The carpets in my house need changing however i am wondering if a hard flooring wood/viynl would be better. I know the carpet makes my bad leg drag & subsequently the leg gets stiff, sore & i struggle walking some days. What does everyone else have. Any advice .
I’ll be watching replies with interest. If there’s a type of flooring that I can’t trip over on, I haven’t found it yet,
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I haven’t changed my mind since your last post, but appreciate it’s a big decision and hope you get some more opinions.
Wood flooring or carpet? - Everyday living - MS Society UK | Forum
We have wooden flooring downstairs in our house. It must be good as I don’t notice my foot dragging, it really just slides over the floor. If I go outside I really find the uneven paths hard work.
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Hi Redbabe
I have wood floors but use a wheelchair so it’s easier to keep clean.
Pam x
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I’ve got rid of all the carpet downstairs in my house, and put vinyl Down. It looks like floorboards, but it has the beauty of being Nice and slidey so when I did walk and had trouble with footdrop it was great to slide on. Now that I am in a wheelchair full-time it makes it much easier to get around without carpets, and also means that when my wheels are wet or muddy it’s a doddle to clean the floor.
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Jumping in on this older post because I swapped my carpets for vinyl a while back. I’ve found it much smoother for moving around, especially on tired-leg days, and it’s easier to keep clean. If you’re worried about hardness, adding a few non-slip rugs in key spots helped me. Has anyone else tried hybrid floors that feel softer but still reduce drag?
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We have laminate & LVT planks throughout downstairs and it’s ideal for me with my foot-drop slidey walking. However, my walking sticks are the spread-base with knuckle type (that can stand up on their own) because a single ferule can skid out of the way if not planted just-right.
Beneath my desk I have a thin rubber mat because the castors on my chair have worn away the top layer of the laminate. I have another thin rubber mat in front of my riser-recliner chair to ensure my feet grip the floor because my rigid legs can be reluctant to bend after a long sit and need the extra grip underfoot to ensure my feet get under my knees before attempting to stand.
Upstairs we have carpet on the landings, stairs and bedrooms but I have another rubber mat by my bedside.
Graeme
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