Wellness

[dex]

@Another new name Sue Thanks for the tips.We will be sure to get new tips and adjust the height.He goes to the doc tomorrow so I think they will help him adjust?i really appreciate everyone's help...thanks again

[151949]

It is more than just adjusting them for size - though that is an issue - you have to know how to use them. For instance - does the OP's son know how to navigate stairs with crutches. Or how to get up from a chair without twisting his back?

[Toppers]

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@Tinkrbl44 wrote:

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@Kachina624 wrote:

Often medical supply stores will deliver and fit equipment but you'll probably need a doctor's prescription.   When I need something like that, my doctor's office makes all the arrangements.

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@Kachina624

I'm not disputing what you're saying, but why would you need a doctor's prescription?   It's not like they are a controlled substance or anything ... lol.

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With a mobility aid, it's common to get it through a doctor or hospital, and then actually be shown how to use it before being released with it.

I use a walker, and it was given to me to use while I was a hospital in-patient. A PT from the therapy dept. came to my room and worked with me on how to use it properly. It was adjusted for my height. 

When my husband needed crutches for an ankle injury, he was given a pair of crutches while he was being treated in the hospital as an out-patient for his injury, and was shown how to use them. They were adjusted for his particular height, too. 

[gardenman]

I've used crutches off and on since I was two. They aren't that hard to use. As to having them adjusted, he'll be the best person to adjust them to suit him. I like a taller crutch, some like a shorter crutch. And don't count on a PT adjusting them properly. I had a high school classmate who had knee surgery and they sent him home on crutches that were adjusted so short that he had to use them from nearly a sitting position. He was falling constantly until I adjusted them to a more normal height for him.

[muttmom]

Crutches have been part of my life for 48 years.  It is extremely important they are the right height and used properly.  The most comfortable height and easiest way to walk with them is not necessarily medically and physically sound.

I would not purchase them at Goodwill.

[AnikaBrodie]

I would go to a medical supply company (i.e., connected with a hospital) where they have trained people who can show him a variety of available crutches, recommend a certain one, and teach him how to use them properly.