Help your child learn how to stand and walk safely with crutches.
Your child has to be able to balance a little to stand with crutches. Tell your child to hold the head high and look forward, keeping the shoulders back and the stomach and buttocks tucked in. Have your child stand on their good leg. Keep the crutches slightly forward and apart.
This means that your child cannot put any weight on the hurt foot or leg. The arms, hands, crutches, and good foot are used to move about. Tell your child to:
This means that your child can touch the ground with their bad foot to help with balance. Tell your child to:
American Academy of Othopaedic Surgeons website. How to use crutches, canes, and walkers. orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/recovery/how-to-use-crutches-canes-and-walkers. Updated December 2020. Accessed January 18, 2023.
Edelstein J. Canes, crutches, and walkers. In: Webster JB, Murphy DP, eds. Atlas of Orthoses and Assistive Devices. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019 chap 36.
Osorio M, Tsao E, Apkon SD. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 733.
BACK TO TOPReview Date: 12/12/2022
Reviewed By: C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Professor, Chief, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, San Francisco, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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