Cruthches
Crutches are mobility aids designed to transfer wait from the patient legs to the upper body. They are used by people who can’t use their legs for one reason or the other to support their weight. These reasons may very from long term disabilities to shot-term injuries. There are many factors that one should consider when selecting the type of crutches to use:
- What is the main reason for the use of the crutches?
- Is the injury short-term or a long term disability?
- How comfortable are the crutches to the patient?
- Are the legs partially able to bear some weight?
- What are the side effects if any associated with that type of crutches?
- What is the patients’ age?
- How tall is the patient?
Apart from the above questions, there may be further factors that one should consider while sourcing for crutches.
There are many different types of crutches available today.
WALKING CRUTCHES
These are crutches that are designed to allow a patient move from one point to the other while keeping their hands free and at the same time retaining normal mobility. Normally used when only one leg is injured and specifically the lower leg. This type of crutch keeps the lower leg elevated thus increasing blood flow and speeding up recovery.
FOREARM CRUTCHES
This type of crutch has a cuff at the top that goes around the forearm. It is used by inserting the arm and holding the grip. The cuff, which is mainly made of metal or plastic can be a full circle or a half circle with a v type opening in front that is designed to allow the forearm slip out in case of a fall.
FOLDING CRUTCHES
With these crutches, it is easy to fold and store hence their name, folding crutches. They usually come with carry bags which are used to carry them when folded.
SPECIALTY CRUTCHES
These crutches are designed for ultimate comfort and reduction of stress and other crutch related side effects. The iWalk 2.0 is one of these types of crutches. It is more customizable than the traditional forearm crutches and it is built to provide comfort and eliminate hand and twist stress. Another one in this category is Millennial in motion pro forearm crutches. These are built to reduce the soreness and fatigue related with standard crutches
CRUTCH ACCESSORIES
There are several accessories that are used with crutches. One should have replacement crutch tips. These are compatible with most crutches and they provide added stability and they are shock absorbing with built in metal inserts. Some also come with a slip resistant design. Another accessory is the 5 prong ice grip which improves safety on ice, snow, soft grass and sand. Closed grips are also other essential crutch accessories. They help keep the grips comfortable since they are made of foam and this provides increased cushioning. Crutch attachment platform is meant to attach to adult sized crutches and acts as a padded armrest with a hand grip. It is useful to those who are unable to straighten their arm to grip the hand hold of the crutch. A crutch bag which is a convenient carry space for personal items is also a crutch accessory. Other accessories include: FDI crutch tip which allows the crutch to stand on its own, FDI ultra soft hand grip that is easy on the hands and wrists and FDI forearm protective pad which improves comfort.
The choice of the ideal crutches is of utmost importance and the comfort that may come with it may hasten the healing process of the patient. Investing in the right crutches is one of the best things you can do to prove to your loved one that you really care about their well-being.