If you find that you are in need of crutches because of an accident, surgery, or any other reason, it’s important that you know how to walk on them properly. When you first start using them, it can be difficult. With a bit of time and practice, and following some simple safety guidelines, you will find that you can still get around to the places you need to go.

The first thing that you need to do is make sure that the crutches are adjusted to the proper height. The hand piece, where you hold onto them while walking, should be at your hip level. The top of each crutch should be just below the armpit, but you should not rest yourself on these while walking. This can cause a lot of pain, and it can even hurt the skin on your armpit. You do not want to have a rash that you have to worry about in addition to your other injuries!

When you are walking, you will want to place your weight on the uninjured side. Keep weight off the area that is healing, otherwise it will take much longer to recover. As you go forward, the crutches go in front first, shoulder width apart, and then you hop forward. You should keep your arms locked, so that the bones do much of the support work. If your arms are bent, you will find that you tire more quickly because the muscles are doing all of the work of supporting the body.

You should always take small steps, and never proceed too quickly. When you take larger steps, you will find that you tire more quickly, and that you have a higher likelihood of falling down.

Depending on the type of injury that you have, you may not want to drive when you are healing. Instead, when you need to go to work or anywhere else, you should have someone who will be able to drive you.

After a day or so, you should be able to walk around on your crutches with ease. If you find that you still have trouble and you do not want to deal with learning how to use them properly, then you can always consider an alternative. Some people choose to use wheelchairs, scooters, and even walkers because they find that these mobility products are simply easier for them to use.