How To Handle Crutches On Campus

We've all been there. We're walking (more like rushing) to class, and notice someone with some sort of injury.

When I see a girl with a boot on, or a boy with crutches, I feel bad for about half a second, and then move on with my day. I've never had an injury that required anything other than a Band-Aid, so I don't know what it's like to deal with something that prohibits me from functioning as I normally do. Unfortunately for a friend of mine, he had to get hip surgery, which requires him to use crutches until he's allowed to put pressure on his leg again.

I've always wondered what is was like to walk around a college campus as large as mine with crutches, so this was my chance to ask. I assumed life with an injury wasn't easy, and most times the University wasn't there to make it easier. Although he was allowed to take almost a whole week off from classes, he still had to attend sessions with his PT and watch his fellow teammates at baseball practice. Now, that walk alone is a long one for any student, full of hills and bumpy terrain, so I can't imagine what it's like walking all that distance on crutches without any help.

Even for someone as physically fit as my friend, crutches still posed a major challenge for him.

Within the first few minutes of walking, his arms started to hurt, but of course there's nothing to be done about that. Campus happens to be on one gigantic hill, so everyone has to walk up said hill to get to class. Essentially, he has to throw himself up the hill and across campus just to get to class. Coming back from class, he has to move at a snail's pace down the hill so he doesn't accidentally move too far forward and fall. Even grabbing food at the dining hall isn't an easy task. Luckily, there was always a friend willing to help whenever he needed it.

Sadly, there's nothing Health Services can do for anyone with temporary injuries on campus. If the injury is long term, you're in luck. However, like most people who get injured, it's only temporary, so they have to struggle until they're healed. A ten minute walk to class might suddenly take thirty, and half a class is missed trying to get to it. That's precious time that student could have been spent learning, which they now can never get back. I hope in the near future, this policy changes. I know if I had crutches, or any injury that hindered my ability to function normally, I would want as much help as I could get.

Any help is better than none after all.