Learning to walk with crutches can be difficult. Follow these tips and you will be more comfortable.
Stand straight, shoulders relaxed. Hold crutches under arms. Hold hand grips. Keep elbows slightly bent. Keep casted leg out front. Move crutches forward slightly ahead of uncasted foot, while keeping your balance on your uncasted leg. With the crutches firmly on the floor, push down on your hands and hop forward on uncasted leg.
Special Tips
- Never lean on underarm pieces. This can cause nerve damage in the armpit. Always push down with your hands.
- To go upstairs; keep casted leg and crutches on the ground. Push down with your hands and hop up onto the step with uncasted leg. Straighten uncasted leg and bring casted leg and crutches up onto step.
- To go downstairs; face stairs. Put crutches and casted leg lower step. Push down with hands. Hop down to step on uncasted foot.
- Make sure there are rubber safety caps on the bottom of
the crutches to reduce slipping.
