Re: cane vs. forearm crutches

[Guest guest]

Forearm crutches are much easier on the wrist. The crutch (and cane

also) should be used on the opposite side of the weak leg. This gait

gives a wide triangular base of the weak leg, crutch/cane and the

strong leg. As high school geometry said, the triangle is the only

rigid polygon (Sorry, my last job before disability was teaching high

school mathematics!). The wide stance between the crutch/cane and the

weak leg gives support for moving the string leg through. Movies and

TV usually show a cane held on the weak side and a bouncing gait that

resembles that of someone walking in Jimmy Choo shoes with one heel

broken.

The correct position of the handgrip is **not**(translate ** as being

underlined!!) pointing directly forward, but pointing across your body

in the same direction as your palm of your hand points while while

your hand hangs free. This position takes all the stress off your

wrist. This position is impossible when using a cane.

When using a forearm crutch, the trick is to hold the handgrip **very

loosely** in the crook of your upturned fingers. When stepping

through the crutch/weak leg plane support your weight on the web

between the thumb and first finger. The thumb is only used to keep the

handgrip correctly positioned.

After walking through the crutch/leg plane the crutch is retrieved by

moving it by gripping it **loosely** with your thumb and fingers and

using the cuff swinging it forward.

Gee -- this sounds so complicated, but it really is a very natural

movement. What is **completely wrong** is to walk with the handgrip

facing directly forward and gripping the handgrip tightly. Unlike a

cane. The cuff keeps the crutch available and not a King Kong grip on

the handle.

If anyone wants to have personal instructions, come to Rome and I will

be glad to show you the sights while tutoring you on proper gaits. It

should be tax deductible as a medical expense!

I just bought a digital camera and will post some pictures of " good "

crutch technique and some benefits of using the it in everyday life.

Sorry for the length of the post, but explaining movement becomes very

verbose. It Gretchen agrees, I will answer questions here in the

group, or just send them directly to me through email.

--Larry

[Guest guest]

Larry,

I did get a prescription for one today so I will let you know how I make out

with it! Thanks for the advice! My PT is going to show me the proper way to walk

with it and I am hoping that this will alleviate my wrist and shoulder pain and

force me to walk with better posture.

Jackie

[Guest guest]

Jackie,

Your PT sounds great, remember your a fighter, I know you will walk better and

your posture will also come along, my prays are with you.

Lainie

[Guest guest]

Thanks Laine for your support and friendship

Jackie

[Guest guest]

Jackie,

Best of luck with your forearm crutches.  I am a little jealous you were able to

get a script and have a PT willing to show you how to use it. What state are you

in?  In NJ I called all day in the phone book trying to find one PT or OPT

willing to do the same and all said no.

Andy

[Guest guest]

Andy

i live in florida and i just lucked out that i met a new neigbor of mine who

just moved from New york and would you believe it, she is

a physical thereapist who did home visits in New York and worked a lot with MS

patients so she understands the limitations and knows

when to stop working me plus understands the intricacies of working with

muscles when the nerves are damaged. I will ask her if she knows of someone in

NJ to recommend you to. I got my script from my OT for the forearm crutches who

works in my neurologist office. Don't give up.

When i lived in MD i was very complacent and when my doctor told me not to do

PT, i listened to him. Now i have learned that I have to do all my own research

and go into the doctor telling him what i have learned and what I want. That is

what i did about the forearm crutches, but as it is, the ones i chose to wear

are out of network and i had to pay for them anyway which was $99.00 which in my

opinion is not a lot of money to spend if i like them and will use them

I got the colorful ones, so i feel they don't look that " handicapped " and are

more attractive. That is important to me.

Have you tried to find a physiatrist to see who will certainly help you with

referrals and write you prescriptions? My neurologist agrees with Larry on this

site who recommends having this specialist to coordinate all your care, such as

OT, PT, orthotics, AFO's..........

Jackie

[Guest guest]

Larry,

Thanks. I just got my crutches yesterday and used them today and my wrists are

hurting. I now just went back and read your post and know will try what you have

written. Do you have weak muscles in you hands between your thumb and

forefinger? I do understand that you are saying to grip it loosely, so I hope

that my weakness will not be an issue.

My PT is going to also show me how to use them, mainly because I got them to

give me more confidence and support to use with the Helios braces while I work

on getting my hips stronger.

Thanks for the suggestion and I was always opposed to these until I looked at

the site you recommended. I got the royal blue ones and I have noticed that

people are looking at them, probably because they are so pretty!

Jackie

[Guest guest]

Jackie:

Having read what I posted I think I didn't word the thumb web

direction clearly.

The hand should hold the crutch handgrip between the thumb ans

forefinger web allowing the palm to rest on top of the handgrip in a

relaxed position. The position mimics the way a suitcase is carried

(some of us used suitcases in the dark ages before genetic engineering

gave them wheels) with no stress on the wrist and the hand and your

hand only gripping tight enough to heel the handle aligned.

When walking, the fingers will snug the handgrip up into the palm as

the crutch is brought forward. Is this clearer? When using a cane, the

hand must hold the grip tightly to keep control. This is not a problem

with the forearm crutch as the cuff maintains 98% of the control. Your

hand controls the other 2% by keeping the handgrip pointing across

your body in a natural position.

Stress on the wrist is caused by gripping the handgrip to tight and/or

pointing the handgrip directly forward.

Without the crutch, make a fist and watch the tendons of the wrist

contract. Again without a crutch, hold a pencil in a relaxed hand and

arm. The pencil points about 30 degrees across the body. This is the

correct geometry to relieve wrist stress.

Now grip the pencil tightly and point it directly ahead. You should

both see and feel increased stress in your wrist and elbow.

It takes time to become accustomed to these movements. I didn't say

that these movements need to feel natural because they are natural. We

cripples become so tense when moving that reverting to a simple gait

seems foreign.

These rhythmic movements are so close to walking unaided that

sometimes I begin to go out without my stick.

I will upload a document that gives instructions how to adjust a

forearm crutch.

--Larry