What do I do with used crutches and walking boot?

[cakedup]

DS fractured his ankle and is coming to the end of his recovery. This will mean I will have a pair of crutches and two sets of walking boots on my hands.

What am I meant to do with them? Do hospitals want/need them back?

[Roomba]

DS broke his ankle earlier in the summer and the hospital asked for the crutches back. He accidentally left them in the car, and when I apologised the nurse said 'Oh, don't worry they get chucked anyway'. So I never bothered taking them back to avoid the waste. Plus they'll be handy next time one of us sprains something (two of us with dyspraxia in the house so v likely!).

Don't know if that is the case for all hospitals though - I'd ask them.

[cakedup]

Yes I thought that was the case, that they have no use for second hand equipment but wasn't entirely sure. Crutches always seem to be brand new when handed out and I doubt they'd put anyone in a second hand walking boot. It just seems so wasteful.

Nothing was mentioned at the fracture clinic last time I was there, I should have asked. But I'll try phoning them tomorrow.

I have almost ended up breaking my own legs tripping over the damn things!

[IwillrunIwillfly]

I'd phone and ask them. Outbllace can reuse then if they're in good condition. They just replace the rubber stoppers. If they don't it might be worth seeing if there are any charities that would take them so they can get put to use and not wasted?

[Eggsbutnobacon]

My local hospital specifically said they didn't want my crutches back.
Seems an absolute waste to me.

[cakedup]

IwillrunIwillfly who can re-use them?

Eggsbutnobacon to think most (or at least many) people use them for less than a month.

[Madbengalmum]

Surely these things can be recycled, what a waste of money.

[jimijack]

I was once going to work on a ward when a lady bustled up to me in the corridor and thrust some crutches into my hands and walked off saying "there you go dear".
I found out that A&E take them back, so bobbed them down on my break!
Don't do that, I was most surprised, would rather have had biscuits.

[ShotsFired]

Apparently the Red Cross take them to re-loan out to the community.

But when I took a set to my local RC, they looked like I'd tried to give them a handful of dog shit

The rolling eyes and martyrish big sighs at all the trouble I had seemingly caused them means I think they can fuck off as far as I'm concerned now.

[IwillrunIwillfly]

That was ment to say where I work. I have no idea what the hell auto correct did to create that!

If in doubt of what to do i'd phone a and e or if he's been seen by physio they might know too so you could ring them.

[TwoWeeksInCyprus]

Our A&E dept took crutches and boot back.

[GuttedAboutBrother]

I'd ask if the hospital re-uses them or throws them out as if they throw them out (which is outrageous! They all get re-used where I live) then don't return them, instead find some charity or something that will use them.

[georgedawes]

If the hospital don't want them back a refugee charity will gladly take them. Our local one is desperate for things like that.

[ElphabaTheGreen]

Hospital OT here, so equipment is my 'thing'.

Every Trust has different policies on this. Please phone the hospital you got them from first and find out if they want them back. The hospital I used to work in would gleefully have their crutches back, put them through an industrial steriliser, put on new ferrules (rubber stop things) and re-issue them, and ditch the boot; the one I work in now would be the same; I know other Trusts that would fucking inexplicably ditch the crutches as well.

Next stop, if they don't want them back, I'd discard the boot, TBH. It's not going to be easy to clean and will have been squished to your husband's requirements while he's used it. Call your local council and get the number of their community equipment store and phone them to see if they want the crutches - these are the people who issue equipment and walking aids to elderly and disabled people in the community and NEVER have enough money or equipment, so may be happy to relieve you of crutches (or not, depending on their local policy).

If both of the above are non-starters, please donate to the Red Cross or refugee charity if your choice.

Your sincerely,

An OT who is fed up of seeing re-usable NHS-funded equipment ending up in car boot sales!

[cakedup]

ElphabaTheGreen surely anyone needing crutches (in the UK community) would get them from the hospital anyway?

But thanks, I will ask the hospital what they do with them first.

[ElphabaTheGreen]

No, cakedup - if someone is at home with deteriorating mobility for a reason that doesn't require a hospital admission or an A&E visit (e.g. arthritis, worsening peripheral neuropathy or vascular problems with a known cause, deconditioning from a pre-existing condition), they'd get walking aids, including crutches, off a community physio, who would get them from a community equipment store. Crutches aren't just for people with broken or sprained limbs.

[BollardDodger]

Sorry to bring up an old thread, but I'm using crutches at the moment and was pondering what to do with them once I'm mended. I was thinking are second hand crutches actually safe to use? They look like they're made from aluminium, so they would be prone to metal fatigue, and the amount of stress they're put under I don't think I'd feel safe using second hand crutches.

[patheticpanic]

Our local trust reuse them; when Dd was given crutches she got given a pair that were broken!

[Mommainacast]

Hi
I'm a Mom from Kenya. I fractured my ankle and I'm really struggling with a cast and crutches and an 8month old baby. Doctor cleared me for a walking boot but cannot afford it and was wondering if there are charities that donate these items?

[acocadochocolate]

Mine wouldn't take them back. I sold them on eBay!

[Fionn54]

Orthocycle is a charity that accepts orthopedic crutches and boots. based in Manchester

//www.orthocycle.org