Guest viewing is limited

crutches/canes/etc.

Status
Not open for further replies.

UTdave

member
Joined
Nov 8, 2008
Messages
181
Location
United States
Gender
Male
Does anyone know the reasoning for using an assist device (i.e. cane) for walking until there is no limp or pain? Obviously we wouldn't want to risk a fall, but does a crutch at some point act as, well. . . a crutch?
 
I would think stabilization,,,,,,Dave.
Most of us have just been walking ALL wrong!
 
Hey Dave,
Had this discussion with my Mother the PT. Basically her training was with the old techniques and restrictions. And a very healthy dose of accident prevention. Walking the line between what she perceived as a chance of falling and pushing to recover just as fast as I could, was really hard for her to watch with me. Understandably. She did grudgingly agree that using the cane was mainly a safety thing.
So I waited until she went home and then I ditched it. ;)

Donna

I do think that true gait training is useful though. At first and still occasionally I had to keep reminding myself to stride out. After years of walking like a penguin old bad habits are hard to break. ;)
 
I found that I got tremendous respect from
The public when I was out walking with my
cane! - also felt safer that they would
stay away from me so I wouldn't get jostled!
There are 2 schools of thought,,,,,limited or no meds WITH a
Walking aids or meds without the meds,,,
 
I'm 5 days post op LTHR, and here is my system:

I keep the walker by my bed because when I get up groggy, I need extra support. Thats the only time I use the walker.

I use only 1 crutch when on Percocets, and 2 crutches when the perc wears off, and the pain creeps back.

I get so much use out of those grabber gadgets around the house----I have 3 of them. I couldn't do without the dressing stick, or the long stick sponge for sponge baths. My OS has me sleep with a wedge between my legs laying flat to prevent leg crossing or turning in my sleep.

When I am done recovering, I will use those grabber gadgets, one in the laundry room----not to touch dirty clothes, and another in the kitchen for the high cabinet shelves; and another will be a pooper-scooper to keep in the yard for my little maltese.
 
I found that I got tremendous respect from
The public when I was out walking with my
cane! - also felt safer that they would
stay away from me so I wouldn't get jostled!


I'm glad for you, Judles. Over here, people walk straight at you, pointedly looking the other way. I find I have to stop and wait till they've passed by or they'd walk right over me! Also, when I use the 'mart-karts' it's amazing how people seem to step right in front of you like they suppose it can go sideways! And heaven forbid you bump into them or obstruct them, they give you the dirtiest of glares.

On the other hand, there are those who sweetly rush over to help not realising that four wheels doesn't automatically indicate no brain! My wheelchaired friends use to tell me this but you don't really realise what it's like until you've experienced it first hand.

I shall be so glad to be shot of that once and for all (or until the next time!)
 
Dave
I used my crutches out in public to prevent falls. they did work to clear a space for me. That was only for the first 3 weeks. My doc asked me to use the cane for a little longer than I would have. I guess it helps with gait. I am the type that will ditch those objects as soon as I feel comfortable without them.
After this knee surgery, the home pt told me I should use a cane. I went from crutches to nothing. I really just use them until I think I am safe out there.
judy
 
Let 'em DARE get in your way, JO!!!!GRRRRRRRRRR!!!!
:)
 
Hi all,

I used two crutches for three weeks, then one crutch for ages, as the operated leg felt fairly weak. The "extra support" was useful - without the crutch I was in danger of limping and didn't want to do that. I gradually eased off its use, until I was happy I could comfortably and properly walk more than a mile at once without it.

Monica
 
Well, many ways to skin a cat, huh?

I had a pretty quick movement to no crutches with the last surgery (about 3.5 wks). This one had a bit longer incision (6") and the trochanter was slightly cracked. I moved pretty quickly to 90% weight bearing, but now am sort of stuck at about 95% weight bearing and if I try to go 100% I limp.

It's getting ridiculous. It's not like I'm not strong elsewhere. I went snowshoeing yesterday for an hour (using ski poles), walking in the local hills today with a crutch over uneven terrain. I can ride an exercise bike for an hour without what I would call pain. I can certainly walk without a crutch or cane, but I limp a bit - after some time goes by, I limp a lot!

My PT said mostly this crutch/cane thing is to keep your gait and muscle memory proper. I was hoping I was not damaging anything by hobbling around without a crutch from time to time. Does anyone have the magic healing wand I can wave over my leg?
 
You mean.....abrah cadabra, Dave???
Well think positive! It'll happen! And keep
Being active! Your body knows! Good luck! :)
 
Does anyone have the magic healing wand I can wave over my leg?

Boy, whoever invents THAT wand will be really, really wealthy!!! LOL
 
Well, many ways to skin a cat, huh?

I had a pretty quick movement to no crutches with the last surgery (about 3.5 wks). This one had a bit longer incision (6") and the trochanter was slightly cracked. I moved pretty quickly to 90% weight bearing, but now am sort of stuck at about 95% weight bearing and if I try to go 100% I limp.

It's getting ridiculous. It's not like I'm not strong elsewhere. I went snowshoeing yesterday for an hour (using ski poles), walking in the local hills today with a crutch over uneven terrain. I can ride an exercise bike for an hour without what I would call pain. I can certainly walk without a crutch or cane, but I limp a bit - after some time goes by, I limp a lot!

My PT said mostly this crutch/cane thing is to keep your gait and muscle memory proper. I was hoping I was not damaging anything by hobbling around without a crutch from time to time. Does anyone have the magic healing wand I can wave over my leg?

Expectations, expectations, expectations! Time to manage them! One, you're comparing A to Surgery A to Surgery B, and two, young athletic guy that you are, you obviously want to throw the d___ crutch/cane in the trash!

Reality says Surgery B is its very own independent animal & will take its own sweet time deciding when to dump the assists, thank you very much, no matter how much you try to beat it into submission!

(The telling phrase here, IMHO, is "what I call pain." Recalling the pic you posted just prior to surgery, biking at what I'd call a "challenging" angle, you neither suffer fools gladly (nor drug companies with direct to consumer ad campaigns), nor do you have a lot of patience with your own body. So give it a break already! :-) You'll get there! And you know it!
 
Isn't it too ensure that you actually do walk straight and to consequently strengthn the muscles that are needed in order to walk straight. If we walk crooked we are strengthening the muscles for walking crooked....I like the saying "start the way you mean to finish" ...in other words walk as straight as possible with a cane, in order to walk straight in time without it!
Rachel
 
Hi Dave, BigDog Mom, Judy and Monica,

Seems like you guys are happy and able to walk without a cane. I'd really appreciate knowing if you had a cemented or a non-cemented prosthesis.

Mine was non-cemented, and although I believe with my thinking mind that at 3 weeks I should be fully weight bearing, and I really trust the members of this forum who have told me this in my first ever thread here; . . . still, there's some elemental fear lurking at the back of my mind that keeps saying ' stick to the crutches a bit longer'. I want to be fully weight bearing and everything I know about the body tells me I should be, but taking that last/first step is a big psychological problem for some reason.

Enjoy Everything

Nick
 
Hi Nick - I think I was one of the "uncemented" people who advised you in an earlier post to trust your OS and go ahead and fully weight bear. I just wanted to add that you can be fully weight bearing and still use a crutch purely for stability. As I said, I was fully weight bearing well within 24 hours of my LTHR - but I was also using crutches for stability. I wasn't using any aids at 3 weeks (apart from a cane occasionally when out and about, and that was mainly so the general public would give me a wide berth!) - but everyone is different. In my inexpert opinion, the weight bearing is what aids in building up all those poor old muscles which haven't been working properly - so take a big breath and give it a try. As long as your OS has given you the go ahead - do it! Honestly, once you have given it a go and realise that everything is going to be okay - there'll be no stopping you! Good luck! :)

Peta
 
Nick,,,,take baby steps without your cane
At first,,,then do a little more everyday til
You build your confidence!
Your new hip s stronger than you think! :)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Staff online

Back
Top Bottom