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Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners
How do i use crutches when going up and down stairs?
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Margaret Buxton
Physiotherapist, Pilates Instructor
Margaret is a physiotherapist with nearly 30 years experience, incorporating manual therapy, dry needling, Pilates, hydrotherapy and exercise therapy, especially targetting balance and bone density. … View Profile
The easiest way to remember how is to think of the ‘rule of life’, that the good go up to heaven and the bad go down to hell. When walking with crutches, the crutches always move with the'bad' leg so you are supported when using that leg, therfore when going up steps, you lead with the ‘good’ leg (so this one does all the work of lifting you up) then follow with the ‘bad’ leg and crutches. When going down steps you lead with the ‘bad’ leg and crutches ( allowing your ‘good’ leg to do the work of lowering you down) then follow with the ‘good’ leg. Not only does this use the strongest leg to do the work part of negotiating steps, but also if you were to try it the other way, you would find your shoulders in all sorts of trouble with being too high for your body.
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