Suddenly being off your feet due to an injury or surgery on a leg or foot can be devastating and no fun. It is difficult because you naturally want to get back to your normal activities as soon as possible. But instead, you need to take some precautions while you heal. When you are unable to walk on a leg or a foot you need to learn a new way to get around. Your doctor or physical therapist will teach you a non-weight-bearing walk on the crutches, so your injury can heal properly.
             First, move your crutches forward, keeping your injured foot off the floor. Squeeze your crutches against your rib cage and support all your weight on your hands, not on your underarms. Then, straighten your elbows and lift your good leg while you swing your body through the crutches. Land on the heel of your good foot, about a foot in front of your crutches.
             Another frustrating obstacle is stairs. It’s a good idea to avoid them whenever possible, but if that is impossible then you need to know the proper way to go up and down stairs safely. To go up stairs, hold the handrail with one hand. Support yourself between the handrail and your crutches. Step up with your good leg. Then, bring your injured leg and your crutches up. To go down stairs, hold the handrail with one hand. With your weight on your good leg, step down with your injured leg and your crutches. Support your weight between the handrail and your crutches, and slowly bring your good leg down. Always remember, up with the good, down with the bad, or else you may experience another mishap.
             Sitting down is another obstacle but not as difficult. First, back up until you feel the chair against the back of your legs. With your weight on your good leg, extend your injured leg in front of you. Look behind you and grab the armrest or the side of the chair. Lower yourself onto the front of the chair then slide back.
             Learning how to walk on crutches requires good coordination, bal
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