04 July 2023
Written by Lizzie Quarterman,
Clinically reviewed by Sharon Coyle
Crutches are a type of walking aid that can help to keep someone mobile and moving. They can be used by people who can’t use their legs to support their weight when walking – which could be because of a long-term condition, or an injury. Someone recovering from a sporting injury that has damaged their ankle, knee or leg will usually need the use of crutches during their rehabilitation.
What’s the difference between a walking stick and crutches?
A walking stick is helpful for someone who might be unsteady on their feet and needs a little extra support, whereas crutches come in pairs and provide much more stable and strong support. They’re fully weight bearing, so if someone is struggling with the full range of mobility in one leg, they can use their "good" leg to move forward, while supporting their so-called "bad" leg.
In this guide, we’ll cover essential information, including how to use crutches, the different types of crutches, and how to get the right size for your loved one.
When buying crutches, you’ll be faced with different types and designs available. Some popular types of crutches include:
Underarm crutches are also known as axilla crutches and are a common type of crutch. Underarm crutches sit under the arm – in the armpits of the person using it.
The parts of the crutch that fit under the arm are padded or cushioned for comfort; the hands hold a grip partway down. Underarm crutches are usually height adjustable, so they can get the perfect fit.
Elbow crutches, also known as forearm crutches, feature a "cuff" at the top that users position their arms through, holding the handgrip lower down. Although heavy duty elbow crutches are available, they’re generally much more lightweight than underarm crutches, which can be cumbersome. There are several different styles of elbow crutches available, including bariatric designs for those weighing up to 51st.
Forearm support crutches are a more specialist type of crutch. They’re sometimes known as gutter crutches or adjustable arthritic crutches. If a family member has difficulty with grip, and can’t hold onto crutch handles with their hands, a forearm support crutch could be a solution; they have padded forearms to take the person’s weight, instead. An example from our range are these Arthritic Elbow Crutches, ideal for those with a weak grip.
As well as the main types of crutches, you can find more specialist varieties available. So, if you’re trying to find something to help a loved one with specific requirements, there are options.
For example, many people find that using crutches for a length of time can be painful on their hands. Gripping handles can make hands sore and fatigued, which can also lead to issues with wrists. If someone has limited mobility in their hands, this can cause even more of a problem.
A "Hands Free" crutch – like this model – fits around the leg but doesn’t have any handles to hold. This leaves the person’s hands completely free. These types of crutch do require you to have good upper body strength and balance and so are not suitable for everyone. Before investing in a hands-free crutch, it is important to check it is suitable.
If a hands-free crutch is not suitable, there are also "soft grip" crutches, which reduce the toll on vulnerable hands. The Flexyfoot range of crutches also features special shock-absorbing ferrules (as the rubber "feet" on the end of the crutch are called) to provide increased stability.
Many modern crutches are height adjustable, so you can move the settings around to best fit you or your loved one. It’s really important to make sure crutches are set at the right height for the person using them.
For elbow crutches, the best guidelines when measuring the correct height are as follows. It can help if you’re with them to check the height.
If someone hasn’t used them before, learning how to walk with crutches can seem difficult to start with, and definitely takes some time getting used to!
Like most things though, practice makes perfect. The more someone uses their crutches, the more comfortable they’ll feel. If a family member is using crutches for the first time, give them plenty of encouragement and support where you can. It’s a good idea for them to use crutches to get around the house first, to get used to the weight and feel of them, before progressing to short walks outside.
How they walk with crutches* will depend on whether they can put weight through the injured leg (weight bearing or partial weight bearing) or not (non weight bearing). If you need advice on this, be sure to talk to a healthcare professional, such as your family member’s GP or a physiotherapist.
The starting position is the same whether or not they can put weight on the injured leg. Hold a crutch in each hand, and place the foot of each crutch on the ground. Make sure they’re stable. The crutches should be set equally apart at shoulder width, not pointing inwards or crossing over.
If they’re not allowed to bear any weight on the affected leg, move the crutches forwards – not too far ahead that the person using them is stretching – and plant them securely on the floor. Then, making sure their injured leg, the non weight-bearing one, doesn’t touch the floor, take a step forwards with their healthy leg. They should be aiming to plant their weight-bearing foot level with the crutches.
Repeat the process again until the walk is complete.
If the person using the crutches is able to put full or partial weight on the injured leg, the process is slightly different. The first step is with the injured leg. When complete, they should put the weight through their arms – not pushing through on the injured leg – to move forwards and take a second step with their healthy leg.
Repeat this to keep moving forwards.
At Complete Care Shop, we have a wide range of crutches which offer support and stability whenever it’s needed. Crutches help increase confidence and independence while navigating around the home and other settings. We have a range of affordable options to suit any requirement.
If you need any help in finding the right crutches for you, then please feel free to make use of our free online expert advice service, where one of our trained advisors will be able to help you find the right product for your needs.
*Source: https://www.torbayandsouthdevon.nhs.uk/services/physiotherapy/support-videos/how-to-use-crutches/
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