How to Get Around the House on Crutches

Ask anyone who's been there: Adapting to life on crutches after an injury or surgery is no easy deal. This article gives you helpful information to make it safer and easier to get around your home when you have to use crutches... (Please remember to rate my article!.. Just drag your cursor over the stars at the top of my article and click on the number of stars you think it deserves.)

Things You'll Need

• Crutches
• An armless chair or stool with wheels (helpful)
• Patience

Instructions

1. Do everything twice as slowly and carefully as you would without crutches.

2. Plan ahead. Think of what your needs might be in the next half hour or hour and plan accordingly. Consolidate your trips and conserve movement.

3. 

   If you live in a multi-story home with bare floors, try keeping a rolling stool or armless chair (think small office chair with wheels) at the top and bottom of the stairs. That way, you can roll around each level without crutches, using them only to travel up and down the stairs. This really comes in handy when you need to carry things.

4. If your living space is all on one level, the rolling chair is still a good idea!

5. 

   Be extremely careful if you have to use stairs! Put BOTH crutches under the arm that's furthest away from the banister. Use the other arm and hand to hold onto the banister. This is especially critical when going DOWN the stairs. (I learned this from a friend after nearly falling heels over head from trying to walk down the stairs using a crutch under each arm the way you would normally do when walking on a level surface. With a crutch under each arm, there was no way I could hold onto the banister!)

Tips & Warnings

• Be patient. Just figure everything is going to take three times as long as it normally would.

• A lightweight totebag that you can sling around your body or over your shoulder makes it easier to carry things.

• Put extra padding on the arm pads to make it more comfortable to use your crutches over a long period of time.

• Use a thermos to carry drinks and other liquids. Put the thermos in your tote and leave your hands free to use the crutches.

• Make the people in the ER, post-op, doctor's office, or whoever gives you the crutches teach you how to use them.

• Make the same people SHOW you how to use the crutches to climb and descend stairs.