Orthopaedic Surgery - Going up and down stairs on your bottom

Up

1.    Position yourself in front of the stairs so that they are behind you.

2.    Hold the handrail with one hand reach behind to the stairs with the other hand and slowly lower your bottom onto the stairs.

3.    Pushing through the unaffected leg and both hands raise yourself up the stairs one at a time.

4.    At the top raise yourself up onto a small stool/chair before standing.

For safety reasons the stool/chair must be sturdy and positioned slightly away from the top of the stairs.

Down

1.    Lower yourself onto the stool/chair and then onto the floor.
2.    Using your arms and your unaffected leg lower yourself down the stairs one step at a time.
3.    From the second step use the handrail with one hand and push up from the step with the other hand into a standing position.