See my other page on crutches and users . Update Oct 11,2008 - The assistive devices ,either rollator or fine crutches over a long time - Personal - http://maxpages.com/happymspage/Crutch_users

Only those of us who have had years with crutches can really answer that question.
To start with our ability to carry things will get better and maybe our speed will be faster if not just crossing a intersection before the green light changes.We would use the swing through motion .Then try to push the electric sweeper in your apartment or
do the laundry, or actually buy food at the market and get it out of the car and into the house. Then say to your friend if you would use them for years as I have you would even wear out crutch tips ,maybe two pairs a year
Try it sometime! Richard
April 3,2008 WHY NOT THE ROLLATOR?? It will take up too much space in you car, become a worse burden when you go places like to restaurants, church ,meeting and other places
where space is limited especially a airplane.Its bad enough when i had to get the crutches out of the over lead compartments to go to the restroom.
Also the width of a typical rollator is just about as wide as a wheelchair and the wheelchair is more comfortable to sit down in than the seat of a rollator.Believe me i have used both and my wheelchair with a gel cushion is very comfortable for all day usually.i was no better off the one month I tried one rollator to satisfy my doctor.
Actually you will do better walking with crutches and braces as the braces usually become a necesity for us with extream foot drop problems.RET 4/3/08
Revision June 1,2008 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Typically many MSer NEVER get any worse than needing crutches the rest of their life.
Its a big advantage over using a wheelchair all the time.I've been throught all the assistive devices.Folding crutches are my favorites as there are many places normal sized Canadian or Elbow stule crutches will get in your way at tables .Crutches will greatly extend your range of walking maybe to a mile if you build up to it slowly. RICHARD 6/1/08

June 12,2006 rainy weather is one of the worse night mares for us crutches
users.Its very easy to slip on smooth pavements or wet decks.I have rain
tips and I still feel the slip coming and take measures like get away
and seek a dry place soon like indoors.RET

UPdate March 20,2006 the 20+years I have used crutches to suppliment my weak
legs and smooth out a poor gait I have discovered that you end up depending upon
them more all the time. My doctor reinterated the point I need my crutches all the time and stop using just one crutch even for short distance. Its making your back worse.
he also wants me to use a mixture of forearm crutches and usderarm crutches as each
kind really distribue the load differently
Check out this decorative crutches.www.lemonaidcrutches.com

July 11,2005 Probably the lowest cost folding crutches on the planet! The Millennian
crutch. Put millennial crutches in your browser search space and see them at $64
They are ergonically designed to reduce pain in back, arms hands ,elbows.They are made so the blood flows properly to hands , arms and other places.They will put you long ahead of the distance you can travel with tratidional underarm crutches.
You can call the company at 1-800-320-7140 their web site is www.1-800-wheelchair.com
These crutches fold quickly with push pins so they will fit into the overhead bins on air crafts,or in other tight spots where you may wish to sit down and not have a problem of storage of clumbsy crutches. After all you have one handicap you don't need another by having bulky crutches.
RET

UPdate Dec 2005
We had then no real drugs that would stop or slow down the progression of MS PPMS .That would come 12 years later with betaseron in 1992.Which really made me feel the progression as I knew too many folks in the local community who had advanced to wheelchairs very fast.My doctor had looked at my MRI and told me it was probably
going to be Chronic progressive. My buddies down at the local MS support group said that ment no let up in slow progression. This was only my 2 and 1/2 years since Dx of MS.

The first year with crutches was a great learning year.Eventually the steps didn't look so bad and my distance spread out to further walks without extreamly being fatigued.
But I really was determined to force myself to do it and overcome all obsitcles and
fears of motion and steps. Eventually I tackeled getting on an escalator going up.
That is not as scary as looking down a set of escalators. When I whipped that fear I was next to try in London England on the subways or tubes as they call them with my
carry on bag strapped on my sholder.I really didn't like to have pushy people behind
me on the escalator. Naturally by the time I went my first trip to London I was then also
used to my AFOs Which I had been wearing over a year by then. After London and a few cities in Europe I was ready to write a book on crutches agility but didn't.

Up date June 2009; Forget about the possibility of ever escaping MS and particularly
PPMS.It may slow down with medications but usually injected medication like
betaseron don't work as good as they are advertized.
.

DEC 4,2003 www.crutchcozies.com take a look at the classie comfort you can have with these great underarm pads. Crutches users the comfort level of just crutches is raising.Making your life much more acceptable .RET

Dec.3,2003 a neat web site for those of us who use crutches and will continue for a
long time to come.Try www.brokenbeauties.com I especially liked their crutches covers.They fit over underarm crutches with powerful designs

Nov.24,2003 I was asked recently as someone noticed I wasn't bearing down very heavily
with the crutches on the ground.Then comes the comment "Why don't you try getting by with a cane?" Then i answered ,"Because I don't want to just get by.I want the comfort
and the security that crutches offer me"
I feel right with them with a cane I feel unsure and out of balance. RET

Oct.23 2003 My new therapist tells me some of his patients who need crutches will get them then cheat and used them only when they are feeling worse.The strain is still usually there but some have this sensitively of looks,but pay for it latter.RET

Aug.13,2003
I think most people would figure it out
the bigger diameter hand grip on crutches the easier it is on your metacarpel
bones in your wrists.The test of this was proven in the lab when about 100 individuals who were long term crutches users traded for larger hand grips and had less pain or none in the wrists.
All the better built crutches have larger hand grips .The ones you get in the pharmacy for $40 usually aren't.They really are only ment for short termers.

REUPDATE: May 10.2003 "Comment,"I like your crutches ,where did you get them?
This was a comment from a woman about my age who was also using crutches ,but
nothing special just garden variety of forearms.When I asked if she had a computer
she said no.Then thinking <*I guess I can't send her to the web site of the company>
But then I remembered they also had a 800 telephone number.I had not memorized the number so I said give me your phone number and I'll call you to give you the number.
I did so within the same day.That was three weeks ago.Then today I saw her
again in the same pharmacy and with her new Keen navigator crutches.
She was as happy as I'm with mine.

UPDATE APRIL 6;
After only one walk using my new style and newly engineered crutches from
Keen mobility ,I'm more I'm more excited than at any time in my 17years of using crutches.
The engineering improvements of these under arm crutches is just marvelous!
Really with the change of configeration of the underarm piece,the shockabsorbers
built into the tubing and the different positioning of the hand grips.
I never expected a pair of crutches to do this much for me.The woman who called me
from the company was right."These crutches will easily become your favorite and
you will never want to let go of them'
The company just came out with these new creations.I wish i would have had such
17years ago.It would have made my crutch life more acceptable>I would have walked
more without fatigue.
The three longer walks I have taken since getting these new crutches have been a
brand new experience.I find myself able of doing a longer distance without the usual
fatigue I get with any of my very expensive forearm crutches.
Since there is nothing that will ever cure my multiple sclerosis probably in my
life time ,I might as well have the best of equipment to help me about.These new
crutches have been the biggest surprise in amy years of struggling to walk.
I recogmend you the reader at least look at their web pages .www.keenmobility.com
regards Richard

What you will find out is there is a leverage with them properly used that you don't
get with a cane of walker on wheels.Try the four point walk,where the left crutch and the
left leg hit the ground at about the same time.Then allow the right leg start to move
almost with the forward motion of swing,followed by the right crutch coming behind and
the left hand is pushing to push the body forward.

You get a type of leverage using arms to relieve the legs that are balking on their
use.You will not get this leverage with a cane,nor a walker on wheels,
I tried for two weeks to get to using a wheeled walker But at the end of the test all I wanted to do was take it back to the store.

Once you get the hang of it you will find it eastand your distance of walking
will get longer before you get fatigued.With MS especially SPMS there is no hope
of ever not eventually getting fatigued.
But there is hope with crutches you will get about better,not falll down and
learn to actually some time in the future increase your speed,and even look
graceful in your movement rather than look like you may fall any second .

Eileen Lukeman and Richard Tanner

FL.

Eileen(Lobosgirl) and Richard (RET1000) both at aol.com

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Page Updated Sat Jun 6, 2009 10:36am EDT