I currently use a walking stick to get around the house and to and from the car and for very short distances. I have a very bad balance problem which means that I tend to fall over (a lot). I link on to my husband from car to door and vice versa, but just use the stick alone when in the house. I am having a problem with using my stick in my left arm and its extremely painful. I can't use it in my right either. I have got someone coming out to assess me again to see whether a different walking aid will be better and one thing they have suggested is elbow crutches. Has anyone here used them before? What are they like? I don't know if i'm having one or a pair. I just need something to help me stop falling over. Thanks in advance all xxx
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babebatista
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I have closed cuff elbow crutches but my arm banging about when using the crutches leaves me mighty bruised so I bought some open cuff ones myself after seeing a man using them whilst I was on holiday in Greece (& trying them out, like you do, swapping crutches with complete strangers!)
They help me not fall over so much, even just using one sometimes.
they are also called gutter crutches or arthritic crutches.If they're the same ones I used then they are brilliant!
I have the open cuff elbow crutches and I have folding walking sticks I find the elbow crutches better but if I go out on my mobilty scooter I take my folding walking sticks as I know I won't be walking much and they are easier to put in my mobilty scooter basket
An ebow crutch fits round arm just above elbow, a gutter crutch has a different format in which the lower part of the arm lies in a "gutter" at right angle to body. I found them the most comfortable but a bit more unwieldy.
I'm using elbow crutches at the moment but the heels of my hands, my wrists and my shoulders hurt or ache. I think perhaps these arthritic crutches would be great for my arthritic hands but not for my (probably) fibro shoulders, or forearms? I guess it will be a case of try and see. Good luck with it.
I have used them, for 2 weeks after my knee gave way at the top of my stairs and I fell to the bottom and smashed my knee. I poersonally found them to be very stable to walk with. xx
Thank you all of you for your very kind responses and support. It's so difficult finding things that are good for us isn't it? I will make sure that I remember (well i'll try, fibro fog!) to tell me OT.
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