Using your Crutches

Cork Emergency Departments

After your injury or procedure, it may be necessary for you to use crutches for a while. We will provide you with a pair of crutches and show you how to use them. Depending on your injury, you may or may not be allowed to bear weight on your injured leg. Wear flat supportive shoes. Avoid wet floors.

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Tips on how to use your crutches:

• When standing up and sitting down, make sure you take your arms out of the crutches and hold them in one hand
• When walking with the crutches, keep the handles pointing forwards and your arms close to your sides. Place both crutches forwards together with enough space in between them to step into
• If you are advised that you are not allowed to put any weight through your injured leg (non-weight bearing), place your crutches forwards together. Now lean through your arms as you hop on your uninjured leg up to the same level as the crutches. The foot of your injured leg must stay off the floor at all times when walking
• If you are advised that you are allowed to weight bear, place the crutches forwards together and then step your injured leg up to the crutches. Now lean through your arms as you step your uninjured leg forwards to the same level
• When climbing stairs, try to use a banister or rail in one hand and a crutch in the other (you can also carry the extra crutch in this hand)
• Going Up: Good leg, bad leg, crutch
• Going down: Crutch, bad leg, good leg
• Note: If you feel unsteady on the stairs with crutches, go up and down the steps on your bottom
• Check the rubber stoppers regularly
• Use your crutches as long as instructed

Please note: The Mercy Injury Unit, Gurranabraher will not accept return of used crutches.

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