The Lemon Fool

Not in the same league as Snorvey, but I've gone and sprained an ankle and can't walk more than a few steps. I need crutches to function - for example, to get to local shops! If borrowed, I expect to return the crutches after a couple of weeks, as I did once before when I'd damaged a leg a little under 20 years ago. But that relies on getting myself to A&E (a 999 call?)

111.nhs.uk is happy to diagnose what I already know, but gives me nothing useful. By phone, same result, with the addition of a very long wait. NHS is no use!

Googling crutches finds me two shops locally. But going to their websites, no crutches to be had. Google evidently equates crutches with mobility, and these shops will flog mobility scooters but no bloomin' crutches.

Any suggestions?

Lots avaialble on Amazon - such as https://www.amazon.co.uk/NRS-Healthcare ... 860&sr=8-5

They look essentially the same as my wife was given last year following a hip replacement.

jonb1950 wrote:Lots avaialble on Amazon - such as https://www.amazon.co.uk/NRS-Healthcare ... 860&sr=8-5

They look essentially the same as my wife was given last year following a hip replacement.

These following hip replacement? I have had both hips replaced in my 70s and I got by with a couple of sticks!

Anyway to UE. Is there a cottage hospital nearby? The GP surgery probably will not hold any but may do. I returned my sticks (above) to our local cottage hospital. They were glad to have them. You should not need to buy them and in any case it is surely only for a relatively short time and I would scourthese resources and see if they can come up with something.

Dod

If you look for “orthotics orthopaedic appliances nhs supplies” and the name of your local NHS trust, you’ll probably get there - failing that ring your GP and ask the receptionists to give you the number - you can usually deal with them directly.