Hey everybody, it's Doctor Jo.
Today I'm gonna show you how to go up and down steps with crutches.
So let's get started.
So a lot of times there's different weight bearing status with crutches.
So I'm gonna show you non-weight bearing which is basically you're hopping.
Partial weight bearing where you can put some weight through the leg, but no a whole lot.
And then one crutch partial weight bearing.
So I'm gonna show you all of those.
And then afterwards then we're gonna go to the stairs so you can see how it's done on
the stairs as well.
So with crutches, you want to make sure that the height is right.
So a lot of times people think they're supposed to lean on these, but they're not actually
supposed to touch.
You should be able to put about 3 to 4 fingers in between this handle of the crutch and then
your actual armpit.
And they should never actually touch.
You should have them slightly out away from your feet so you don't get caught up in them
and so they're not this close to your feet.
And you should have a little bit of a bend in your elbow here.
So maybe about 20 degrees of elbow bend because you don't want them to be so straight, and
you don't want those elbows to be so bent.
So you want it to be very comfortable in this position here.
But the biggest thing is don't lean on it because then you're gonna put pressure on
the nerves underneath your arm, and then you're gonna weird numbness.
So the first way I'm gonna show you is if you are completely non-weight bearing.
The gold standard of going up and down steps with crutches, canes, or a bad leg is go up
with the good leg and down with the bad leg.
And so basically that means you just step up with the good.
And then you lead down with the bad.
But if you're non-weight bearing, the bad leg is the crutches.
So if my left side is my bad leg, so it's up in the air.
I might have a cast on it, I might just have a wrap on it or something.
I'm going up with my good leg first.
So I'm basically kind of hopping up to it.
But the crutches are staying down on the floor, and I'm coming up with that good leg, and
then as I power up, I'm bringing the crutches up.
So again, the crutches, that bad leg stays, and I'm hopping up and coming up that way.
So it really, the reason for that is those crutches are there to help stabilize when
you come up.
So then you go down with the bad first.
So again, if the crutches are your bad leg, you're gonna take the crutches down to the
other step, and then hop.
So again, down with the bad, crutches and then hop.
So if you are doing this for the first time, you might want to have someone kind of behind
you, and then when you're coming down someone in front of you, just to have some support.
But again, you're hopping up, coming, and then going down.
So it takes a little while to get the hang of it, but once you get the hang of it, it
works pretty well.
So then if you're kind of a partial weight bearing.
So you can put your foot down, but you're not putting all of your weight on it, all
of that still applies.
So if I'm going up with my good, then I go up with that good, and then the rest come
up.
So those crutches always stay with that bad leg.
So then if I'm coming down, the crutches and the bad leg go just like that.
So you can see it's a little bit smoother when I can use it, but again I'm not putting
all my weight on that foot.
And then if you're going to have partial weight bearing with one crutch.
So you're doing pretty good, you're not quite there yet, so you're still kind of doing partial
weight bearing but you just need that one crutch.
You want the crutch on the opposite side of the injured leg.
So if it's my left side that's bad, I want my crutch on that opposite side.
And I talk more about this in my how to walk with a cane, how to walk with crutches video.
You can check that link up there.
So opposite side unless you happen to have an injury in your shoulder on that opposite
side.
But the same rules apply.
So I'm going up with my good first, and then the crutch and the bad leg come up.
So I'm still doing that same theory.
And so now I'm going down with the bad.
So bad leg and crutch, bad leg and crutch.
So again, sometimes it takes a little getting used to.
You might want to have somebody there.
A lot of times if you've had a surgery or something hopefully a physical therapist has
already helped you out and shown you how to do this, and maybe you just need a little
bit of reminding.
So I'm gonna show you how to do it on the stairs, but before we go over to the stairs,
I want to thank some of my patreons.
So Jazz C., Dan, Brad H., Tom T., Holly A, and Mark B. Thank you so much for supporting
me.
If you'd like to support me on Patreon, make sure and click on the link up there.
So let's head over to the stairs.
So the same applies going up with the good, going down with the bad.
So if I'm non-weight bearing, I go up with the good, then bring the crutches up.
Up with the good, crutches up.
So going down with the bad, So that's crutches first, step.
Crutches first, step.Crutches first, step.
For partial weight bearing, again going up with the good.
So if my left sides the bad one.
I step up, and then crutches and foot.
Up, crutches and foot.
Up crutches and foot.
So coming down, crutches and the bad leg.
So one crutch partial weigh bearing.
Crutch is on the opposite side of the bad leg.
So up with the good, crutch and the bad leg.
So one crutch.
Coming down with the bad.
So that's how you use crutches on steps.
If you'd like to hep support my channel, make sure and click on the link up there.
And don't forget to subscribe by clicking down there.
And remember, be safe with these.
Have fun, and I hope you feel better soon.