Thomas Fetterman, Inc.
Home of Performance and Tornado Tips

How to Use Crutches on Stairs

Here's How:

Approach the stairs and have your therapist stand by for safety until confident of abilities.
Keep crutches down on lower level and do not place upward on the steps. Push down hard on the crutches with your arms. This lifts the body upward.
Then, step up first with your strong leg to the first step!
Bring up your weak leg and crutches to the same step as the strong leg.
Crutches and both legs should now be on the same step.
Repeat sequence from Step 3 again.
To come down the stairs, lower the crutches down to the next step.
The strong good leg and your arms will help lower body weight slowly to the next step.
Move the weaker/painful leg down to the step with the crutches on it.
Keep little or all weight off the painful leg as per your doctor's recommendations.
Step down with strong leg.
Both legs and the crutches should be on the same step.
Repeat sequence from Step 7 to continue descending stairs.
When finished, play theme song from Hollywood movie Rocky.
Hydrate with liquids to keep refreshed from the workout!

Tips:

Use a handrail and both crutches on one side, if balance or fatigue is a problem.
To remember proper gait sequence, just recall "Good foot goes to heaven, bad foot goes to hell-o!
Try to keep arms strong with simple strengthening exercises to help reduce walking fatigue.