©Thinkstock, 2015 When standing up straight, the top of your crutches should be about 1-2 inches below your armpits. Crutches are often used after a leg injury, but you need to know how to use them properly. This leaflet has been produced to give you general information about how to use elbow crutches. Underarm or axillary crutches extend up to the armpit area. Keep crutches down on lower level and do not place upward on the steps. When walking using crutches it is important that they fit properly and that you use them correctly. Go up and down stairs and ramps slowly, and stop to rest when you feel tired. Support your weight evenly between the rail and the crutches. Using elbow crutches will help you to get around during your recovery. Stand up straight! Hold the railing with your free hand and stand close to the rail. In the U.S., forearm crutches are typically recommended for long-term or permanent disabilities, but more people are starting to use them for short-term injuries as well. Standing Up To stand up, hold both crutches by the hand grips in one hand and push up with the other hand on the chair. You may want to ask a partner to help you the first few times you take the stairs since it can be tricky to keep your balance. Using the stairs with your elbow crutches If you need to use the stairs at home you may be taught how to go up and down the stairs by a physiotherapist before you are discharged from hospital. They can cause back pain and falls. Your elbows should be bent slightly to about thirty degrees. 1. If used correctly, crutches can accelerate the healing of certain injuries by reducing potentially detrimental weight bearing forces during walking or standing. Here are 10 tips that will help you maneuver better. You have been provided with elbow crutches to help you walk safely whilst allowing you to protect the injured leg. A guard stands below you. If you are unable to bear any weight on your leg or foot, you may have to use crutches. On stairs without a railing: follow the instructions for going up and down stairs, … Move the injured leg toward the halfway point, not all the way to the front of the walker. How to Use Crutches 1/4 . Arrange the crutches into a ‘H’ shape 3. Step up with your non-affected leg while leaving your crutches on the step below. Make sure the crutches are safe to use by checking the wing nuts are tight and that the crutch tips (the rubber stoppers at the bottom of the crutches) are securely attached and not worn. 2. This information reinforces the advice from your physiotherapist on how to use them . You should not try to hold your body weight with your armpits, as you can cause nerve damage. How to Use Crutches Why should I use crutches? Watch out for wet surfaces and objects in your way. Then put one crutch under each arm. How to use elbow crutches on stairs with a rail This leaflet aims to guide you on how to use elbow crutches on the stairs. This crutch is for one hand use. Move to the front of your chair 2. Crutches: How to Use The following page will outline things to look for when getting crutches for your child, and instructions for how they should get around using crutches, depending on their level of injury. With good techniques and some patience, you can master the art of going up and down the stairs using crutches. Walk slowly and carefully with crutches. A gripper in the middle helps to balance of upper portion of the crutch. If you have had an injury, a surgery, or a procedure on your leg or foot, it may need time to heal. When you walk, the pressure should be on your hands, NOT your armpits. To help it heal and to prevent pain, you need to keep all your weight off it. 2. Stand on both legs and move the crutches one pace forward. This design prevents damage to nerves and blood vessels under the arm. Crutches are used to help the injured person walk when the foot is broken. This will help prevent dizziness and fainting. Learning to climb up and down stairs on your crutches will take a fair bit of practice in the presence of a friend. It is All about Balance. Use your crutches only on firm ground. This handout gives instructions on how to safely use crutches to help your recovery and healing. The top of the crutch should be 1 to 2 inches below your armpit. Place the top of the crutches under your arms. Do not use crutches that do not match or are too short. When using crutches, put your weight on your arms and hands. The crutches are the correct length if there is a 2 to 3 … He or she holds your belt (or a special “gait belt” you can borrow or buy) to assist you if you lose your balance. Going up stairs 1. Sitting Down To sit down, place both crutches in one hand holding the hand grips together and reach for the chair with your other hand to lower yourself slowly. If you go up stairs without a railing, place a crutch under each arm. The handgrips of the crutches should be even with the top of your hip line. The medical professional that you see will tell you how much weight you can put through your affected leg and which of the techniques below you should use to move around. Walking with your crutches. 2. Move the affected leg to just behind the crutches and step the good leg forward to just beyond the crutches. The crutches act as the support for one less leg and shift the weight elsewhere. Your elbows should bend a bit when you use the handgrips. Using crutches or a cane on stairs or steps can be a very scary concept. Push down hard on the crutches with your arms. 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