frequented areas are set up to give you easy access and prevent falls. Also, make sure hazards are clear from trafficked areas in order to avoid accidents. Remove loose cords, wires, and rugs from the areas where you usually walk. Do not keep small animals because you might accidentally step on them. Repair uneven flooring. Provide good lighting. Individuals are advised to avoid contact with high temperatures such as hot baths, saunas and heat packs, because these can dilate blood vessels and increase incidents of bleeding. Although heat may feel good at first, it's potentially damaging effects need to be avoided. Stability of the femur must be maintained to prevent additional damage to the area and its surrounding tissues. Immobilization can be achieved by putting a splint and bandage on the affected area. Extreme activities and the application of too much pressure in the injured area should also be avoided to prevent further damage to the affected area. Avoid massage and other manipulation of the affected area until healing is complete. Cold compress can usually be placed over the injured area to promote constriction of blood vessels that reduces the risk of bleeding and swelling. Compression also aids in stimulating the flow of lymph fluid, which carries important nutrients to the damaged tissues surrounding the injury. Lymph fluid also removes waste from cells and body tissues which are an important part of the tissue regeneration process. The injured area should be kept elevated above the heart level. This action aids in proper blood circulation by promoting good venous blood return. Because the action of the veins is to return blood to the heart, elevating the injured area will allow gravity to aid venous blood return.