New Tips

Three Shoppers Drug Marts, a Rexall, and one mobility supply store later, I was finally able to purchase replacement tips for my forearm crutches. At one store I found replacements for cane tips but not crutches. Some of the stores said they carried them but not at that location. In addition, I had also called a Shoppers Home Health Care Centre and they just seemed confused by the forearm crutches, that I wasn't looking for standard ones. The only difference between the two is the tubing on the forearm crutches is slightly narrower. That and they are grey not tan.

It was at the mobility store where I was finally able to get them. I called the day before to see if they carried them and they assured me if the replacement tips they sold did not fit, we could take a pair right off a set on the floor. Excellent! Their store is not the easiest to get to without a car which can only mean one thing. Physio field trip! This time with my rehabilitative pilates instructor. Turns out the replacement tips they had were too big and we did end up taking new ones off another pair of crutches. Sounds like they are going to look into ordering that size of replacement tips for the store. Hopefully they do and I can purchase a couple pairs at the same time the next time mine wear out.

Having new tips on my crutches is kind of like wearing new running shoes. Because you gradually wear out the old ones, you may not notice they aren't as comfortable anymore. As soon as you switch to brand new ones, you feel just how much cushioning you were missing before. The first couple days felt fantastic. Every step felt so much softer. It wears off though as you get used to it being the norm. It did take me a couple hours to get used to having the new tips on. The difference in height is pretty minor, it's only a difference of about half a centimeter. It's enough though that I was catching my crutches on the ground ever couple steps. Not a problem so big that I ever actually fell down but I did trip a couple times. Like I said, it was only for a couple hours. After which I got used to them and naturally adjusted to the new height. It should be several months before I need to replace them again.