Well... winter is finally showing its ugly face in Michigan. It's icy out today and I'm wondering if you have any ideas to give my forearm crutches more traction? Right now the rubber tips are so slippery on the ice and I'm afraid of falling. Thanks
Hi Runner,
If you internet search 'Crutch ice tips' there is a plethora of innovative (and expensive!) replacement cane/crutch rubber tips for icy weather conditions. They usually have metal studs or spikes in them to give non-slip grip.
I can not recommend one brand as I have not yet needed to buy any. I use a Leki telescopic walking stick, but even its rubber tip can be a bit slippery/non-supportive on wet surfaces.
Your Michigan climate has made me think about buying an ice-gripper tip for Winter in the UK!
Thanks and stay safe.
Mark
I put ice grips on my boots. Mine are called Ice Traction Slip-Ons. I got them at LL Bean but any outdoor store or Trading Post should have them.
Recently even my walker won't work on ICE! I just stay hem. I got an external hard disk so I could wok from home. I want to be safe and stress-les...
Dear Runner, I used to use a regular cane (now use a quad cane) and I had a device that I put on the end that I could snap down when it was snowy/icy outside. It had spikes on the end that gripped in snow/ice! I imagine something like that would work for your crutches...,check online, ;o)
Thanks everyone! I found a great little mini crampon for crutches and will test it out next time it snows (Which hopefully won't happen for a while! It's bitterly cold today)
Did you ever think of moving to someplace warmer and sunnier?
My suggestion get the traction slip on from LL Bean OR STAY SAFE INDOORS!! It’s very unsafe for us on ice…
I wish it were that easy! I'm in a university in Michigan but as soon as I graduate I am outta here!
neta said:
Did you ever think of moving to someplace warmer and sunnier?
I saw on TV here the snow storms in the USA. Wow and ugh. Hope you are not affected. My nephew was going to go to Michigan U but I think he is going to Maryland instead.
runner said:
I wish it were that easy! I'm in a university in Michigan but as soon as I graduate I am outta here!
neta said:Did you ever think of moving to someplace warmer and sunnier?
neta,
aren't u glad to be smwhere warmer?
Dear Neta, I live in Michigan (close to the University of Michigan, where my husband works) and yes, our weather is snowy and bitterly cold! We had a horrendous Winter last year, more snow then I've seen in years, and extremely cold temps...,BRRRR! The Farmers Almanac claims we're going to have a worse Winter then last year...,oh joy! All I can say is "hurry Spring"...,ha! This weather is NOT ataxia friendly!!! ;o)
Dear Rose,
I have no idea who you are but you always seem so upbeat (as opposed to me). I live in Jerusalem, and its raining and coldish (not like in Michigan) here, today. Unlike in the USA, (I'm a New Yorker too) the rain canstop and the sun can come out and this is all in seconds. Rainbows are common. Also the winters here seem to have gotten shorter. I hope your winter is decent. I, too, worry about my folks who are in NYC, where it is (according to Dad, age 92)cold but sunny. Here, snow is seen as a novelty. Cameras rather than shovels are brought out. Funny. N
Dear "Mas"
It's not so warm where I am. As I told Rose, it's cold and rainy here, in the Holy Land, Jerusalem, to be exact.
mas said:
neta,
aren't u glad to be smwhere warmer?
Dear Neta, I appreciate your remarks, but, honestly, I'm not ALWAYS upbeat. Guess my nature is to be positive, although I don't always feel that way, believe you me! Ataxia is a constant struggle, but a struggle I really have no real control over. Therefore, I chose to look at life as the glass half full rather than half empty. I just do that best I can with this. Peace..., ;o)
Dear Rose,
Yes it is a constant struggle. The way I get by is denial for as long I can and making believe this is just a bad dream. I find the unknowable very scarey. I am the only one I know who wants to be old!!!
BTW, have you tried any of the Frenkel exercises? Peace N
rose said:
Dear Neta, I appreciate your remarks, but, honestly, I'm not ALWAYS upbeat. Guess my nature is to be positive, although I don't always feel that way, believe you me! Ataxia is a constant struggle, but a struggle I really have no real control over. Therefore, I chose to look at life as the glass half full rather than half empty. I just do that best I can with this. Peace..., ;o)