Crutches are mobility aids that, if properly fitted, can help you get around while recovering from an injury. According to the National Institutes of Health, if your crutches are improperly fitted, they will be uncomfortable and preclude you from any exercises that will help you maintain your fitness while you're using them. Crutches typically are a temporary requirement when you need to keep the weight off one leg. For some with a physical disability, however, crutches are a permanent tool.
Step 1
Walk four to six times a day on your crutches to maintain your cardiovascular health and keep other muscles from atrophying. According to the total knee replacement discharge instructions from the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, each walk should last between 10 and 20 minutes. Use both crutches as instructed and do circuits of your home or on an unobstructed track or sidewalk.
Step 2
Work your injured knee or leg while standing erect on the crutches once you've mastered balancing on them. While you should have been doing knee bends lying down and when sitting, you can increase the benefits of the workout doing the movement on the crutches. You'll also engage your abdominal muscles more because you must use them to remain erect. While standing straight on the crutches, bend your recovering knee backward, then straighten it out, touching your heel to the floor first. Repeat 10 times, three times per day.
Step 3
Perform all your exercises as instructed by your physical therapist. Following surgery, you'll be provided with a number of exercises you should do while sitting or lying down, including ankle pumps, leg raises and extensions. These typically are prescribed three times per day.
Step 4
Strengthen your shoulders, wrists and arms to ease the transition to crutches and make walking more comfortable. Sit on a bed and place a pile of books on each side of your thighs. According to Brown University Health Services, the books should be equal in height on each side. Press down on the tops of the books with your open hands and straighten out your elbows to lift your body. Hold for a few seconds, release and repeat 10 times. Use the arms of a sturdy chair to perform the lifts when you get stronger.
Tips and Warnings
- Make sure the crutches are adjusted for your height. The tops should rest against the sides of your chest and not under your arms. If the crutches push on your armpits while you're walking or working out, you could place undue pressure on the nerves, which could cause tingling and numbness in your arm.
- When walking with crutches or performing any other exercises with the mobility aids, make sure you clear the area of any obstacles over which you could trip. The National Institutes of Health advises that you remove rugs and electrical cords from pathways and workout areas and organize your home to be barrier-free to prevent further injury.
Things You'll Need
- Properly fitted crutches
- Books
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