Restoring My Complexion

Restoring My Complexion

How To Comfortably Use A Knee Scooter When You Have Arthritis

by Dylan Owens

If you have recently injured your leg or foot, then your doctor may ask you to use a knee scooter to move around while you heal. This is an especially good idea if you have arthritis, because crutches can hurt your hands, wrists, and shoulders. A knee scooter may still feel slightly uncomfortable if you have issues with joint pain, so follow the suggestions below to make sure your mobility device does not cause you any additional discomfort.

Add Padding to the Rest

Knee scooters feature rests that allow you to keep your knee bent as you move. These rests are padded, but they may not be cushioned enough to reduce stress on arthritic knees. This means you need to purchase an addition cushion or cover for the device. You can find fleece, polyester, or cotton covers that add padding, and you can place a folded towel or t-shirt underneath the pad if it is still not comfortable.

If you do not want to add a cover to your knee scooter, then you can make an additional pad out of foam materials. Go to your local home store and find polyether, polyester, or ethafoam. Polyester and polyether types of foam are light and soft, and they also will compress easily when weight is placed on them. Ethafoam is a dense foam that will offer more support to your knee.

Once you find the right type of foam, cut the material so it it twice the size of the knee rest and double it over. Place the folded foam on the rest and tie a piece of cotton twine over the top of the foam and the pad. You can use duct tape as well to hold the foam in place, but the wide tape may compress or flatten the foam too much.

Adjust the Knee Rest Properly

If you place extra padding on the rest of your knee scooter, or if you do not adjust the rest properly when you purchase the device, then you may be placing a great deal of stress on your body. If the rest is too high, then you will place most of your weight on your injured knee and leg. This can cause knee and hip pain. Also, your body will be angled to the right or left and your back will be unable to support the trunk of your body properly. This can lead to misalignments of the spine and general back pain.

To make sure the knee rest is positioned correctly for your height, set your knee on the rest and place your uninjured leg flat on the ground. Bend your good leg slightly and adjust the rest so your knee sits comfortably on the pad. Make the adjustment by turning the pin or knob that sits on the metal bar that supports the rest.

Once the rest is positioned properly, keep your back straight and reach out your hands to see if you can reach the handlebars comfortably. If you cannot, adjust the handles up or down.

Wear a Good Pair of Sneakers

If you use a knee scooter, then you will be using your uninjured leg to propel yourself. You will place stress on this leg due to the increased movement, regardless of the adjustments you make to the knee rest. Increased movement can cause knee, ankle, and foot pain. You can reduce discomfort and inflammation concerns by making sure the leg is well supported with a good pair of sneakers.

Go to your local sporting goods or shoe store and look for a pair of shoes that are meant for athletic activities. Find shoes with a rigid rubber sole that is less than one inch high. Also, make sure the shoes have a quality arch support and a layer of foam inside the sole to cushion the feet. The toe of the shoe should be wide so the toes do not press together, and the shoes should be made out of polyester or cotton materials that stretch when the feet move.

If you need to use a knee scooter because of an injury, then you need to make sure the device is comfortable for you if you have arthritis. The scooter can be much better than crutches as long as you follow the comfort suggestions listed above. Click here for more information.


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About Me

Restoring My Complexion

A few years ago, I began experiencing red, itchy patches on my eyelids and forehead. I began applying moisturizer to my face at this time. Unfortunately, it didn’t help my condition. My trusted physician informed me I might be suffering from the skin disorder psoriasis. This caring individual prescribed a medicated cream for me. Thankfully, the cream soothed my itchy, inflamed skin. If you have an unexplained, skin condition that isn’t responding to home remedies, make visiting your doctor soon a priority. On this blog, I hope you will discover the most common types of skin conditions people seek professional treatment for. Enjoy!