Tips to Ease Pain When Wearing Crutches

Crutches can be a real pain to walk with. Simple tasks like walking can be seem difficult. But this pain can be managed with a little effort. Here are a few things to know to ease the pain caused by crutches:

• It’s very important for the crutch to fit well. To determine if a crutch is the right fit, make sure that it fits snugly when standing in an upright position. There should be a minimum gap of at least one or two fingers between the crutch and the arm pit.

• The underarm base is hard and hence very difficult to manage. There are several online stores who sell cushions for crutches. These cushions are made from high density foam and are latex free, thereby protecting the wearer from bacteria and germs.

• Good quality crutches have a rubber suction tip that prevents sliding. Make sure that you check for these before you buy or hire one.

• It is common for people to feel sore when wearing crutches. To avoid this, ensure that the crutch pad rests on the rib cage and that your shoulders are bent to around 20 to 30 degrees. The armpits should not be rested on the pad; instead the weight should be absorbed by the hands.

• When sitting down, check the position of your chair or stool so that it does not move.

• When walking, watch out for slippery surfaces, and other items such as electrical cords, and other objects lying in the ground. To walk effectively, shift the weight on the crutches and sway forward.

• Minimize the need to carry things when walking with a crutch. If you have to carry essentials like cell phones or water bottles, you can always buy crutch bags that are hung on the lower handle grip. These are roomy enough to carry essentials and come in a wide variety of styles and designs.

• When walking upstairs make use of the handrail. You can hold both your crutches on one hand and hold the handrail to move up the stairs, with all the weight on your arms. If there are no handrails, use your good leg to step up and push down the hand grips of the crutches. Now straighten the good leg, by bringing the good leg and the crutch to the same level.

• When walking down the stairs keep the weight of the body on the good leg and place the tip of the crutch on the first step down. Now carefully move the injured leg on the step. And when doing so, make sure that you support the weight through the hand grip of the crutches, and are bending the good leg.

These are some important tips to be aware of when using a crutch.