[Blindtlk] How do you use crutches?

Wed Aug 31 02:13:50 UTC 2011

Chasity,

for getting up from a chair I try to use the chair arms or the top of 
something sturdy nearby to balance myself as I stand.  I feel really off 
balance if I have to use the crutches to help me up out of a chair.

I broke my foot because I stepped in front of my guide dog.  Stupid, I 
know.  He stopped and wouldn't go forward when I told him to and because 
I was hot, tired, hungry and impatient I stepped down what I thought was 
going to be a typical curb.  Instead it was about knee high.  I broke my 
heel bone pretty badly and it didn't heal right.  So I had to have 
surgery where they broke it again, lined it up correctly, reshaped it 
and put in a plate and screws so it will stay put.  I'm keeping my 
fingers crossed that it heals up well.

Can you rent one of the scooter thingys?  The physical therapist had me 
check it out at the hospital, but I went with the walker instead. The 
scooter looked like it would be comfortable and work well, especially 
outdoors.  I thought it would be hard to use at home to get through 
doors and the like though.

I hope you heal quickly and are able to get back to your normal routine 
very soon!
Julie

> Hey Julie,
>
> Thanks so much for that information. It was very helpful. I am having 
> a sighted friend come over tonight to try to explain it to me as well, 
> because I just feel like I am putting weight on my foot too much. My 
> Podiatrist says after a couple days, I can put my full weight on that 
> foot...And even today I could if I had to go to the bathroom or walk 
> somewhere quickly, like to another room of the house.
>
> What do you do when you have to use them to get up, say if you are 
> sitting in a chair and you want to stand.
>
> I too have a wheelchair and have thought about wheeling around the 
> house in that too. I've heard of those scooter "thing o mobobs" that 
> you mentioned. They have them at this wheelchair type store, and they 
> are $200. I would definitely invest in one if I needed it long term, 
> but I just can't see getting it for three weeks and then using it 
> again for just another three weeks when I have to have the other foot 
> done sometime soon. May I ask what caused you to have to have foot 
> surgery? I have Plantar Fasciitis and Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome. He did 
> not do the Tarsal tunnel surgery today. He said many folks who have 
> Tarsal Tunnel do just fine after Plantar Fasciitis surgery. He also 
> said my left foot might come around on its own. Sometimes, after one 
> foot is done, the other comes around. He injected it with Cortisone. 
> So we'll see what happens. I was kind of relieved that he didn't do 
> the Tarsal Tunnel surgery, because this past weekend when I did 
> several hours of research about it, I learned that the success rate 
> isn't very good, and many people have actually become disabled after 
> the surgery because of all the complications they faced. He wants to 
> see me back in 3 weeks to remove the cast. I hope you heal quickly as 
> well and thanks again for all the advice. It's been very helpful and 
> you did great at describing how it's done.
> Chasity
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Julie J." <julielj at neb.rr.com>
> To: "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, August 30, 2011 7:08 PM
> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] How do you use crutches?
>
>
>> Hey Chasity!
>>
>> I just had foot surgery two weeks ago and I'm also in a cast.  I can 
>> put absolutely no weight on the foot though.  Here's what I've 
>> figured out about mobility options over the past 5 weeks since I 
>> initially broke my foot.
>>
>> I was given crutches at the emergency room.  I was also given two 
>> minutes of instruction on how to use them.  You don't actually put 
>> any weight on your armpits.  Instead the crutches should rest against 
>> your side, just below your armpit.  All your weight should be on the 
>> hand grips when your moving.  The top part resting against your side 
>> is more for balance and stability than weight bearing.  The way I was 
>> shown to use the crutches is to keep them wider than your body, 
>> moving both crutches out ahead of you, then sort of swing your body 
>> forward and land on the good foot.  Once you get going the momentum 
>> of the movement will help a lot in keeping you going.  Crutches are a 
>> workout!
>>
>> That's what I was shown, what I have figured out is that if I move 
>> one crutch ahead at a time and sort of swing it in a mini arc, like I 
>> would with a white cane, that it helps a lot in making sure that I'm 
>> placing the crutch exactly where I want it.  This is especially 
>> important when moving through doorways.    I know of no way to use a 
>> white cane and crutches together.  When I leave the house with the 
>> crutches I have a sighted person providing me with verbal directions 
>> as well as physically helping me with balance when I need to go down 
>> a curb.  In that case I use one crutch and hold on to the shoulder of 
>> the person helping me.
>>
>> the day after my surgery I had one session with the nice folks from 
>> the physical therapy department.  Because of my blindness and the 
>> complicating factor of the pain medication just about eliminating my 
>> sense of balance, they suggested a walker or this other scooter 
>> thing-a-mo-bob.  I went with the walker.  It requires much less skill 
>> in the balance department!  You can use a cane with the walker, 
>> although I do not.  If you did, you'd have to check out the space 
>> ahead, let go of the cane, move ahead and repeat the procedure.  If 
>> you do use a cane+walker you'll need to attach the cane to the walker 
>> somehow Maybe a bungee cord?  I don't know.  I find that I get enough 
>> directional information from the walker itself.  For example if I'm 
>> trying to go through a doorway but I'm not lined up exactly, the 
>> walker simply  isn't going to roll forward.  I haven't left the house 
>> with the walker, so can't say how that'd work.
>>
>> What I have found the absolute best thing to move about with is my 
>> desk chair.  It is a typical office chair with arm rests and wheels 
>> that fan out from a center pedestal.   I turn the chair so I am 
>> facing it.  I put my knee with the broken foot on the front of the 
>> seat.  I put my hands on the arm rests and push myself with my good 
>> foot.  It works great!  It's also the only way to move or carry 
>> things from room to room that I've found.  Of course the desk chair 
>> option isn't very practical outside of the house.
>>
>> I also have a wheelchair that I borrowed.  According to an O&M 
>> professional who is also a good friend, it is possible to use a white 
>> cane from a wheelchair.  I haven't been able to successfully manage 
>> this though.  I think part of the problem is the wheelchair I am 
>> using, which isn't the most um mm elaborate model.  It doesn't roll 
>> in a straight line very well, which makes it very difficult for me to 
>> keep myself going straight.  I use the wheelchair when I go out of 
>> the house, but I have a sighted person push me.
>>
>> I hope you heal quickly!  Best of luck!
>> Julie
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On 8/30/2011 6:27 PM, Chasity Jackson wrote:
>>> Hi Everyone,
>>>
>>> I was just curious if anyone can explain how to use crutches? I know 
>>> you hold them under your arm and hold the handles down below...But 
>>> when do you put each one in front of you in conjunction to walking? 
>>> Do you, for instance, put the right crutch out when you step with 
>>> your left foot? I just had foot surgery and I am in a cast. Crutches 
>>> will help me. I asked my Podiatrist and the people at the surgery 
>>> center to help me, but they said since they weren't technically 
>>> licensed to do that, they weren't legally allowed to show me. Is it 
>>> possible to use crutches and a cane? If not, I'm not terribly 
>>> worried about it. I am mainly planning to use them around the house 
>>> anyway to keep some of the weight off of my healing foot. Any tips 
>>> and tricks would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
>>> Chasity
>>>
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>>
>>
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