Although I am undergoing investigation and am hence as yet undiagnosed (in an overall sence), I have been experiencing mobility issues which have become progressively worse over the course of the last year.
Pain, tightness and weakness in my legs become worse with mobilization and it becomes difficult to keep up with my family when out and about.
I was referred for physio sometime ago and attended an initial assessment after which I have been referred yet again for treatment with a specialist neurological physio. I have no idea how long I will have to wait for the next appointment and am becoming frustrated by my lack of progress. Although I am ‘in the dark’, there is presumably some kind of issue as my Neurologist has just put me on to Pregabalin.
I dearly miss going for long walks with my family and am wondering if it will be frowned upon if I were to ‘jump the gun’ and get hold of some crutches or something similar to aid mobility during bad spells and pending further physio or professional advice? I am worried that I may be taken as some kind of fraud?
Is there anyone out there who has been in a similar situation? Is anyone able to provide advice? I am becoming a little stir crazy
I think it’s completely up to you if you want to do something to help yourself in the meantime - if it comes to it, do you even have to tell them? It’s your life; it’s up to you what you do to make things easier for yourself! You don’t need permission.
BUT, I think the issue is not so much whether it would be “frowned upon”, but whether untrained use of mobility aids could risk further problems.
As simple as it may look, I don’t think using mobility aids is just instinctive, and most people need to be shown how to do it properly and safely.
If you decide to get your own and improvise, you risk that they might not be suitable for you (wrong height, weight, or whatever), and/or that you might be using them wrong, which could contribute to further pain and disability.
If you are thinking of forking out for crutches, why not pay, instead, to see a neuro-physio sooner? I saw one for fifty quid. For that, I got quite an extensive session - about one hour - and a personalised set of exercises to do at home, based on the weaknesses he had identified.
I suppose it’s not cheap, but it compares favourably with a lot of alternative therapy (acupuncture was £35, for just half-an-hour), and you could get proper and prompt advice about any suggested walking aids, without having to take matters into your own hands, as it were.
I got myself a walking stick (years ago) off my own bat. Although I had been using it successfully for some months the first thing the physio did was lengthen it. I had it too short and was “bending over like an old woman” That’s the worry with DIY aids but as you are waiting to see the physio they will be able to put you right before you can do any damage.
The other issue is cost – if you get aids through the physio they will be on the National Health and you won’t have to buy them. It may not seem like a huge outlay but I recently started using a rollator. I started with a 3 wheeler because I thought it would be more maneuverable but I quickly found that I needed a 4 wheeler with a seat. I was able to swap the 3 wheeler for a 4, which have cost a few hundred quid if I’d have been buying.
As for being taken as a fraud – by whom – the physio? No Way! By Joe Public? – who cares what anyone else thinks? You do what you have to do, to do what you want to do. I understand where you are coming from though because I sometimes feel like a fraud using my wheelchair because I can walk a bit. (Though in all honesty who would use a wheelchair if they didn’t need to?)
I started yo use my wheelchair when I decided to,i made the decision when, it became too hard for me to walk very far at all, i struggled for more than 10 years trying my best to still walk, and it was a hard decision BUT i knew when the time was right,
no one else knows but you, what mobility problems you have, theres such a stigma with mobility issues, take for example when i am out in my w/c and i decide to walk a few steps, i have heard people talking about me in such a nasty way, depending on what mood i am in, it either amuses me or upsets me,
If you feel like you need to use crutches to make life easier then you have every right to.
Try walking poles - what a difference they make to stability/balance and lf you do tumble they will help you get back up. AND you will look very ‘normal’
as most serious ramblers/hillwalkers use the poles.