Which Hand?

[jambutty]

OK! Let’s get the smut out of the way first. This is not about that.

Several months ago I developed what was later diagnosed as GOUT in my left leg. Well big toe actually. Before it got to the throbbing, painful just to look at let alone touch stage, I bought myself a walking stick. Over the years I had been troubled by a trapped or maybe pressured nerve in my left leg that left it numb and not fully under my control when standing or walking for more than about ten minutes and I thought that this latest pain was something to do with that. So I bought myself a walking stick – one of those with a shaped handle for either the right or left hand, but not both. The mobility expert salesperson assured me that I would need a left hand stick because it would take the weight and not my left foot/leg. That seemed logical enough so a left hand stick it was. Sadly by the time that the gout had reached the “Aaargh! Don’t go anywhere near me” proportions the stick was useless and I had to resort to an office chair on castors to get around the flat.

However once the gout had cleared up the stick was set aside.

Then just before last Xmas I experienced what I now know was sciatica in my left leg. The walking stick was re-commissioned. Then one morning I inadvertently put the stick in my right hand and found that although it wasn’t very comfortable to the palm of my hand, there was less pain whilst walking. I use the term ‘walking’ in the broadest sense.

So I got to thinking. Which hand should the walking stick be in if it is the left leg that is dodgy? My current experience seems to suggest that it should be my right hand, with a dodgy left leg. Yet yonks ago when I ruptured the Achilles tendon in my right leg, BRI loaned me one crutch for use under the right arm. A pair would have been better but for some strange reason physiotherapy only had one crutch left. And even more yonks before that, torn left ankle ligaments saw me with a crutch under the left arm because the naval sick bay attendant reckoned I only needed one.

So which is it??? Left arm for left leg or right arm for left leg and vice versa.

[WillowTheWhisp]

When I tore a ligament in my foot I found I needed to be supported at the opposite side as I was putting more weight on that side of my body due to avoiding putting the other injured foot down, thus changing my centre of gravity, so I would say for left foot it would be a right handed walking stick and vice versa.

[Lilly]

I've asked my husband. He used crutches when he had his leg in plaster a couple of years ago. It was his right leg that was in plaster and he held the crutch in his left hand.

I don't suppose it really matters either way. Do whatever is comfiest for you.

[jaysay]

Although I've never needed one I think that it would be the opposte to the injury. Having said that I have to say that after jambutty's description's Idon't want gout or trapped nerve, sounds very painful

[Madhatter]

Which ever is comfiest. It depends on the nature of the injury and how it affects your balance. Ask them if it will be harmful to use the opposite and if no, use whatever.