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REVIEW: Forearm crutches + buyer's guide

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  • REVIEW: Forearm crutches + buyer's guide

    When my multiple sclerosis got ornery in late 2009, I was forced to start using a walker. My legs just didn’t have the strength to get me where I needed to go. That bummed me out… and pissed me off. But then my physical therapist sister pulled out a 20-year old pair of beater forearm crutches that she had found stashed in the basement of her hospital. “Try these,” she said. Talk about a Godsend. I’ve been using forearm crutches—also called Canadian or Lofstrand crutches—ever since, and they have changed my life.

    I’m now going to places that would have been off limits for a walker, from hiking in forests to playing on beaches to even snowshoeing in the mountains. Cobblestone streets and gravel roads are passable again on foot. Heck, navigating urban hazards like crowded restaurants, concerts and bars are a breeze. Along the way, I’ve also discovered that forearm crutches themselves are an art form, and there is a world of difference between a well-made pair of sticks and those slapped together circa 1990.

    Enter SideStix, a young Canadian company out of Vancouver....

    http://www.activemsers.org/gear/revi...mcrutches.html
    Dave Bexfield
    ActiveMSers

  • #2
    There is a 10% discount coupon code available to all members of ActiveMSers. Join at www.activemsers.org to get your password to the Members Only forum.

    http://activemsers.wssnoc.net/forumdisplay.php?f=17
    Dave Bexfield
    ActiveMSers

    Comment


    • #3
      sidestix

      They are truly amazing. I was using hiking poles but these are much better, more stability. I feel like I use less energy to get around. Thanks, Dave for passing on the info and arranging a discount.

      Comment


      • #4
        Heard this from Sarah, which bodes well for approval from other agencies (Medicare?):

        SideStix just got VA FSS approved, so Vets and Soldiers can order them through their VA system.
        Dave Bexfield
        ActiveMSers

        Comment


        • #5
          Confused

          Help! I try clicking on the area to get the discount code for 10% off but it doesn't let me in. I'm logged in, but my password doesn't work to get me the code??? What am I doing wrong?

          Comment


          • #6
            Aleck, you just need to be a member of ActiveMSers (the forum is not the same). Join at www.activemsers.org.
            Dave Bexfield
            ActiveMSers

            Comment


            • #7
              Unable to reset password to get discount code

              Hi Dave,

              Enjoyed reading your review of Sidestix. How do I reset my password to access your discount code? When I email admin, I receive error message.

              Warmly,
              Doreen

              Comment


              • #8
                A fellow active MSer has this recommendation for lower cost forearm crutches. - Dave

                I just went out for a walk to day with my new elbow crutches, a pair of Walk-Easy 495s that I bought after reading the elbow crutch section of your website. I ordered them from Fetterman, and they put on Tornado tips and sent me two different lengths of leather cuff liners to try. (I'm going to keep both, for summer and winter clothing.)

                The crutches are AWESOME. Both crutches, with their shipping box, weighed less than one of my previous In-Motion crutches. There is no jiggling when I walk -- the crutches are very stable, and as an added bonus they are completely silent. I ended up walking about twice as far as I'd planned today because they were so easy to use. It is so nice to able to see directly in front of me again, instead of having to peer around my walker!

                http://www.fetterman-crutches.com/cr...-495/index.php
                Dave Bexfield
                ActiveMSers

                Comment


                • #9
                  Bumping this up. Forearm crutches are so helpful for balance and will keep you walking longer and farther than a single cane if you need additional support.
                  Dave Bexfield
                  ActiveMSers

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