[ TRANS — CRUTCHES TIPS ]
USE AT OWN RISK! ARTICLE DOES NOT ENDORSE OR RECOMMEND ANY PERMANENT HARM.
1. Research your reasoning. If you're already physically disabled and/or have a condition, you can skip this part. However if not you may need to come up with reasoning as to why you have or need crutches.
For short term usage, things like sprained ankles and pulled muscles work. However, for longer usage you may wish to go with muscular atrophy, POTS, EDS, and other disorders that make it difficult to stand or walk for long periods of time.
2. Introduce it. Again, if the condition is pre-existing or your injury is short-term, you can skip this. Slowly introduce the need for an aid. Mention or remark that your legs feel weaker, or that they're causing more issues. This makes a natural leeway into using an aid.
1. Look into which model you want specifically. For instance, forearm crutches are generally considered "better" for long-term use but can require more upper body strength and be unstable, especially for those with poor balance. Underarm crutches are more stable, but have a higher risk of "crutch palsy" and damage to armpits. Weigh out your options.
2. Second-hand. Crutches can be quite expensive, so if you don't have money to spare it may be better to shop second-hand. Vinted and eBay are fantastic for cheap but sturdy crutches.
3. Shipping. Delivery-wise I prefer Vinted as you can deliver to a pick-up point, meaning no one you live with can interfere. If not available in your country, Amazon also does shipping to pick-up points. However, this will mean the brace will have to be first-hand and often more expensive.
If shipping location is not an issue, eBay is great too.
SMALL FOOTNOTE: If you are in a position where you'd need to hide crutches, foldable crutches exist. This model can fold down to about 50cm, so they're practical to hide and not too expensive.
1. Practice using them at home, in parks/wooded areas, evenings, or times where there generally aren't many people around. Crutches can take a bit of fiddling to get used to, so it may help to follow a few guides online and find what's comfortable as you adjust them until you feel comfortable.
2. Reasonings. If you are in a position where you'd need to explain to an authority where they were from, you can excuse it by saying they were from a friend that had broken their leg and no longer needed the crutches. Or, be more upfront and say that you felt unstable and that crutches would help protect your legs.
3. Introduce them at home, then out in public spaces with strangers (where you're unlikely to see them again), then at school/college/workplace, and then fully in. You may want to start by only using them from time to time and slowly increasing the frequency, or just introduce them and use them full-time all at once.
FOOTNOTE: This list does NOT have to be followed to every step! These are just general tips and advice.
