Kitrianna, if you believe the ankle is broken, you need medical care. If the bones are out of alignment, it will heal badly and may never support you properly. Bite the bullet and get yourself a little in debt. This is the only body you're going to get, you know?
In the meantime...
Make sure you understand how you’re supposed to use your crutches, and have a professional set their height, watch you use the crutches, and tell you if it seems to be right. (Regardless of your actual height, fit depends on how far your palms are from the floor.) How is the injured foot (or leg, or ankle) supposed to be positioned while you’re moving along on crutches? Should you be allowing it to accept any of your weight? Do the crutches and injured foot/leg move forward at the same time, or in separate steps? Be sure that your weight is nearly all on the padded hand grips of the crutches, not on the padded underarm part. You should not be hunched over forward or standing uncommonly tall to use your crutches.
Crutches and stairs don’t mix. If your home has two floors, find out how (or if) you’re supposed to move from one to the other. Depending on your injury, you may be expected to crawl or sit on the stairs—get someone to vacuum or sweep them.
Despite rubber tips with suction cups, crutches can be treacherous when you’re on a slick surface. Consider carefully whether you should venture out in snow, ice, or rain—or a recent wax job on the floor.
Small items can keep the crutch from making a firm contact with the floor or sidewalk, and you can easily fall if the crutch slips when it’s supposed to be holding you up. Inside, make sure debris is swept up (or kicked aside, anyway), especially on hard floors like wood or tile. Outside, keep an eye out for pebbles, broken glass, wet leaves, etc.
People who need crutches find it much harder to use them than their friends and family who cavort on them like a gymnastics event. Don’t let the graceful antics of people who play with your crutches get you down—remember, they have nothing to fear if their weight is abruptly shifted to their feet and legs.
Whether you’re young or older, thin or thick, fit or flabby, moving yourself via crutches uses muscles you many not ordinarily think about, much less exercise. Anticipate tired or sore muscles in the arms and shoulders. Nearly all women have much less upper-body strength than men, so they can expect more.
You will experience minor soreness of the palms of your hands as they bear some of your body’s weight on crutches. If it’s bothersome, it can be prevented or lessened by wearing gloves that cushion the palms but allow a secure grip. (Fabric-lined leather gloves, for instance.) If your palms are really tender, consider handball gloves with a padded or gel-filled palm.
If your underarms get more than slightly sore, you’re putting way too much weight on that part of the crutch. Moving around on crutches is like weight-lifting: form is everything.
Long-hairs beware: The rubber pads of crutches can and will snag loose strands and cheerfully pluck them right out. Keep a barrette or hair-type rubber band handy. Consider an up-do or braid.
Think you’re safe because your hair is shorter? Hah! If you move your head near the crutches when you’re seated and they’re conveniently close at hand, they can still “grab” you.
It’s up to the crutch-user to make sure that other people remember that people on crutches can’t carry anything that doesn’t fit in a pocket. Women’s’ clothing has very few functional pockets unless she slips into a blazer—and those might still be stitched shut (so it hangs better). Even considerate people won’t consistently remember that you can’t carry a darned thing, so you have to ask them to bring what you’d ordinarily carry for yourself.
The person on crutches can make very good use of a fanny pack, which won’t interfere with balance or with the crutches as long as the pack is in front or back (not on the sides).
A loaded backpack may interfere with balance and contribute to falls, but a light one may prove useful. The first few times you use it, have someone behind you to help if you lose your balance.
A shoulder bag with a long enough strap to go over the head, so it crosses the body diagonally and can’t slip off the shoulder, may seem like a good idea, but in reality it can easily swing forward and get in the way, including knocking your crutch to the ground.
If you’re on crutches, you may choose to cut back on how much coffee you drink. Coffee is a diuretic, and having to get up to pee every half hour can be quite a chore.
Be aware that beer is also a diuretic—and that alcohol in any form is usually a dangerous mix with pain medications. Think twice before having that one beer or glass of wine with dinner.
Maryn, who's spent time on crutches
