The OUCH factor

Yep it should be a duvet day, but now I have new found freedom I thought it a good idea to accompany mum to the allotment. I know in retrospect it was a crazy idea, the uneven ground and crutches just don't mix. But it was nice to get out and go somewhere where shoppers and baby buggies can't send me flying like a skittle pin. It was achieved with much ouching and owwing from me and I got to stand on the side and yell instructions from the peanut gallery. But it was frustrating seeing how much needs doing and knowing the chances of me being able to help this year are very low.

So now I am paining the price, surprisingly not so much my back or even my shoulders its the little bit above my elbows which keep getting pinched by the arm rests of the crutches. It has happened so many times today i now have a nice line of bruises on each arm. So the rest of the day will be spent working out how to prevent this being a permanent feature. With this British weather I can't be expected to wear long sleeves all the time, so its research night. I have a feeling it will involve crepe bandages and tape. Any one with any ideas please let me know.

Anyway that's my plan for the evening, but it has got me think how do the designers come up with these designs and what spurs them on to do so. If you think about it there is so simply but complex designs in a simple set of crutch's. There are two spring loaded adjustment points on each set to make one set suitable for most. heights. Then there are the rubber stops on the ends to stop skidding. and then there are those wonderful arm holders which have the hindges to make it easier to get in and out of. It is these hindges that are source of my soreness. I guess most people don't try to navigate an allotment or similar on the sticks but it does show the constant need for these wonderful people who design and test these mobility aids. Its the same for the chemists and such how design the new improved drugs. Its like one of the medications I am on was originally designed by its creator for epileptics to prevent seizures, it was only when he aquired a back injury himself did he he find that both that medicine and another one used for anti depressed worked marvels for reducing back pain. So it like so many drugs were found to have double use, making them a more valueble invention or discovery.

As those inventors have found double useage I am trying a double useage for a piece of fashion clothing and please dont laugh. the temporary suggestion to my ouch factor is to use leg warmers on my arms when walking about on my crutchs. So for the next few days we will give that a trial. I expect some weird looks as all we have in our house is neon 80s left overs of leg warmers, but if it works I guess I will be on Ebay replacing the neon to more subdued colours. But hey it my change my ouch factor to an x factor.