USING CRUTCHES
STANDING
Place the crutches into ‘H’ position. Then place one hand onto both handies and stand up. Once standing, place each hand through the cuffs of the crutches and hold the handies(handies face forward).
For stability in standing, each crutch should be slightly in front and out to the side of your feet
SITTING
Take each arm out of the crutches and place them in the ‘H’ position and hold with one hand. Once you feel balanced, reach back for the arm of the chair with your free hand. In a slow and controlled manner, lower yourself into a sitting position.
WALKING
For non-weight bearing:
Keeping the affected legoff the ground and taking weight through the unaffected leg, place the crutches one step ahead, level with each othher.
Move forwards between the crutches, swigging the unaffected leg to land in just in front of the crutches.
For partial weight bearing:
Taking some weight through the affected leg, place the crutches one step ahead, level with each other.
Place the affected leg on the ground, just before the crutches. Step through with the unaffected leg.
ON STAIRS-ADULTS
Where possible use a handrail and hold both crutches in the same hand or give the spare crutches to someone else.
GOING UP
- Unaffected leg
- Affected leg
- Crutch
GOING DOWN
- Crutch
- Affected leg
- Unaffected leg
ON STAIRS-CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH POOR BALANCE
Where possible sit and manoeuvre up and down the stairs on your bottom.
CARE AND MAINTENANCE OF YOUR CRUTCHES
Regularly check that the:
- Rubber tips are not worn to the point where no trend is showing
- Crutches are a matching pair, do not use a mismatched pair.
- Crutches are tight and not cracked
- Springclip tips are located in both holes
- Tubing is not cracked or damaged
- Adjustment mechanism adjusts freely
- The holes on the adjustment legs are round and not worn to an oval shape.
- Always use the crutches as advised by the issuer
- Avoid wet floors and uneven surfaces and remove obstacles such as loose rugs before using crutches.
- Do not sore in subzero temperatures
- Use the crutches in good light and wearing supportive footwear.
- A mild detergent and warm water can be used for cleaning metal crutches
- Regularly inspect equipment for wear. Should any of the above be evident on your crutches, please contact the person who issued the crutches.
Ref Basildon Univ Teaching Hosp UK