walker or crutches with lymphedema

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ksfc
ksfc Member Posts: 251
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I have a question and thought I'd come to the experts. I finished my treatment for bc almost 2 years ago and have had some lymphedema, although not severe. I do have a sleeve for when I need it. I'm getting ready to have knee surgery and will need to be on crutches or a walker for at least a couple of weeks. Has anybody done this following axillary node dissection or with lymphedema. Would one choice be better than the other? Thanks for any help! - Diane

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  • cruf
    cruf Member Posts: 908
    #2
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    Hi Diane. As a PT , I think I would have you try Lofstrand crutches which are loose around your forearm or a walker. I would stay away from axillary crutches even though you're not supposed to lean on them. All too often, people tend to lean on and hang on the crutches under their armpits which is something you definitely don't want to do. Are you sure you will need more than a cane? There are also wide based quadcanes(4 legged) that may also work. Hope this helps. Good luck with your surgery. Let us know how it goes. HUGS!! Cathy
  • epgnyc
    epgnyc Member Posts: 137
    #3
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    Hi, Diane. I have a close friend who had breast cancer 10 years ago at age 32 and has had pretty bad lymphedema ever since (wears a sleeve most of the time). She severed her Achilles tendon (eeek!) last year and had surgery to repair it. She was in various casts and on crutches for over 4 months. She was worried about the same thing with her lymphedema and ended up with two pair of crutches, the "regular" kind and the kind that have metal bands that hit you close to your elbow. She never could manage the latter and while she found crutches were exhausting (we live in NY City where we walk everywhere....no cars!), she did well using the regular sort almost exclusively. She didn't think it worsened her lymphedema. For what it's worth... Good luck with your knee surgery.
  • ksfc
    ksfc Member Posts: 251
    #4
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    cruf said:

    Hi Diane. As a PT , I think I would have you try Lofstrand crutches which are loose around your forearm or a walker. I would stay away from axillary crutches even though you're not supposed to lean on them. All too often, people tend to lean on and hang on the crutches under their armpits which is something you definitely don't want to do. Are you sure you will need more than a cane? There are also wide based quadcanes(4 legged) that may also work. Hope this helps. Good luck with your surgery. Let us know how it goes. HUGS!! Cathy

    Thanks for answering Cathy - I just knew there was a PT on here, but couldn't remember who it was. I'm using a regular cane now. The team of docs say I need a replacement, but I'm only 48 so they don't want to do one. They're going to try a lateral release combined with other arthroscopic repair and see if it will buy me some time, so that's why I need the crutches or walker. I was thinking that even if I use the crutches correctly, they may hit my lymph node incision and I've already had quite a bit of "fun" with it, so maybe it's a walker for me. It's just been hard enough to cope with a cane at 48, now a walker - LOL!! Oh well - it's all better than cancer. Thanks again - Diane
  • ksfc
    ksfc Member Posts: 251
    #5
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    epgnyc said:

    Hi, Diane. I have a close friend who had breast cancer 10 years ago at age 32 and has had pretty bad lymphedema ever since (wears a sleeve most of the time). She severed her Achilles tendon (eeek!) last year and had surgery to repair it. She was in various casts and on crutches for over 4 months. She was worried about the same thing with her lymphedema and ended up with two pair of crutches, the "regular" kind and the kind that have metal bands that hit you close to your elbow. She never could manage the latter and while she found crutches were exhausting (we live in NY City where we walk everywhere....no cars!), she did well using the regular sort almost exclusively. She didn't think it worsened her lymphedema. For what it's worth... Good luck with your knee surgery.

    Thanks for the info. Ouch - just thinking about what your friend went through makes me hurt. That must have been incredibly painful. I'm glad to know that the crutches didn't worsen her lymphedema. Hope she's doing well now! - Diane

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