View source for Disabled Village Children:Chapter 43: Crutch Use, Cane Use, and Wheelchair Transfers

{{bctrail|segments=2|chaptitle=Chapter 43: Crutch Use, Cane Use, and Wheelchair Transfers}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Chapter 43: Crutch Use, Cane Use, and Wheelchair Transfers}}
{{SideSupplement|bookabbreviation=dvc|pagealt=is from page 393 of|chapterpdf=http://hesperian.org/wp-content/uploads/pdf/en_dvc_2023/en_dvc_2023_43.pdf|bookurl=Disabled Village Children|booktitle=Disabled Village Children}}
{{chaptertoc|In this chapter:|
 <ul class{{=}}"noprint">
<li>[[Disabled Village Children:Chapter 43: Crutch Use, Cane Use, and Wheelchair Transfers|Chapter 43: Crutch Use, Cane Use, and Wheelchair Transfers]]</li>
    <li>[[Disabled Village Children:Chapter 43: Crutch Use, Cane Use, and Wheelchair Transfers#Use of Crutches|Use of Crutches]]</li>
    <li>[[Disabled Village Children:Use of a Cane|Use of a Cane]]</li>
    <li>[[Disabled Village Children:Wheelchair Transfers|Wheelchair Transfers]]</li>
 </ul>
}}
<div  id="Use of Crutches"></div>
=Use of Crutches=

====MAKING SURE THE CRUTCH FITS THE CHILD ====

<div class{{=}}speechbub style{{=}}"position:relative; line-height:110%;margin-top:40px; height:400px;width:420px;">[[Image:DVC_Ch43_Page_393-1.png|325px|alt=child moving with crutches]]
<div style{{=}}"position:absolute; width:125px; left:10px; top:20px;font-style:normal;">When the child stands, the crutch should be 2 or 3 fingers’ width below the armpit.</div>
<div style{{=}}"position:absolute; width:125px; left:30px; top:230px;font-style:normal;">RIGHT</div>
<div style{{=}}"position:absolute; width:125px; left:300px; top:-25px;font-style:normal;text-align:left;">The elbow should be bent a little so that the child can lift herself up to swing her feet through.</div>
<div style{{=}}"position:absolute; width:125px; left:295px; top:230px;font-style:normal;">RIGHT</div></div>

'''See [[Disabled_Village_Children:Crutches|designs and measurements of different crutches]].'''
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<tr valign{{=}}top>
<td style{{=}}"width:50%;">{{important|Teach the child not to “hang” on the crutches with her weight on her armpits.}}</td>
<td style{{=}}"padding-top:16px;">Using '''elbow crutches''' is a good way to keep her from hanging on her armpits. (However, these are more difficult to use for some children.)</td></tr>

<tr>
<td style{{=}}"padding-bottom:20px;"><div style{{=}}"position:relative;">[[Image:DVC_Ch43_Page_393-2.png|110px|center|alt=child hangin on the crutches with wetght on her armpits]]
<div style{{=}}"position:absolute; width:100px; left:180px; top:160px;">WRONG</div>
</div>
</td>
<td>
<div style{{=}}"position:relative;">[[Image:DVC_Ch43_Page_393-4.png|80px|center|alt=a boy using elbow crutches]]
<div style{{=}}"position:absolute; width:80px; left:200px; top:205px;">RIGHT</div></div></td></tr>

<tr>
<td>In time, pressure on the nerves under the arm can cause '''paralysis''' of the hands.</td>
<td>[[Image:DVC_Ch43_Page_393-3.png|90px|alt=a paralyzed hand]]</td></tr>

</table>
}}

===Walking with crutches===

====TAKING STEPS====

<table width=100% style="margin-bottom:25px;>
<tr>
<td rowspan=2 style="width:25%;">Some children walk best by taking steps, one foot at a time.</td>
<td rowspan=2 style="width:25%;">[[Image:DVC_Ch43_Page_393-5.png|250px|right|alt=A boy walking with crutches]]</td>
<td>For better balance and position, move the right crutch forward together with the left leg, and then the left crutch together with the right leg.

Her “tracks” should look like this.</td></tr>
<tr>
<td>[[Image:DVC_Ch43_Page_393-6.png|200px|alt=foot tracks of child ]]</td>
</tr>
</table>
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<table width=100% style="margin-top:25px;margin-bottom:40px;">
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<td colspan=2 >'''“SWING TO” WALKING'''</td>
<td  colspan=2  style="padding-left:25px;">'''“SWING THROUGH” WALKING '''</td></tr>

<tr valign=top>
<td rowspan=2 style="width:25%;">Many children who have difficulty taking steps use crutches by pulling or swinging both feet forward to the level of the crutch tips. Then they advance the crutches and pull themselves forward again.</td>
<td >[[Image:DVC_Ch43_Page_393-7.png|165px|alt=boy using crutches to swing himself forward]]</td>
<td rowspan=2   style="padding-left:25px;">Although at first they may be afraid to try it, many of these children can learn to “swing through” between like this.</td>
<td>[[Image:DVC_Ch43_Page_393-8.png|110px|alt=a boy swinging forward with crutches fast]]</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td style="line-height:110%;padding-right:50px;padding-left:15px;">''This way is '''slow but sure'''.</td>
<td style="line-height:110%;">''This way is '''fast and fun'''.</td>
</tr>
</table>




{{Previous and next sections|Range-of-Motion and Strengthening Exercises for the Hand and Wrist|Use of a Cane}}
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