Hi guys, this is Christina the Amputee OT, and today I'm going to show you how to use crutches.
*machinery and welding noises*
First thing you need to know about crutches is that they need to be adjusted properly for you.
So for example, these crutches are adjusted properly for me. The
hand rest should be about at the height of my wrists, but that's not the only aspect of crutches that can be adjusted.
You can also adjust the height of the whole entire crutch.
So you want to do that, so that the armpit part of the crutches are
securely under your arms, but not pulling you up.
So there actually should be some space between your underarms and the crutches
so that you are not putting all your weight on your shoulders like this when you're crutching. Your weight should be borne through your hands
and your wrists and your forearms and not through your shoulders.
Your crutches should be about this far apart so about as far apart as twice
Your footprint so you don't want them to be way out here,
which is what would happen if they were too long.
And you also don't want them to be the way here which would not be very stable.
To go forward make sure that you are steady, and then bring your crutches forward and then swing through
And to turn-- turn your crutches, turn your body. Turn your crutches, turn your body.
There are a couple ways to go upstairs. If you don't have a railing you can use your crutches. So, go--
First you go up a step with your foot, and then you go to set your crutches, foot, crutches,
And to go down, bring your crutches down first then your foot
I don't like crutches on stairs.
The other way you can do it
Personally I really hate crutches and will do just about anything to avoid using them including just hopping around.
So I have an alternate way of getting up the stairs which I will show you which I think is
safer than using crutches and
is faster it might not be appropriate for people who are older and maybe a little less mobile,
people who have a hard time getting up from the floor
people who have bad knee joints and have problems crawling, but this is the way that I get up to the stairs and down.
Alright, that's all for now. See you soon. Bye bye!