[Blindtlk] How do you use crutches?

Wed Aug 31 02:26:42 UTC 2011

Hi,
some time ago I broke my leg badly and got to emergency room. They did x-ray 
and  gave me crutches. I was taught there how to use them. Both crutches go 
first and than good leg follows. Bad leg just hangs freely. Crutches may be 
adjusted to your height.   After a surgery I had bad pain, stayed at home 
in a bed. But in few days I tried to slide step by step sitting  down on 
stairs from second to first floor. But I needed to be very careful. I slid 
down my crutches along me.  I even cooked. It was hard. I sat on a chair and 
put my leg on a trash bin. Leg was swollen and hurt so you couldn't keep it 
vertically. I needed to be very organized-  I put all I need near me so I 
didn't need to stand up often, and than I pilled potatoes for example. In 
standing position I put my weight on healthy leg. Healthy leg also had 
cramps because of constant additional weight. I sometimes hop      setting 
my weight against counter tops.  There is a trick- put  a thick  bottom shoe 
on a good foot so your other,  an injured leg would be less stressed and 
tensed.  Outside, I kinda walk/ hop on my crutches around our building. 
Sometime I put  a plastic bag on my bad leg foot- I couldn't put a normal 
shoe on. In six weeks or so I was allowed to put weight on my broken leg. I 
was surprised- I couldn't do it. The leg was so weak so it like just broke 
under me. Also a quadriceps muscle was very thin. Now it's absolutely fine.

Tatyana.

 ----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Chasity Jackson" <chasityvanda at charter.net>
To: "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, August 30, 2011 9:21 PM
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] How do you use crutches?

> 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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>
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