Any tips to make life with crutches easier?

[RunDanceSkate]

Any tips to make life with crutches easier? Looks like DS17 will be on them for awhile. I plan to get some foam to wrap around the top today, since if he stands on them for any length of time they hurt his armpits. When he is using them it doesn't touch. He is wearing gloves (lightly padded wrestling ones) on his hands, and carrying a backpack.

We have not had a fun couple of months here. In Oct DD15 fell at skating and sprained her wrist. In Nov DH fell while teaching skating and broke his wrist in 3 places, has since had surgery, to get a metal plate and screws installed. DS17 got hurt in Dec while doing a jump at, you guessed it, figure skating. Luckily it was one day after coming home from a national competition.

The kids tried to tell me that my turn was next, I reminded them that I don't skate. They pointed out that there is ice everywhere here in Jan. I suggested that I spend the entire month of Jan on the Disney cruise ship, no ice there. They suggested that I would slip on an ice cube near the self serve pop machine.
I went out an bought good winter boots with great thread on the bottom. Cheaper then a month on a cruise ship, but not as fun.

 

[peemagg]

I don't like the foam pads. I have found the gel pads to be more comfortable, but I use forearm crutches. I find them much easier to use than underarm crutches especially if you are going to be on them for a while. If you get a pair of forearm crutches, make sure you get some with a closed cuff, so that it stays on the arms better.

 

[bidnow5]

I second the forearm crutches I found them to be soo much better. On a side note my Father was a real good ice skater he practiced with Sonia Henie in the 30's. She used to winter at his aunts house in Berlin New Hampshire

 

[peemagg]

Another thing instead of either type of crutches that might be better is renting a knee walker from a medical supply place. With that, he can rest his bad leg on a pad and then push the walker around like a skate board. If possible I would get one where the front wheels turn so that he isn't having to lift up on the front every time he wants to turn. The biggest drawback to these is that they are not useful on stairs, but just having one to give his arms and hands a break might be just the thing to make life easier.

This is what I am talking about.
http://kneewalker.com/newkneewalkers_detail.php?rel=4&osCsid=99353bc24d438f313f6e741ea5b4be1f

 

[peemagg]

Another thing instead of either type of crutches that might be better is renting a knee walker from a medical supply place. With that, he can rest his bad leg on a pad and then push the walker around like a skate board. If possible I would get one where the front wheels turn so that he isn't having to lift up on the front every time he wants to turn. The biggest drawback to these is that they are not useful on stairs, but just having one to give his arms and hands a break might be just the thing to make life easier.

This is what I am talking about.
http://kneewalker.com/newkneewalkers_detail.php?rel=4&osCsid=99353bc24d438f313f6e741ea5b4be1f

 

[PirateFairy8]

One thing I used to do is if he uses a backpack to hook his jacket through the straps so that he can still use his crutches and not have to worry about holding his jacket if he's not wearing it. I did this with my purse also, but he doesn't carry one of those! I agree on the forearm crutches, I was on them for about 3 years. I've relearned/regained my ability to walk now, but forearm crutches were a lifesaver when I was on them. I was even thrilled to see them a few weeks ago when I broke my toe! Never thought I'd ever be happy to see my crutches again lol.

 

[WheeledTraveler]

I just wanted to also agree with the people suggesting that if he's going to be on crutches for a while, it would be worth looking into getting some forearm crutches. As far as I can tell, most of the rest of the world doesn't really use underarm crutches anymore due to the sorts of problems you mention. I know the UK doesn't. I have no idea if you could get insurance to cover forearm crutches (they're more expensive than underarm, which I suspect is why underarm are more standard here with our health insurance system), but you can also get them relatively inexpensively off ebay. I can't use underarm crutches (they dislocate my shoulders), but am fine with forearm crutches. I agree with peemag about getting ones with closed cuffs if possible.

Since they're adjustable, unless anyone in your family is particularly short or particularly tall, you should be able to just get a pair and then you'll have them if something else happens to someone else, too.

 

[blondietink]

I used regular crutches for 6 months. the worst problem was with the hands being sore at first. I wrapped a terry cloth kitchen towel around the hand grip. the best part of the crutches is that after a couple of weeks of getting used to them, I could walk faster than anybody else. Shopping was great ... I could go fron one end of the mall/store to the other in no time!

 

[RunDanceSkate]

Thank you for the advice everyone. He has an MRI scheduled this week, as well as several appointments. We should have a better idea after that of how long he will be on crutches.