New Accessory

Before physio last Wednesday my physiotherapist and I decided to go on a "field trip". We're always looking to and discussing the next progression to getting me walking. We had been considering the possibility of me getting forearm crutches for a little while now. So what better way to decide if this was a good idea or not than to go try some out. So our "field trip" was to a mobility store. Unfortunately the first store we drove to didn't have them, despite having them list on their website. Thankfully they suggested another place that may have them and we headed there.

There were two different models of forearm crutches at this other store and so I tried each of them out for a bit to get a sense for which felt more comfortable and functional. The plan really was just to see if they would work for me and find out how I felt using them. After deciding which of the two were better suited for me, and because we were already there, I bought them. I would have bought them eventually anyway. The only thing we didn't think of until we got back to the physiotherapy clinic was that I can't walk home with two sets of crutches. Thankfully, I don't live too far from there and so I walked home with one set and my physiotherapist dropped the other set off to me later. (Thanks!)

I've been using my new forearm crutches for about a week now. Walking with them I'm not as stable as using my full-length crutches. Yet! And since each set of crutches uses slightly different muscles, my arms and wrists have been noticeably sorer this week compared to usual. They are definitely taking some getting used to. There have been a couple frustrating moments, nothing major has gone wrong, mainly I'm just slower getting around with them. I've had to remind myself a couple time, "this is just day 2 with these (or whatever day it happens to be) ... it's going to take some practice". Sometimes I forget I've been using the full-length crutches for 4.5 months already. Most of the things I do, I don't have to think twice about using the crutches or where/how to place them. It's become second nature. I'm sure with time I'll be saying the same thing about the forearm crutches too.

At the moment I'd say I use the forearm over the full-length crutches about 70% of the time. I haven't figured out how to carry a plate yet while using them, so I switch to my full-length crutches for that. It's also the full-length crutches I put beside my bed when I go to sleep. Until I'm completely comfortable with the new ones, I'd rather not be half asleep and unstable trying to get to the washroom in the middle of the night. I do walk to physio every day with the forearms crutches, but that is only about 5min away. I have yet to venture any farther than that with them, for that I revert to my full-length crutches. However, using the forearm crutches to go somewhere farther away than physio is my next goal.