Today I want to talk a little bit about all the various methods of transportation available to those of us suffering from Charcot foot and the dreaded NWB (non-weight-bearing). Since the very point of NWB is to literally not put any weight on your foot, it means the other foot must now do all the work. We have to move about in our lives, for numerous reasons. Getting to the bathroom. Getting into the kitchen to make a meal, getting to the car for a run to the store or a doctors appointment, etc. There are several options to choose from. There are crutches, walkers, knee-scooters, knee walkers, transport chairs and wheelchairs. Crutches and walkers use the strength in your arms to lift yourself as you take a hopping step with your good foot. Knee scooters, and the knee-walker involve placing your bent leg and knee onto a padded platform. In the case of the scooter, you hold onto a steering device on the scooter and propel yourself with your good leg/ foot. With the knee-walker, you walk almost like you would with your own leg, but instead you are placing your weight on a peg/pole that comes down to the floor from the knee platform, while your bent leg, from the knee to the foot, extends from the platform to the area behind you.
In my case, I choose to use a walker because I found it to be very stable, and I am not! I don’t trust my balance abilities enough to be comfortable with crutches. It is important you stay within your comfort zone. Safety first! I use the walker several times a day, mostly to get into the bathroom, but I also use it to stand, and walk around the house to increase blood flow to my feet. We shouldn’t sit the entire day, and sitting too long without exercise can lead to blood clots, so I make several trips ‘round the abode a day. When I am sitting, I have chosen to use a transport chair for my main seat. It is much like a wheelchair, though it only has 4 small wheels, and not the two large rear wheels used for propelling. I use my good foot to pull or push myself about. I have found this to work extremely well for me because I am not one to sit still for long and even if I just need something a few feet away, I can maneuver easily to get it rather than standing up from a non-moving chair and use the walker for two steps! You do need to have vinyl or hardwood or laminate floors though for best ease of use. I have found the transport chair super handy because it free’s up my arms and hands. This allows me to get into the kitchen and prepare meals without having to wear my good foot out with long-term standing. Takes a looooong time though, to get used to the turning wheels in the front always bumping into stuff!
A great help and resource is the Visiting Nurse Association. In my city they operate what they call the “loan closet” and you can borrow, without charge, walkers, crutches, transport chairs, and more. Visit them at www.vnaa.org. You can also purchase from Ebay, or wallmart online. I bought my transport chair from Ebay for $90, which included shipping. Stay mobile!
-Cassandra -Charcotchacha copyright 2015