How to Transition off Crutches? Three Weeks Post Op (Thursday and Friday)

Three weeks are in the rear-view mirror.  This was a long day, even though I went into work late due to an evening meeting.  I ended up working about 9 1/2 hours.

The normal hobbling around, putting a bit of additional pressure.  It didn't feel too awful bad until I got home, and man was it throbbing!  More use = more pain at the end of the day, but hopefully more progress.

I took the following day off due to a clean calendar, and perhaps just to catch my breath a bit from a tough return week.  The movement simply takes a toll on the entire body.  Crutching around with the boot hurts the back, arms, hips, and of course the foot.  The right leg is starting to hurt from doing all the work.  I think it is mad at the left leg.

I found some YouTube videos that describe the transition from crutches to no crutches.  I've been a little concerned about this.  It seems like I'm a long way from making this transition, so I'm wondering how the heck I'm going to accomplish this!  They were pretty informative, and I hope they are accurate.


and then this...


So I tried the first one, but not really the second.  It was tough, but I was able to (sort of) do it.  It is a bit of a mental leap!  I feel like I'm going to crumple to the ground.  Another way to put more weight on the leg is to swing the left crutch (for a bad left foot) out a bit wider.  This is a little dangerous because you're not placing as much pressure down on the crutch foot pad, so potentially it could slip out...but if you're careful it seems to stick.  This forces the foot to take on a bit more of the work.

Out to dinner and back home, and I was exhausted.  It doesn't take much to get me tired, which is a bit depressing.  I'm ready to do what I want to do without wiping myself out.  Again some reminders of people who are in a much worse place than I am put me back on track.

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