Mobility Aids I Use For Psoriatic Arthritis Knee Pain

Knee pain has been part of my life since I was a freshman in high school. To this day it comes and goes without warning. Pain and weakness in my knees were to blame for many falls. Without warning, my knees would give out, and down I would go.

Falling down stairs, curbs, and even while walking on a flat surface became so normal that everyone, including myself, joked about my clumsiness. Unfortunately, I wasn’t diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis until I had reached my early thirties after a visit to a rheumatologist to address fibromyalgia pain.

Keep moving with psoriatic arthritis

To this day, my knees still give me fits. Humidity and heat or rain and cold increase inflammation, pain, and limits my mobility. But whether alone is not always a reliable factor. Without warning, one or both of my knees will flare making it difficult to go about my daily activities.

Tired of being unproductive during severe flares last year, I purchased two tools to keep me on the move!

Crutches bring relief on the knees

For days when only one knee is flaring and the rest of my body feels near average, I use crutches. I resisted using crutches for many years because of the pain they created throughout my underarm area. But when a pair that had arm cuffs and came nowhere near my armpits appeared in my online search, I had to give them a try.

They were a fantastic investment. While allowing me to be independent when only one knee is flaring, they also help me get around my house when both knees act up. My home is not large and because of its awkward layout, it is difficult to move around it with a rollator or wheelchair.

Rollator & transport chair

The second mobility aid I purchased last summer is actually a combination of two others I had been using for the past decade. It’s a rollator/transport chair combo.

To limit my pain for long days out, I used a wheelchair. Because of chronic shoulder and ribcage pain, I am not able to maneuver one by myself and have to rely on family or friends to push me. I have learned to accept it but would feel awful about being pushed when there were periods in which I could have walked.

My rollator/transport chair was the perfect solution. It had more cargo space for bags than my original walker, plus areas to put things like my keys and phone, and even a cupholder. It even feels sturdier than my old one.

The importance of mobility aids

With these mobility aids, I walk when I am able, sit, and rest when I need to, and allow friends and family to push me when walking is no longer an option.

Thanks to both of these mobility aids, I can remain productive at home, and while on the go!

Do you have a favorite mobility aid?