Tips on Learning to Use Crutches with a Boot and Keeping Foot Immobile??

Get a rolling desk chair for your home, you can roll around anywhere you want, even carrying a cup of coffee. Go up/down stairs on your butt, using your hands to lift your butt to the next step--you will be going up backwards, but going down fowards, just reverse the action. Get a small backpack for all your stuff, wear it on your chest instead of your back, everything is handy then. You can rent a knee scooter from the medical supply. You rest your cast on the scooter's padded "seat" bearing your weight on your knee and push with the other foot just like a childs scooter. It has hand breaks and works great if you need to get around somewhere quickly. Crutches are the worst thing ever if you don't use them properly. You MUST bear your weight on your hands, they will get very sore, but it's better than bearing weight on your armpits, it irritates the lymph nodes in your armpits and you will regret the day you ever saw a crutch. Wrap the crutch handles with soft foam for your hands, it helps a lot. Good luck!!!

I crutched my way through life for a month or two at a time for several years (two surgeries on the same knee). Honestly, it's really not that bad. Just recognize that you'll need to move more slowly, carefully, and deliberately. You'll eventually get your "sea legs" and it can be tempting to race around like a speed demon. Don't. But otherwise, it's not a huge deal. I don't recommend holing up in bed. You'll just lose muscle tone and set yourself for a long, painful rehab. Just do everything (or 90% of everything) you always do, but at a slower pace. I am notoriously, famously awkward and clumsy, and I only took one almost-spill the whole time, and that was in heavy rain. Go into it expecting you can do it. It won't be the easiest thing ever in the world, but it's doable.

My advice? Do what they say! Lol
When I hurt my knee, I was given an immobolizer and crutches.
Day #1, about halfway from the parking garage to my office (a block!), I'd had enough. Simply cannot live my life at that pace. I suspect you will feel the same.
Im short too, so make sure the crutches are adjusted to the correct height. get pediatric crutches if necessary. The height makes a big difference for use.
That said, my knee still bothers me now at times, so my advice to you is "OBEY the orders and PRAY for patience"!
Speedy recovery!

I was in a full length cast from the groin area to my toes when I had my knee surgery. They told me if I damaged it again there would be no way to fix it. The ends of my ligaments and tendons were shredded. They stapled them back together the best they could....

Take it slow. The practice idea is wonderful! Use the crutches like you would a cane, for support with YOU doing most of the actual moving. Use your other foot and leg most, can you do any hopping? If so you could simply put a porta potty by the bed the first week and have a home health aid or a loving hubby to empty and rinse it out.

Keeping that limb elevated and comfy will be your main priority.

If you have to climb stairs this worked for me. Going up, step up with the healthy leg. THEN as you are steady bring up the other leg and the crutches. When going down I found that putting both crutches under one arm and holding the railing worked better for me. I would put the crutch down on the next step, holding the railing tightly with the other hand, then I'd put my weight on the crutch and swing my body and injured limb to the next step. Going down was always harder....

When moving from the bed the first week, always have a spotter there just in case. It may take that long to get the anesthesia and other drugs out of your system. Falling right after surgery is not a good idea. Call a local medical supply or if you can get a temporary home health aid to come ask them about a belt you can Velcro around your waist for a spotter to hold on to.

I worked in a facility once with a woman who was blind, she had to have her breasts removed, and while she was recovering we had a belt to use. It was about 3 inches wide and strong. It have super duper velcro to hold it closed. There were many times she's lose her balance since she was so disoriented and that belt would help us so much.

We'd walk beside her with our arm around her back, our strongest hand would be on the belt. This way if she started going down we could help her slowly down or we could steady her so she could get to a place to sit down.

TF I don't have any tips unfortunately but I'm sending good wishes and hopes for quick healing your way! I know it must really bug you to not be able to help your daughter get settled in. :/

<<hugs>>

When you are on crutches, you might be tempted to lean on them when standing. Don't. Bear weight on your good foot. You don't want to tire out your arms/ armpits more than necessary as they are your new "feet."

Good luck to you and yours,
F. B.

Be sure the crutches are sized properly for you. You should not be leaning on the upper part, taking the weight on your armpits. The handles should be positioned so that you support your weight with completely straight arms. That's really, really important. Learn to get into a rhythm with swinging the bad leg opposite from swinging the crutches. On steps, the crutches are always on the lower step - so if you're going down, the crutches go first and then the good foot; going up, the crutches support you so the good foot can go to the higher step. Be careful! Your center of gravity is off, and you don't have a free hand for grabbing the railing! Use handicapped ramps and doors as much as possible - hit the automatic door button rather than trying to hold a door open with your shoulder while you struggle to get through. Look beseechingly at others so they will hold doors for you, and don't be afraid to ask for it.

Use a backpack so your wallet and essentials are evenly distributed on your body. Keep the wallet in an inner pocket so it's not grab-able by others!

Scale back your activities, elevate your food as much as you can. Little stuff is hard - you make yourself a cup of coffee, and then realize you cannot carry it from the stove to the table. Uh oh. Ask for help, get some prepared meals from the supermarket, and say no to as much as you can. A lot of stuff just isn't going to get done.