Your hands must have a tight grip on the crutches and your arms must be slightly bent. Your arms and hands will be absorbing your weight.
To start moving, lean your body slightly forward and put forth your good leg. Follow with both crutches instead of your bad leg. The trick for the smooth operation of the crutches is to lean your body slightly forward immediately before taking a step.
To go up stairs, place both crutches firmly on the floor next to you. Then, lean forward a little bit and immediately (and very fast) move your good foot up to the next step. Then, bring up the crutches and position them firmly on the floor next to you and repeat the procedure. Leaning slightly forward before taking the step is very important, since not doing so may cause you to fall backwards.
To go down stairs, place both crutches firmly on the next step below you and move your good foot down very, very fast. Then, repeat the procedure.
I don’t recommend to go up and down stairs that are bigger than just two or three steps. If you absolutely have to climb large stairs, it is better to do it sitting down.
Finally, at least at the beginning, it is good to always have someone next to you, to help you keep your balance just in case something doesn’t go smoothly.
After a few weeks of crutching you will start to notice that your upper body (arms, shoulders and chest) is stronger and more toned, without doubt a nice side benefit in exchange for the uncomfortable nature of crutches.
Since one of the most annoying aspects of crutches is the fact that you can't use your hands for other tasks, some companies have come up with alternatives to traditional crutches, and have developed hands-free crutches. I've seen a couple of them being discussed in other forums. One of them is the iWalk-Free crutch, which looks more like a prosthetic leg and promises hands-off mobility. See the picture here (click on the picture for more information):
Initially, I thought it was a cool idea, until I saw the price (slightly less than $400). In the end, I decided not to spend the money. However, if your insurance would pay for it and you would like more mobility than what traditional crutches allow you, it can be a good option.
The other one is a Knee Walker. See below (click the picture for more information):
24 comments:
Hopping and Relay Carries.
My balance has gotten better and my good leg has gotten stronger. This is because it's really tough to use both crutches and carry anything. Hence, in the kitchen I now have a bar stool so that I can sit while cooking, cutting, whatever. Plus if I need to move about carrying whatever, I hop. NOTE: Hopping while carrying scalding liquids or a lasagne out of the oven is BAD IDEA
Also, hopping with one hand firmly gripping the rail is a quick way of getting DOWN stairs. For getting up, the knee of the injured leg on a step, hand on the other side of your body and step/pull up using the good leg worked as way of getting UP stairs.
Carrying stuff, nothing beats bumping down on your backside.
Relay carries. I ended up moving stuff from the counter to the table by moving the item to the end of the counter, picking it up with ...say the left hand, transfering it across my body to the right hand and putting it on the table with my right hand. Needless to say, I stood in the middle of the two places (on one leg) where both are in reach. Sometimes I put the barstool in the middle as a way station to a two part relay. This works with spilly stuff like liquids and lasagne (only if you can hold it securely with one hand).
Bicycling gloves and Abs.
After the first week on crutches, the skin on my palms were starting to deteriorate and chap. My solution was to use Bicycling Gloves. They're padded and also tend to help with my grip.
Also, I found out it's not a good idea to try and keep up with colleagues when travelling on foot. I'd get tired and my abs would become sore (after all that swinging of my trunk and lower body) after about 1-1/2 blocks.
However, I found going slowly let me go amazing distances. In travelling to Chicago last week, I made it from the end of the Terminal 1 hammerhead to the curb (where you can get ground transportation). I had a laptop in the backpack on my back and was towing a small rolling carry on case. (I had a nylon strap wrapped around my wrist and attacheed to the handle of the case. It would roll and I needed to go slow because it would swing and lurch a bit.) Anyways, with moving sidewalks and waits for elevators, I made a fair distance when going s-l-o-w-l-y.
Note, I used wheelchair assistance when arriving at the departing airport. Having a someone pushing a wheelchair gets you through security via the no-line crew/staff counters. Very nice compensation for having a bum leg. Also, I was supposed to have someone with a chair to meet me at O'Hare in Chicago but is was a Sunday afternoon and a lot of grannies were in motion so the wait was gonna be 45-minutes.
Cheers,
Bill
Back packs and Water Bottles.
One thing that became apparent very quickly is that moving with crutches means your arms aren't available to carry anything. I've taken to wearing a backpack almost everywhere (including the theatre and to client meetings and formal dinners). Plus, I now have a refillable water bottle (that can be closed) and insulated coffee mugs that are *mostly* fluid tight. The water bottles are carried in the side pockets of the back pack, the coffee mug -when holding a hot drink- is held by against one of the legs of a crutch by two fingers, my weight is still supported by the palm and wrist on that side. I started with Thermos brand vacuum insulated mugs with a screw top lid. I now also have a Starbucks stainless steel mug with a liquid tight flip up flap to drink. (This later was acquired, when I left my mug at the hotel and only found out once arriving at Starbuck with a car load of colleagues.
Cheers,
Bill
Borrowing Wheelchairs.
I went to our local fall fair with my family this year. This was only possible because I called ahead and arranged to borrow one of their wheel chairs. BTW, the bicycle gloves were even more important when manoeuvering a wheel chair about, especially managing speeds on downhill ramps.
One improvisation that I had to make was to use a canvas bag that was a give away as a holster for my crutches. Wheel chairs don't come with a place to put crutches and I found that I either had to hold them, therefore couldn't manage the chair myself, or balance them on a foot rest. The would regularly fall off the foot rest and end up between my legs - ow! So, the work around was to put my foot AND the crutches in the bag and tie up the handles to make sure everything stayed on the foot rest.
BTW, when I went to a Shakespearean play and to Cirque to Soleil, I didn't as for handicapped seating, instead I tucked the crutches under the seat and out of the aisleway. I stridently declined having the staff store them for me as I'd kinda like to have them around in case of a need to leave quickly i.e., in an Emergency.
Having wheelchair assistance at the airport got me from the parking garage to the gate fairly easily. As noted previously, with staff pushing the chair, I enjoyed the advantage of no-line crew/staff security and customs desks.
Oh yeah, on the plane, the crutches went in to the overhead bin. Yes, I was first on and last off the plane. The adjustable legs of my crutches needed to be shortened up to fit in the bins of an Embrarer regional jet.
Cheers,
Bill
I'm using cruches the same way you suggested. I've also rented a scooter type wheelie card to kneel my bad leg on. It works pretty well (and my insurance covered it). I'm a teacher and I'm hoping to go back to work in 4 weeks or so. I think my students (middle schoolers) will get a big laugh out of seeing me in my wheelie cart. I bought a new car recently, but it's a stick/manual and since I ruptured my left Achilles, I won't be able to drive it for awhile now. Bummer. Please tell me that the pain gets better!
I'm ending post-op week 2, and found crutches maddeningly impossible to use.
I researched knee walkers and found the best deal for renting one at kneewalkerrental.com -- I got the Invacare knee walker because it swivels and isn't too bulky. It's SAVED MY SANITY! I am zooming around my apartment on my knee walker like a teenager on a skateboard! The rental was affordable -- $160/month. I live in NYC and it folds up to go into a taxi. I totally recommend them to everyone [who doesn't have to climb stairs].
P.S. The knee walker scooter has a basket attached so you can put small stuff in it -- I LOVE IT SO MUCH!
I'm new to crutches and one little tip has helped me remember which foot goes up and which goes down on stairs:
Good foot to heaven (step up with good) and bad foot goes to hell (step down with crutches/bad foot).
Hope this helps.
Hi. 1 week post op. I've noticed in the last day or two my good achilles is starting to feel the strain of crutching around. Dunno if I'm just moving too much, or my good leg aint strong enough, or it's a result of climbing the stairs a lot which I do. The last thing I need is to hurt the good one!
Hi, Larry. I was in the same boat. I'm now in Week 4 and that fear has passed. Your good leg is doing double work and the heel/AT is feeling the strain. Here are some tips:
-Wear a shoe on the good foot to help take off some of the strain
-When you ice the bad foot, ice the good foot too
-Walk with heel to toe movement
-DON'T HOP, walk slowly
-Stretch the good foot when you can (when sitting/laying down, use a towel on the toes and press forward)
I was told by my PT that by the time you go to PWB, your good leg will be in better shape than before the ATR because of this added work.
I think we all go through this fear the first week or so. Hope this helps a little.
Thanks for the advice daveleft.
Wearing a comfortable shoe on the good foot rather than going barefoot definitely makes a difference. And I've slowed down the movements - i think that's the hardest bit, learning to slow down and stop trying to be speedy gonzalez on crutches :)
i would not recommend using both crutches when coming down the stairs.. id use one hand on the siderail.. its very very easily to lose balance and fall forwards... going up isnt as so bad if that happens but u really dont want to fall forwards down the stairs.. i did this and now I NEVER use 2 crutches..
Unfortunately, this is my second time around (ruptured my right achilles about 12 years ago), so I've learned a few things in the process. What I found useful within the house is a walker instead of the crutches. This way you can brush your teeth, carry small items...etc. It might be beneficial to add a basket to the walker.
I'm finding the use of a walker to be more to my liking than crutches. It's stationary, you won't stumble because you drop it but the downside is you do have to shuffle/hop with your good foot to get around. Another handy thing has been using several office chairs with wheels and armrests on them. I can literally scoot around the house, to the bathroom and also use one hand to hold on to a drink, etc. Hope this helps!
Terrific blog. I am in my third week post surgery for an ATR. I found it helpful to also get a walker with a front basket to supplement my crutches. This enables me to have greater stablility and grab items and move them to dining or living room. I have had a few near falls with the crutches, not so with the walker.
what an amazing blog. :)
I am a female 38. Ruptured my right AT at Friday boot camp. The whole room heard the pop, including the trainer.
No one was really sure what had happened, I only knew it hurt like hell. Fortunately we remembered the RICE first aid and I had it elevated and iced in minutes.
Got to the urgent care room fairly quickly and after a wait for 2 hours I was diagnosed in 2 minutes. Met my surgeon after that and was in the plaster and learning how to use the crutches.
Surgery was Monday morning, so I had a quiet weekend.
Feeling pretty good, but its only been 10 days. Can't wait to get rid of this heavy cast on Friday and go into a fibreglass one. Can't believe how long its going to take.
Got myself a wheelchair as it is hard for me to take care of my kids. At least I can elevate it a little while in the chair and get myself a few things.
wondering when I can start exercising again. Gonna start with upper body first. Guess I will talk to the doc.
Anybody had anyluck with swimming in the fibreglass cast?
crutches are only good for walking longer distances, in a restaurant or store. At home a walker is better. You can attach a bag or basket to it to carry stuff around the house like your thermos of coffee or phone or book or bottle of wine and a plastic cup. If you're standing in one place and need balance (while brushing your teeth, etc.) throw your bad leg over the side or front of the walker for stability.
Hope you don't mind my rather commercial posting here. Good news for UK patients who want to use the iWALKFree - I have become the UK distributor, having used one myself to very good effect when I broke my ankle in February. My site is at www.peglegs.co.uk
I think everyone should be forced to endure a few weeks of living in NY with a disability — or even, as a potentially life-changing experiment, force yourself to get around on crutches for a week.
Guys, Great article and very very interesting blog.
That’s one thing I’m really looking forward.
Looking forward to reading more from you next week.
As its name implies, the Hands-Free Crutch frees up your hands and upper body. Originally designed in Canada in 2002, the iWALKFree Hands-Free Crutch consists of a padded knee platform attached to an aluminum beam. The device is secured to the patient's thigh by two quick-release padded straps and to the patient's calf with one padded quick-release strap. Like a knee scooter or knee walker, the patient's weight is transferred through the knee onto the knee platform. Unlike a knee scooter, it provides the patient with unmatched mobility. It can be used indoors or outdoors, on stairs and even in the shower.
I recently broke my knee and being an over 60yrs small female, find it virtually impossible to use the arm crutches. -- I live alone in the Peak District in England on a country lane, - for 3 weeks now I have not been out and really struggling, (when checking the crutches from the hospital they say Extra Long, ) even though they are on the smallest notch, - Really hate all this - have borrowed a zimmerframe and feel more confident, however now my other knee is suffering and very painful. - sorry to winge but I also have dogs and horses and trying to get people to help out. this happened 3 weeks ago and hoping in 3 weeks time I will have the hip to ankle plaster off. which has rubbed my ankle raw.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL.
Ditch the crutches for a steerable knee walker ASAP! Much safer, faster, arm liberating, and easier on the upper body and "good" leg than using crutches. I have a Drive Medical DR8 steerable scooter that I got online for less than $300. Insurance will not cover but it is worth every penny! Put on a basket in front to carry things, can now move around both indoors and out much much easier. It has been a tremendous boost for my morale and sanity by making me less dependent on others.
You have to check out the Easy Crutch. It is a lifesaver for people recovering from an achilles tendon rupture. The website is easycrutch.webs.com
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