Advice after your nerve block for surgery
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Contact information for our Physiotherapy teams:
Heatherwood Hospital 0300 614 0540 (option 3)
Wexham Park Hospital 0300 614 0540 (option 2)
Frimley Park Hospital 0300 613 3396
Fleet Community Hospital 0300 613 3396
How much weight can I put through my affected leg?
Having been issued with crutches it is important for you to know how much weight is allowed through the affected leg, if any. Your clinician will decide this depending on your injury and stage of healing and will advise you of the duration of your your weightbearing status, or when the status will next be reviewed.
It is important to adhere to your weight-bearing restrictions after surgery or injury. These restrictions are meant to protect your body as it is healing - too much weight can disrupt healing and delay your recovery.
Types / Degrees of Weight Bearing Status:
Non Weightbearing
No weight is allowed through the affected leg. It should rest on the floor if you are sitting, but keep it off the floor whilst standing.
Limited Weightbearing
Your clinician will give you with individualised functional restrictions, i.e. no stairs / no sports, or distance restrictions i.e. indoor only / bed to chair.
Unrestricted Weightbearing
The crutches are to be used for comfort, no restrictions apply.
HOW TO WALK WITH ELBOW CRUTCHES
Non Weightbearing
- Keep the affected leg off the ground by holding it slightly in front of you with the knee bent.
- Stand with the crutches one pace forward, slightly apart and level.
- Put your weight through your arms and hop to the crutches keeping your weight slightly forward.
- Move the crutches one pace forward and continue.
Limited Weightbearing
- Stand on both legs and move the crutches one pace forward.
- Move the affected leg to just behind the crutches and step the unaffected leg to just beyond the crutches, trying to take some of the weight through the arms while the unaffected leg is off the ground.
Sitting Down
- Position yourself in front of the chair.
- Remove both arms from the crutches
- Place the handles of the crutches together, forming an ‘H’ shape (see photo below).
- Hold on to the crutches with the hand on the unaffected side, placing the other hand onto the arm of the chair.
- Using the crutches and the arm of the chair for support, slowly sit down.
Standing Up
- Holding your crutches in the ‘H’ position on your unaffected side, sit on the edge of the seat.
- Push up with one arm on the arm of the chair and the other on the crutches.
- Once standing, put your arms into the cuffs of the crutches and place the crutches one pace in front.
Using The Stairs
If it is essential to use the stairs and you have not been advised otherwise, try to have someone with you until you feel safe. Hold on to at least one handrail if possible. Hold the spare crutch together with the handle of the remaining crutch.
Going Up – Non Weightbearing
- Keeping the crutches at the same level as you, take your weight
- Move your crutches up to the same level and repeat.
Going Up – Limited Weightbearing
- Keeping the crutches at the same level as you, step up with the good/unaffected leg.
- Push on your crutches and bring the bad/affected leg up.
- Finally moving the crutches up to the same level and repeat.
Going Down - Non Weightbearing
- Place your crutches onto the step below.
- Take all your weight through the crutches, hop down onto the good/unaffected leg and repeat.
Going Down – Limited Weightbearing
- Place your crutches onto the step below.
- Taking some of your weight through the crutches and step down with the bad/affected leg.
- Finally step down to the same level with the good/unaffected leg.
How do I go up & down the stairs on my bottom?
Make sure that you have a small chair or stool against a wall upstairs. It should be against a wall so that it can’t tip backwards. It should also be away from the top of the stairs.
Going up on your bottom
- Lower yourself onto the second or third step without putting weight onto your bad/affected leg.
- Bottom shuffle up each step keeping your bad/unaffected leg off the floor.
- Once your bottom is on the landing, move away from the top of the stairs so that your feet are also on the landing, and you are by your chair/stool.
- Push yourself up with your good/unaffected leg and arms to get into standing or onto the chair not putting any weight through your bad/affected leg.
Going down on your bottom
- Lower yourself onto the floor not putting any weight through your bad/affected leg.
- Bottom shuffle down each step keeping your bad/unaffected leg off the floor.
- Lift yourself up from the second or third step with your good/unaffected on the floor not the step without putting weight onto your bad/affected leg.
Crutch Maintenance and General Advice
- Avoid walking on wet floors and outdoor hazards such as wet leaves or ice.
- Remove obstacles such as loose rugs, draught excluders and worn floor coverings.
- Wear flat supportive shoes.
- Make sure lighting in hallways and stairs is bright enough.
- Take special care if carrying a bag or similar.
- Do not store crutches in sub-zero temperatures.
- Regularly check for split, worn or loose ferrules; for bent or damaged tubes or cracks at the tube joints; for loose handles; for elongated adjustment holes, and return if necessarily to have the elbow crutches replaced.
- To clean, wipe over with a damp cloth. Do not use harsh abrasive materials.
Return of Walking Aids
- Walking sticks, elbow crutches and frames can be returned to the ‘Walking Aid Returns’ storage boxes located at the front entrances of Heatherwood Hospital and Frimley Park Hospital. At Wexham Park Hospital the box is located in the ambulance bay of the old A&E department just outside the Physio department.
- For equipment that has been provided by Millbrook Healthcare (Berkshire, Buckinghamshire or Surrey) or TCES community (Hampshire) on behalf of Community Equipment Service please use the below contact numbers to arrange collection.
Millbrook on 0118 228 8701 your GP is in Berkshire
Millbrook on 01296 840 317 if your GP is in Buckinghamshire
Millbrook on 0330 1241 247 if your GP is in Surrey
TCES community on 01256 476 800 if your GP is in Hampshire
Contact us
If you have any queries relating to this information, please contact the Physiotherapy service.
About this information
Service:
Physiotherapy
Reference:
BB/003
Approval date:
1 October 2025
Review date:
1 October 2028
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Important note
This page provides general information only. It is developed by clinical staff and is reviewed regularly every 3 years for accuracy. For personal advice about your health, or if you have any concerns, please speak to your doctor.