Managing the stairs (Non-Weight Bearing)

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Going upstairs

• hold your walking stick or elbow crutch in one hand, use the handrail with the other hand to stabilise yourself. 
• lean on handrail and your stick or your crutch and bend your affected leg to reduce the risk of your foot hitting the step  
• hop up on to the next step with your unaffected leg 
• then bring your walking stick or your elbow crutch up to the step your foot is on 
• repeat this exercise until you are at the top of the stairs.

Going downstairs

• hold the stick or the crutch in one hand, use the handrail with the other hand to stabilise yourself, close to the lip of the top step. 
• with one hand on the handrail, place your stick or your crutch down onto the next step  
• straighten your affected leg (keeping it off the floor) in front of you. 
• hop or lower your unaffected or your non-operated leg down onto the same step as the stick/ crutch 
• repeat this sequence until you finish the stairs 

Going upstairs if you do not have a handrail or banister available

You will likely be offered the opportunity to practice this with the physiotherapy team before you leave the hospital. 

If you do not have a handrail or banister available, please follow the instructions below.  

• keep both your walking sticks or your elbow crutches on the ground floor  
• putting your weight through the walking sticks or crutches and bend your affected leg to reduce the risk of your foot hitting the step 
• hop up on to the next step with your unaffected leg
• repeat this sequence until you are at the top of the stairs 
• bring yourself close to the lip of the top step.

Going downstairs if you do not have a handrail or banister available

• bring your walking stick or your elbow crutch up to the step your foot is on
• place both your walking sticks or your elbow crutches on the step below 
• straighten your affected leg (keeping it off the floor) in front of you. 
• putting your weight through the walking sticks or crutches, hop or lower yourself to the step where your walking aids are 
• repeat this sequence until you finish the stairs.