Crutches are supports that help you walk when you have an injured leg or foot.
WALKING - Bring the crutches forward evenly, keeping your injured leg off the ground. Lean forward, putting your weight on your hands against the grips of the crutches. Do not rest your armpits on the crutches, this can cause damage to a nerve that passes through your armpit. Swing your good leg forward, placing your foot just in front of the crutches. (In some cases, your doctor may allow you to put some weight on your injured leg while you are using crutches.)
GETTING UP - Hold both crutches by the grips in the hand on the side of the injured leg. Push up from the chair or bed with the other hand while pushing up on the crutches. Use your good leg to bring yourself to a standing position. Get your balance and bring your crutches into position before starting to walk.
SITTING DOWN - Hold your crutches by the grips in the hand on the injured side. Hold onto the chair or bed with the other hand and lower yourself slowly. Unless you are allowed to put weight on your injured leg, keep your injured leg off the ground and keep your weight on your good leg.
USING STAIRS - Going up, get close to the stairs. Step up with the good leg, then bring the crutches and the injured leg up to the stair that the good leg is on. Repeat. Going down, first bring the crutches and the injured leg down to the lower step, then step down with the good leg. Repeat. If there is a handrail, put both crutches under the opposite arm and use the rail for support. Remember - "up with the good , down with the bad".
GOING THROUGH DOORWAYS - Give yourself enough room to allow your feet and crutches to clear the door. After opening the door, block it from swinging closed with a crutch tip. Walk through the doorway.
TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF WHILE USING CRUTCHES
- be careful not to slip on water or ice
- the crutches may rub against the skin between your arm and chest - use body lotion or talcum powder to prevent chafing
- if your hands get tired or sore, put extra padding on the crutch grips
- do not lean on the crutches and put pressure on your armpits, if there is pressure on your armpits when using the crutches correctly, they are too long and need to be shortened
WALKING - Bring the crutches forward evenly, keeping your injured leg off the ground. Lean forward, putting your weight on your hands against the grips of the crutches. Do not rest your armpits on the crutches, this can cause damage to a nerve that passes through your armpit. Swing your good leg forward, placing your foot just in front of the crutches. (In some cases, your doctor may allow you to put some weight on your injured leg while you are using crutches.)
GETTING UP - Hold both crutches by the grips in the hand on the side of the injured leg. Push up from the chair or bed with the other hand while pushing up on the crutches. Use your good leg to bring yourself to a standing position. Get your balance and bring your crutches into position before starting to walk.
SITTING DOWN - Hold your crutches by the grips in the hand on the injured side. Hold onto the chair or bed with the other hand and lower yourself slowly. Unless you are allowed to put weight on your injured leg, keep your injured leg off the ground and keep your weight on your good leg.
USING STAIRS - Going up, get close to the stairs. Step up with the good leg, then bring the crutches and the injured leg up to the stair that the good leg is on. Repeat. Going down, first bring the crutches and the injured leg down to the lower step, then step down with the good leg. Repeat. If there is a handrail, put both crutches under the opposite arm and use the rail for support. Remember - "up with the good , down with the bad".
