If you have injured yourself or have had surgery and cannot place your weight on one leg, your doctor may recommend that you use crutches. These are orthopedic devices that allow you to move during your recovery. Sometimes using crutches can be really difficult. Have a family member help you in the early stages of using them. Also make sure they are adjusted appropriately for your height.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Position the Crutches
Step 1. Put on the shoes you normally fit
Before using crutches, be sure to put on the shoes you use for your usual activities. By doing this you are sure to set the crutches at the right height.
Step 2. Grasp the crutches correctly according to your height
If you don't hold them properly, they can cause nerve damage in the underarm area. You should leave about 4 cm of space between the armpit and the top of the crutch when it is in its normal position. In other words, the top pad should not be too snug or too far from the body.
When using crutches, you need to keep the pads under your armpits and not inside their cavity
Step 3. Adjust the height
Adjust the height of the aid so that its handle is just under the palm of your hand when you stand with your arms at your sides. The semicircular support for the forearm should be approximately 3 cm above the elbow.
When you first use them, your doctor or nurse can help you adjust them
Step 4. Line up the grip with your hips
You can adjust its position by removing the wing nut and pulling the bolt out of the hole. Slide the handle into the correct position, insert the bolt and secure the nut.
Step 5. See your doctor if you feel unsure on crutches
They may recommend other aids based on the type of injury you have suffered.
- A walker or cane could be other good solutions, if you can load the injured leg with some of your own weight.
- Using crutches requires some strength in the arms and upper body. If you are weak or elderly, your doctor may recommend that you use a wheelchair or walker.
Step 6. Get examined by a physiotherapist
You can ask your doctor about physiotherapy, a very common treatment when using crutches. This professional can teach you how to use the aids correctly and check your progress. Since crutches are often recommended after an injury or surgery, you will likely need to undergo rehabilitation therapy as well.
- Your doctor will likely recommend that you take at least a few physiotherapy sessions to help you manage your crutches properly. If you can't put any weight on your injured leg, your doctor will likely send you to the physiotherapist even before you leave the hospital so you can learn how to move properly.
- If you have had leg or knee surgery, rehabilitation will definitely be indispensable. Your physical therapist will want to make sure you feel stable and able to walk safely on crutches. It will also help you develop greater strength and better motor skills.
Part 2 of 3: Walking with Crutches
Step 1. Put the crutches in the correct position
First make sure you keep them perfectly vertical and oriented in the right direction. Spread the underarm pads so they are slightly wider than your shoulders, so your body can rest comfortably between the two crutches when you stand up. The support bases must be next to the feet and the pads under the arms. Place your hands on the handles.
Step 2. Support your body weight with your sound (uninjured) leg
Push on the grips as you stand up, avoiding placing your injured foot or limb on the ground. All body weight must rest on the sound leg. You can ask a friend or family member to help you.
If you need to, hold on to something stable, like a sturdy piece of furniture or railing, while you're trying to start moving independently
Step 3. Take a step
To begin walking, place the "feet" of both crutches a short distance in front of you, making sure they are slightly more apart than your shoulders. The distance should be short for you to feel stable, about 30cm. When you feel ready and balanced, lean forward towards the crutches with a soft grip on the handles; then put pressure on them and, without bending the elbows, transfer the weight to the arms. Bring your body into the space between the two crutches by lifting the sound leg and moving it forward. Place the foot of the sound leg firmly on the ground and keep the other one close to it. Repeat the process until you reach your destination.
- When you need to turn around, rotate on the good leg, not the weak one.
- As the injury begins to heal, you will feel more comfortable taking longer steps, but you must avoid putting your crutches too far in front of the injured leg or you could lose your balance and fall. Be especially cautious the first few days when you walk on crutches, not everyone is able to use them casually at first.
Step 4. Distribute weight correctly as you walk
Leaning over your crutches and swaying forward, slowly shift your weight in the same direction using your forearms, without straining your elbows. Make sure your elbows are slightly bent and use your arm muscles; do not put weight on your armpits.
- You don't have to lean on your armpits to support your body weight, you could get hurt and also cause painful rashes. Instead, you need to support yourself using your arm muscles.
- You can decide to put socks or a rolled towel over the underarm pad of the crutch to avoid possible skin rashes.
- If you put weight on your armpits, you could cause a condition called radial nerve palsy. If this happens, your wrist and hand will weaken and you may momentarily lose tactile sensitivity in the back of your hand. Fortunately, if you release the pressure, the injury typically goes away on its own.
- Leaning on your armpits could also cause damage to the brachial plexus, which is a tendonitis of the rotator cuff, which causes inflammation and pain in the shoulder and the outer area of the arm.
Step 5. Avoid grasping the handles too firmly
Doing so may cause your fingers to cramp and increase numbness in your hands. Try to relax your hands as much as possible. To avoid cramps, keep your fingers cupped so that the crutches "fall" on you when you lift them off the ground. By doing this you can relieve the pressure in your palms and walk more with much less discomfort.
Step 6. Use a backpack to carry personal things
A shoulder bag or handbag could hinder your movements with crutches and cause you to lose your balance. The backpack, on the other hand, allows you to comfortably carry your personal items when using crutches.
Part 3 of 3: Sit and Take the Stairs with Crutches
Step 1. Turn your back to the chair to sit down
Keep your weight on the sound leg and place both crutches under the arm on the same side of the weak leg. Use your other hand to locate the chair behind you. Slowly lower yourself into the chair and lift your injured leg during this movement. Once seated, place your upside down crutches next to you so they don't fall out of your reach.
Step 2. Take the stairs very carefully
Stand in front of the steps and no matter which side the handrail is on, put the crutch under the arm of the opposite side. In this way you have a free hand to grab the railing and with the other hand you can hold the crutch that supports the weight; the second crutch remains under the arm but is not used.
- If possible, ask someone to keep the unused crutch for you.
- Whenever possible, you should use the elevator instead of the stairs.
Step 3. First place the crutch on the ground
This should be next to you, on the outside of your sound leg. You should grab the handrail or railing with the hand that is on the same side as the injured leg. Keep the crutch firmly in place until you have taken the first step, then move it and place it next to the step you are on now. Do not bring the crutch forward.
Step 4. Bring the sound leg up to the first step
Use that leg to lift your full body weight. Then proceed with the crutch, so that it is on the same step next to you. Repeat all movements until you get to the top of the stairs. The healthy leg has to support most of the weight and the arms only have to support and help you keep your balance. To go down the stairs, you need to put your injured leg and crutch on the lower step and use your unaffected leg to shift your body weight down.
- If you feel confused and do not understand how to move, remember that the sound leg must always be higher on the stairs, as it must always make the greatest effort to shift the weight of the body. To remind you, you can think: "Good leg up, bad leg down". The sound leg must be the first to move when you go up the stairs, while the injured leg must be the first when you go down.
- With practice you can also learn to use both crutches to go up or down stairs, but you will need to be very careful. Again the same principle applies: the injured leg must always be lower.
Step 5. Try sitting up the stairs
If you feel too unstable, you can sit on each step and move your butt up or down. Start on the bottom step and hold the injured leg in front of you. Lift your body and sit on the next step, holding both crutches in the opposite hand and carrying them with you as you climb. Use the same technique to go down. Hold the crutches with your free hand using the other and your sound leg to support yourself when you step down.
Advice
- When moving on slippery, wet or greasy surfaces, take very small steps, as the crutches legs may lose traction
- Also watch out for rugs, toys, or anything else that may be on the floor. Try to keep floors clear to avoid accidents.
- Do not wear high-heeled or unstable shoes.
- Walk slowly!
- Use the backpack to carry your personal items and have your hands free.
- If you take small steps, you will tire less, but you will walk more slowly.
- Take breaks to rest your arms and legs.
- Consider alternative aids. If the wound is below the knee, you have another simpler solution. Search online for the words "knee walker". It is a sort of small "bicycle" with four wheels whose seat is at knee height and is actually a comfortable support for the knee itself. You will be able to push the walker with your sound leg while keeping your balance with a kind of dumbbell. These means are not suitable for all types of lower limb injuries, but if you think it might be useful for your specific case, talk to your doctor and consider hiring one at an orthopedic store. If you can't use crutches, a wheelchair is always a good option.
