Forums » Smalltalk » Broken Foot on Study Trip

Hello all of you beautiful people!
I have just come back from the ER with my sister, who has broken her foot (os naviculare). She has been given a big boot-like contraption, as well as a pair of clutches, so she can go about her daily tasks for the next 4-6 weeks.

However, she has a study trip with her school, which she is absolutely devastated not to be able to participate in. She is going to Paris, and has been looking forward to it for a while.

We have considered renting an electric scooter for her to use on walks, but she won’t be able to bring that inside museums and other buildings. We have also been considering renting a wheel-chair, as many of her friends have offered to push her around, if she needed that.

Of course, her foot’s healing is in top priority, and if we cannot find a safe solution for her, she will have to remain at home. However, any advice or suggestions as to how she would be able to partake in the trip would be very welcome!

Hugs,
Lilac

I'd say that a manual wheelchair and a pair of crutches are probably the way to go! Many of older European cities aren't really that accessable for people who are injured, so it might be good for her to always have a pair of crutches on her (so to speak), so she's as flexible as possible for the trip (:
Regardless, I'd suggest she take a look at the trip's itinerary and/or contact the teachers going on the trip, so she can prepare herself, and see what would be most beneficial in her situation. The reason why I suggested a manual wheelchair rather than an electric scoot is, that not only are many of the scooters pretty heavy (which makes it problematic to get in/out of places without a ramp/lift), but you can also find manual wheelchairs that are lightweight and foldable, which might be the most flexible solution when paired with the crutches. Especially if they need to take taxis and public transport as well.
I haven't been to Paris in many years, but from what people have told me, Paris often does have quite some distance between sights, so she might want to keep that in mind (:

I hope she has a great trip!

I wonder if renting a scooter when there would be doable...

I agree with Penholder that a folding and unfolding a manual wheelchair for transport in a car is so much easier than trying to take apart and reassemble a scooter, just from experience. Hope she gets to go.

Hi Lilac, coming from a person who used to live in Paris and had to maneuver around for a few months in crutches after a broken ankle, it's going to be doable but difficult, and it would be best if friends were to help and she could plan in advance.

I agree that the best option would be a manual wheelchair which could be folded, but she may also need the crutches.

Essentially - buses are more or less wheelchair-friendly, as they have a platform which can be lowered allowing her to be pushed, and then a special designated space inside the bus for the wheelchair so it wouldn't need to be folded and she could remain in it. Buses are not so much crutches-friendly.

The subway (metro) is less friendly, but there are some stations with wheelchair access. The trip would need to be carefully planned. I would not recommend using the crutches in the subway because there are many flights of stairs and they may get very slippery and dangerous. Buses are better, and they offer a nicer view.

A full detailed list of the public transportation which is wheelchair friendly can be found here. While it is in French, it is a very useful resource.

What I would recommend is that she be given or they decide the itinerary to be visited, and then check and make a simulation of what is possible. She may have to skip some, but overall if she has friends with her it should be doable.