Crutches slip on wet surfaces...any solutions?
 

This does not seem to fit in any category below, but I use I use a Fore-arm crutch. I have had it slip out from under me when on wet surfaces.

It is an aluminum design, with a rubber piece on the end. The rubber piece has concentric circles, which are fine on a dry day. One other thing, I have lower back damage that is
"inoperable" per several doctors. I put a LOT of weight on these forearm crutches, so much so that I bent one. Apria said they had never seen one bend before. I weighed about 205 when I leaned on it enough to bend it. I don't use it for balance, I use it to take the weight off my right hip.

I thought about taking a saw and cutting some grooves in it, like car tires. I asked Apria for assistance, but who knows. We can't quit leaving the house when it rains. I have had this crutch slide on all painted surfaces...period.

Any ideas?

Velcro or something made from water resistant rubber? That's dangerous. One day the handicap grab bar slip off the tub when I exited and fell back and seriously hurt my kidney on the tub. Handicap items are not made very well I've noticed sometimes. Best of luck to you in finding a remedy.

you may want to check out a site like this

http://www.fashionablecanes.com/mm5/..._Walking_Canes


this will be my first winter using cane full time, I even thought of popping a few fine nails in the rubber end and grind them down to a cleat, be careful

There is an online site "Walter Drake" and they sell a rubber tripod base and it doubles as a stand too. It may work. It has a larger diameter than my cane tip that it came with. Just an idea :)

Thank you for the ideas and links. I will take a look there.

I have a friend with the tripod on the base and he said it did not help on slick surfaces like ice or .... painted surfaces that are wet.

Another friend here suggested putting three or even five wood screws through the rubber piece. Maybe have them sticking out an eighth of an inch or so.

I will try the links now, thanks again...

I found this - specialized crutch tips -
http://www.fetterman-crutches.com/tips.html

Jo55, thank you, I have contacted Apria (pause for the laughter to die down) and asked them what THEY have available. Pause again for snickering to subside...no call back yet.

So, time to email Apria and include this link. Thanks again mam.......

Very coarse adhesive sandpaper?

I'm thinking along the same line as TwinkleT.

I don't know the name of the product, and will do some searching today, yet, when I used to walk (way better than I possibly could now), whenever I bought new shoes, I also purchased non-skid, adhesive pads (for the soles). I think there is comparable for other products, too; they're cut to-fit or sized and affixed.

Self adhesive pads on my kitchen chairs always fall off. Sand texture pant but would that scratch people's wood floors? You need something (Nails certainly not!) to go from indoor to out, like tires chains - on - off.