Crutches

[cinders]

The smartcrutches are supposed to share the body weight more across the forearm. You can alter the ankle of the cuff to suit your needs day to day. When I get mine I'll report back but praying they help as I'm so worried about wrecking my shoulders elbows and wrists. I always wear wrist splints with crutches either way.

[wobblywoo]

I got my smartcrutches last week and they are so much better than the NHS ones, I got mine from http://www.indeaids.co.uk/ they have just had new stock in, great colours too

woo

[cinders]

Mine came too from indeaids but I'm such a little titch that even in the smallest settings they are a touch too high and push my shoulders up. I got the height checked by.Physio. They are sending me some shorter legs. Apart from that they are great and I would recommend them. If you order from indeaids Jo is happy for you to try and send back if you don't like them as long as they've only been on carpet.

[cinders]

As promised. Proper feedback on the smartCrutches. After the crutches being too tall for me by about 1 hole I received my shorter legs for the crutches today. They are a lot shorter so would be perfect for a child. All it is, is the lower half of the crutch cut shorter. I wasn't happy to get this done myself 1stly incase they went wrong and the height wasn't exactly the same on each leg, and also incase it invalidated my warranty. I compared the height with the height of the original leg when it was in the crutch on position 1. This was the shortest position which was just slightly too high for me, pushing my shoulders up. The new shorter leg was put on the longest setting, which was 10. This was equal in height to the longer leg on position 1 so I changed the new shorter legs to position 9. (It was helpful to have both sets of the legs so I could compare the shortest length, using the longest leg, to the longest length, using the shorter legs.) This seems to be the perfect height for me and still leaves one more hole incase i need to make them any higher. I am going to get them double checked with the physio on Monday before I return the longer legs. As the forearm, as it's tilted upwards into a degree of 45 or more, the length feels higher so I shouldn't ever really need them any longer. Will definitely recommend www.indeaids.co.uk for their aftersales and friendly helpful advice. But www.smartCrutch.com have a sale on at the moment too, so may be cheaper to order through them. If you want the shorter leg then you will probably have to email them. Anyone over 5 foot 1 or 2 should be ok with the longer crutch leg. I was just boarder line. (Unfortunately I'm not going to get any taller).

[Montanagirl]

The SmartCrutches look like they will work much better for people like me who feel like their shoulders and elbows will dislocate when using traditional crutches.

Here is the link for those on here who live in the U.S. or Canada http://www.smartcrutchusa.com/en/

cinders, thanks for the heads up about these.

[Rosie]

Hi all

I had a look at the link as i was curious, and it is good to see that there are a few testamonials from peeps with EDS. I notice that one comment is from Sue, and she adds that she would like them in purple. OK, I strongly suspect this is one of our Sue's and I think I can guess which one.

Rosie

[cinders]

They do have new colours. Mine are labelled as purple on the website but look more fuchsia pink in reality . Even the picture looks more pink than what I'd call purple. I would definately say try around the house before taking them outside as what is good for one may not be for another. You Dan also get replacement foaming for the cuffs and if your arms are very skinny there are some velcro strips you can get. These can been seen under accessories on the main smartcrutch websites.I've got the velcro off the market incase I.need it which was a lot cheaper.

Elaine

[littlebendyone]

Hi all

I hope its ok but I really wanted to write as I feel quite down at the moment...

Over the last few weeks the pain in my back and hips has reappeared (I've tried a lot of drugs for my colitis, one of which worked amazingly and for joint pain too and was the best thing since sliced bread... Until I was drastically allergic to it and ended up in hospital with a temperature of 40, delerious and close to having a seizure apparently).

When I say reappeared I mean ... I didn't think it was possible that something could hurt this much. it was getting painful but gradually so I wasn't using crutches yet, and then I made the somewhat catastrophic error of going to london for a weekend without them too. And that landed me in so much pain I was in a cafe throwing up in the loos it was that bad.

Now there's no chance of me walking anywhere without crutches, we got home yesterday from town and I put them down and stood up straight after taking off my trainers and then fainted - it was like the pain just shot through my body and I went unbelievably dizzy and then passed out.

I'm at a bit of a loss really,... The crutches help - I wouldn't be able to go anywhere without, but not as much as they used to, and now sitting at my desk at work is killing me too - same dizziness and having to go and be sick sometimes too.

No meds work, and I've tried everything, I mean literally everything. Anything that could potentially work knocks me out to the point I can't function at all so I've had to stop. I am absolutely terrified to be honest because this pain seems to do nothing than get worse. I don't know how to deal with the fact that unlike last time I used them, the crutches were a massive help and made things so much easier, but this time its not like that - I am having to get my head around it not being a choice but a necessity - I'm not able to walk without. In short, I can't cope., and fear never being able to not use them now!!

Any words of advice... Or anything really, would be Appreciated!!
Much love xxx

[cinders]

Littlebendyone. Cyber hugs to you. Sounds like a major flare up. I suggest you maybe discuss it with gp or anyone else who you may be under. I daren't go far without my crutches as I never know what may flare up when. I also suggest a major rest period for your body. A good wk or two of proper rest. Hope things settle down soon for you. Take it easy. X

[littlebendyone]

I truly wish I could rest for any time really. I work every day and there is no way that even a day off would be acceptible at the moment (major probs at work, thankfully not to do with me but I do have to be there). The next time I will have any time off is xmas eve until 3rd jan or so. But I don't know how I will make it until then. Even being round the house today is making the pain get worse and worse. I literally don't know what to do!
X

[cinders]

All I can suggest is put yourself first and if that means time off work with a sick note from your doctor then so be it. I was teaching and went through all the guilty feelings for having time off and headteacher didn't help. But I soon learnt that they will always find a way of working without you. But you need will be more productive in a job if you are feeling well. I know its hard accepting you're ill and having to take time off but in the long run you will come crashing down if you font listen to your body. I was teaching full time and them went on supply so I could still teach full time but on big flare ups if I didn't work I was the only one suffering. I recently had surgery to ly vochal chords but went back into teaching 3 days a wk as I was desperate for the money. I ended up making myself worse and had to have further op in July. I daren't go back into teaching now. I have no idea of what work I can do . I know its hard but your body is screaming at you to rest. Please see your Dr as soon as. I hope you have an understanding one. Hugs to you . Hope you're feeling easier soon. X

[littlebendyone]

I understand. I quit teaching - I was a primary teacher - because I couldn't cope with it with ulcerative colitis and eds. I work in education recruitment now and is massively high pressure in our office at the moment, I definately can take time off, but career wise it will do me no good whatsoever so all I would do is worry and stress if off work xx

[cinders]

It's hard I know but maybe just a wk of pure rest will mean you are more productive. Do they know anything about your health. I hope you can find a way to help yourself. Good luck and try to look after yourself x

[littlebendyone]

They do know, yes. It sounds daft but I'm in quite a good position career wise at the moment and as tough as it is I want to keep it that way if I can! We have our wedding to pay for which is in a year, and also I'm preparing myself for having to have an extended maternity leave when we try for children as I have been told I will have to keep rested for the majority of a pregnancy due to all this so... I want to keep it going and get money in the bank for all these things! Xx

[cinders]

I understand that. I had a tough ride with my pregnancies but wouldn't swop my girls for the world. Hope you manage to find a happy medium somehow. I miss teaching but the hardest part is not knowing what next. I can't imagine doing nothing. Struggling financially in a huge way. We relied on my wage far too much. We weren't extravagant but if the kids needed new clothes or footwear I would just buy them knowing that I would rather pay a few pounds more for good quality. I hate all the stress and worry. Even of my voice wasn't a problem I would struggle to teach now. All the bending and low seating and playground duty etc. I was struggling to carry on to be honest. Good luck to you. I hope you manage to get your pain under control.