How to Get Mobile With Crutches & a Long Cast

For people suffering from a leg injury, crutches can be a big help. Crutches allow you to minimize the weight placed on your injured leg, which in turn gives you the ability to navigate with a cast on your leg. However, learning how to use crutches takes some adjustment. Practice a few techniques until you are comfortable getting around with your crutches.

Instructions

Moving Around

• 1

  Adjust the height of your crutches to fit your body size. This will help ensure you are comfortable and reduce stress on your muscles, which could cause cramps. The top of your crutches should be 1-1/2 inches below your armpits with your shoulders relaxed. Your handgrip should be placed so that your elbow is flexed about 15 to 30 degrees.

• 2

  Stand up and place your crutches below your armpits. Keeping your body weight on the leg not in a cast, lift the crutches and place them about 4 to 6 inches in front of your body. Advance the leg that is in a cast until it rests in line with your crutches. In one fluid motion, lean into your crutches while swinging your unaffected leg forward about 4 to 6 inches in front of where the crutches are placed.

• 3

  Practice this motion until you are able to smoothly navigate around in with your crutches.

Navigating Platforms

• 4

  Lift yourself out of a chair by leaning back in the chair. The chair must be immobile or it will slide backward, which you do not want. Sit so that the back of your legs are resting on the front of the chair. Place both crutches in one hand. Grab both crutches by the handgrips. Exert your weight onto the handgrips as you stand up. Continue practicing until you are comfortable getting out of a chair with your crutches.

• 5

  Navigate going up stairs by facing the stairs with your crutches resting underneath your armpit. Place the weight of your body onto your unaffected leg while you place the crutches on the first step. Move your casted leg onto the first step while keeping your unaffected leg on the ground. Shift the weight onto your crutches as you move your unaffected leg to the first step. Repeat this process one step at a time.

• 6

  Navigate going down stairs by facing the stairs with your unaffected leg at the edge of the top step. Bend the knee of your unaffected leg while you lower the crutches and your casted leg onto the next step. Lean forward on your crutches and bring your unaffected leg down to the same step. Repeat this process one step at a time.

• 7

  Use the chair technique to get out of a car. Simply turn your body so that you are facing away from the car. Place both your feet on the ground. Align your crutches so you can grab the handgrips in one hand. Exert pressure on the handgrips of the crutches as you stand up. Balance the weight on your body between the crutches and your uninjured leg. Continue practicing until you are comfortable getting out of a car using your crutches.