It takes practice. Most likely they will have a physical therapist give you some crutch lessons before they release you from the hospital.
If you are feeling wobbly and weak, don’t be ashamed to scoot down the stairs on your butt. Beats the hell out of falling.
If they give you prescription painkillers, make sure to poop at least once a day, hell or high water- take a laxative if you need to, but be vigilant! The good stuff will totally stop you up, and before you even notice four or five days will have gone by, and ultimately that first final “go” can be worse than anything else related to the surgery.
Try to have the house cleaned before you go in. It’s a bummer being laid up in a messy house, and so much easier to get around when you’re not having to navigate hazards too.
Get a big water bottle and a way to move it around- a carabiner or something.
Stairs up aren’t too bad, bu I’ve found that it’s very easy to lose your balance going down stairs - once the immediate pain is gone, I typically just toss both crutches into one hand, hold onto the banister with the other hand, and “hop” down the stairs instead of relying on the crutches at all. For doors if possible just push them open backwards with your butt, shuffle through, and swivel around.
Beware of slippery patches in general if there’s weather where you are, like the paint on the ground in crosswalks, and tile floors.
You can get little saddlebags for the crutches but you might find they just throw off your balance; I just used a messenger bag.
Last time i was on crutches for a long spell I started getting cabin fever, but it was so exhausting to drag myself anywhere-- a comforting outing was to go to a fairly new supermarket, one that had courtesy scooters, and just cruise around the store shopping with a friend.
Let other people spoil you! Especially at first, since later you’ll be feeling better and the novelty will wear off enough that people don’t offer as much anymore 
Craigslist.
Make up a chart NOW to record when you take your pain meds. Even though you may take them every three or four hours, once they kick in, you’ll find yourself wondering, “Did I take a pill at 3? Do I take one at 5 or 6?”
Yes, I speak from experience.
That’s what I came in here to say. Stairs. Even going up I found it much easier to hold both crutches in one hand, grab the railing and hop up, as well as down.
They make grippy/pointy ends for the feet of the crutches. If there is still snow & ice they might be good.
A backpack is really good. Having plastic grocery bags swinging around your knees is a real pain.
Between an ACL and two Achilles surgeries, I’ve been on crutches for over a year of my life. I can move around pretty good on them. Hell, I even got to where I was playing goalie in a pick up soccer game.
So don’t worry too much, it’s easy to pick up, just tiring.
Be sure to clear your floors or things of any throw rugs or things that might slip under your crutches. Also make sure you have plenty of room to maneuver, even if it means temporarily consigning coffee tables or potted plants or whatever to a guest room or garage.
You may be thinking that heating up soup is an easy way to create food while you’re on crutches. And you’d be right as far as that goes, but you’re probably not thinking about carrying a bowl of soup to the table while you’re on crutches. Non-spilling food is a good idea for the first few days.
I second the recommendation to lay in some metamucil and/or or stool softener. Can’t hurt and might help a lot depending on how your system reacts to opiates. Also, it took me a couple rounds to realize that when I got slightly naseaous from pain pills, the best way to remedy it was (counterintuitively) to eat something.
Also second the chair for the shower (I ended up using a milk crate with a towel).
I don’t know how Achilles repair is, but after ACL replacement, there was not much question of going back to work for a week, and plan for two. Mostly because four days out, heavy meds and/or not sleeping much are the order of the day. But ask your surgeon what’s reasonable.
I was moderately fit and found the challenge of crutches a little bit fun (if you tore it playing volleyball you might be similar). But very slow for going even moderate distances, with more stops to rest than you might think. I’d bring lunch the first day, but see how you feel. It depends on how far you’re going, most likely (if it’s just 50 yards to the car, probably easy if you’ve been cooped up at your desk all day).
Sounds gross, but it hurts when the blood flows back into your leg. Getting up to pee sucks, so get a few 32 ounce or bigger bottles to use to pee in so you only have to get up to poop (which probably won’t be very often due to your lack of desire to eat solid foods, as well as due to the main meds).
Similar to what Lynn Bodini said, I had the doc come in, triple check what knee we were doing, and mark where he planned to enter, as well as initial my knee, while I was still awake.
An update, in case anyone is interested: the surgery went off without a hitch, although my doctor described it as like “sewing together a horse tail,” :eek: which I guess is standard for this type of surgery. I’ve had minimal pain–percocet for the first 24 hours only, and am managing to get around on the crutches. Getting to and from work is going to be a real bitch because of the stairs and doors I have to navigate, but I did it today, while my mom was visiting so I know I can manage. My washcloth is my new best friend.
Thanks again for all the tips–they’ve come in quite handy.
How old are you KSO? Believe me when I tell you that if you’re lucky, you will live long enough to appreciate the wisdom of taking the long view of recover and rehab
Hygiene is overrated
My doc described it as trying to sew together two mop heads. Mine was bad enough he didn’t even try, but reconstructed it from what was left intact in there. He actually used the word fillet and talked of peeling tendon material off the muscle when describing what he did. That was disturbing.
I was 35 when I had my surgery, you seem to be in much better post-op shape than I was, good to hear you came out in good shape. It’s an injury I wouldn’t wish on anyone.
Believe me, I’m surprised at how I’m feeling–the first couple of days were very rough because I couldn’t keep the antibiotics or percocet down. I am going to be careful not to take things too quickly.