A friend found she could transport various items around by wearing a hoodie and using the pouch.
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I had an accident before Xmas and wounded my leg, it took months to heal and just about as soon as I was starting to get back to normal, I got gout in the ankle.
As a result of shifting all my weight to the good leg for so long I now have significant soft tissue damage in the other leg and after a visit to the urgent treatment centre yesterday I now find my self on crutches. Happy days!
I live alone and since I got home yesterday I realise the limitations I'm now under as you don't have a free hand to carry anything.
After a lot of thinking and research I managed to cook a ready meal last night. I was able to put the whole container in a clip lock container and put that and cutlery in a carrier, tied it so that the box stayed straight and hooked it onto the crutch handle to get it to somewhere I could eat it.
I'm just about managing to make a hot drink using a travel mug with a hooked handle that rather perilously hangs over a crutch handle.
I've just ordered an across body bag so I can carry smaller things around, a grabber for all the things I keep dropping and some fresh wipes as I can't bathe or shower.
I've modified my Sainsbury's order to include things that can be easily grabbed from the fridge or cupboard and added some ready meals so I can repeat last night's Heath Robinson meal prep.
Does any one have any hints or tips for managing with crutches when you're on your own?
A friend found she could transport various items around by wearing a hoodie and using the pouch.
After I had an accident found crutches difficult when shopping
Managed at home.
Only easy trips was when I took my baby grandson out in his stroller…so lovely having free hands again while out shopping
I broke my wrist in january. Readymeals were a great stand bye.
DeeDe
After I had an accident found crutches difficult when shopping
Managed at home.
Only easy trips was when I took my baby grandson out in his stroller…so lovely having free hands again while out shopping
Supermarkets or the Garden Centre are ok as they have trolleys as something to lean on. In fact, some other shops do have trolleys eg Hobbycraft, TK Maxx, HomeSense and DIY stores.
Room to put the crutches in them too!
However, shopping in a local High Street would be difficult.
If u have to keep the weight off your leg completely I found an office chair on wheels very useful to propel along with one foot after I broke my ankle. Can even take back or arms off if they come off for more manoeuvrability. Hope u recover quickly.
Try a zimmer type frame with wheels and a tray on the front, that would help for transferring food & drink etc
Oh, you do have my sympathy! I’m in a slightly better position than you, inasmuch as I can waddle around with a zimmer frame, & the GP’s Rapid Response Team brought me a bucket thing which fits over the frame. Last night was my second upstairs in my bed after a week on the couch, & I now have carers morning and night to help with stairs, dressing and showers. Crutches would be no good for me as when I hurt my leg I also put my wrist out of commission. I use one of those screw top drink flasks because it prevents spillage, and of course the reinforced pants we all think are for old folk not us - but in the middle of the night it can take an age to get to the loo. The worst thing, for me, isn’t the pain or inconvenience it’s the garden & all the seedlings which I’m going to have to watch die if I can’t either pot them on or plant them. Tragedy! Wishing you the very best.
I’d caution you against trying to go with one crutch too soon my gran did that and ended needing to use a walking stick the rest of her life. I was advised by my physio not too try it to soon after my hip op, as it’s a common outcome, to be left needing a walking aid
I have a ruptured Achilles Tendon and am having to wear a boot 24 -7 and use crutches which I find very hard. I find that carrying stuff around in a small back pack is useful. Thankfully a friend lent me her crutches so I have one pair upstairs and one pair downstairs. However I prefer dragging myself round on furniture where I can.
My friend used an apron with a big pocket on the front to carry small items around.
Isn't it sad, I'm sure most of our very good friends would be more than happy to call in and help us if we were in the same predicament, (I certainly would) but don't like to ask, as it feels 'cheeky'. 🙄
I broke my kneecap last summer, and the local Occupational Therapy team were soon on the spot -and very helpful. I found the zimmer frame and the little trolley mentioned above really excellent - though the crutches not at all!
A Tesco’s home delivery for all my food for a week really helped, though being housebound for several months did feel rather depressing. Hopefully you will soon be on the mend - and able to enjoy the summer. Very best wishes from a survivor!
Thanks for the tip about only using one crutch - and I thought I was doing so well!
Something for carrying things around is vital - the cheap cross body bag I bought is an absolute boon. I also bought a 12 pack of small bottled water - it means I can have a bottle in the lounge, the kitchen and the dining room so saves remembering to take my water bottle from room to room. With my painkillers in my bag I can take them wherever I happen to be.
In January I injured my hip and ended up with a zimmer frame - it was initially so frustrating because my only way of carrying anything was putting it in my pocket! Then I had a bright idea and tied a shopping bag to the handles, Wow! that was great, butnI couldn't carry a cup of coffee - a friend told me I could buy a tray that clipped on to it on Amazon - I bought a tray with a container under it - it was wonderful - I was made!! Thankfully I no longer need the zimmer, but the attachments helped me keep my sanity and independence!
Dotpocka - Dr Josh Axe is based in the USA much of this information re pork meat is not relevant to the UK.
Contact your GP and ask for an occupational therapy assessment given your new situation.
They may do this over the phone but there is lots of equipment they can loan you for the duration such as a perching stool for the kitchen (previously mentioned) and a kitchen trolley.
They can also assess you for any bath/showering seats as well. I would advise against buying items that you may never use again, and may also find are of no/limited use.
Get the experts to advise and then you can decide if you want to purchase anything on top of what they can loan you.
It was very poor of the urgent treatment centre not to ask you these questions before sending you on your way.
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