Crutch

A crutch helps you walk.

It moves your weight to your arms. This helps if your leg is hurt.

People used them in ancient Egypt. Some crutches fit under your arm. Others fit around your forearm. Some even rest on your arm.

This helps if your hands are weak. Crutches can be made of wood or metal. They help many people move around.

A crutch is a tool that helps people move.

It moves weight from the legs to the upper body. People use them for injuries or lifelong disabilities. Crutches were used in ancient Egypt.

One common type is the axillary crutch. These fit under the armpit. They are often for short-term use. Users must be careful with them. Pressure can hurt the nerves in the armpit. This is called crutch palsy.

Another type is the forearm crutch. These have a cuff that goes around the arm. They are very common in Europe. Some people use platform crutches. These have a flat part for the arm to rest on. This helps people with weak hands. There are also leg supports. These strap a hurt leg into a frame. This keeps the leg off the ground. It lets the person walk without using their hands. Crutches can be made of wood or metal. They can even be made of carbon fiber.

A crutch is a special tool that helps people move around.

It works by moving weight from the legs to the upper body. Some people use them for short injuries. Others use them because of lifelong disabilities. These tools make it easier to walk when legs cannot support a person. They are a very important type of mobility aid.

There are many different ways these tools work. Axillary crutches fit under the armpit against the ribcage.

A person holds a grip located below the pad. Forearm crutches use a cuff that wraps around the arm. These are very common in Europe. Platform crutches help people with weak hands. The forearm rests on a flat part called a platform. There are also leg supports that strap a leg into a frame. These let a person walk without using their hands at all.

People have used crutches for a very long time.

Records show they were used in ancient Egypt. In 1917, Emile Schlick made the first commercial crutch. His design was a walking stick with an arm support. Later, A.R. Lofstrand Jr. made crutches that could change height. This helped the tools fit different people better. Today, the classic design is still the most common one used.

Using crutches requires learning specific patterns called gaits.

A four-point gait is the slowest but safest way. It follows a sequence of right crutch, left leg, left crutch, and right leg. A two-point gait is faster but needs more support. Some people use a three-point gait if one leg cannot carry weight. There is also a swing-to gait for people with non-weight bearing injuries. When going up stairs, you move your good leg first. When going down, you move the crutches first.

Crutches are made from many different strong materials.

Some are made of wood or metal alloys like steel and aluminum. Others use carbon fiber or glass fiber reinforced composites. These materials help make the tools strong but light. You might also see them made of thermoplastics. If someone cannot use crutches, they might use a wheelchair or a knee scooter. These wheeled tools help with movement too. However, they are harder to use on stairs than crutches are.

A crutch is a mobility aid designed to transfer weight from the legs to the upper body.

These devices are essential for individuals who cannot use their legs to support their body weight. People may require crutches for short-term injuries or for lifelong disabilities. By shifting the physical load, crutches allow for movement when the lower limbs are compromised. They serve as a vital component of assistive technology for human mobility.

There are several distinct types of crutches, each serving different physical needs. Axillary crutches, also called underarm crutches, are common for temporary restrictions on walking.

The user places a pad against the ribcage just below the armpit. They then hold a grip located below and parallel to that pad. Some axillary models are spring-loaded to help users propel themselves further. However, research indicates that the speed increase from these springs is actually very small. Users must be careful with axillary crutches to avoid nerve damage. Pressure on the brachial plexus in the axilla can cause a condition called crutch palsy. In these cases, the radial nerve is most frequently affected, followed by the ulnar nerve.

Forearm crutches, often called elbow or Lofstrand crutches, are very different.

These feature a cuff that wraps around the user's forearm. The user inserts their arm into the cuff and holds a grip. The cuffs are often made of metal or plastic. They can be full circles or half-circles with a V-type opening. This opening allows the arm to slip out easily during a fall. Forearm crutches are the dominant type used throughout Europe. In other regions, they are more common for people with long-term disabilities.

Other specialized designs exist for specific physical limitations. Platform crutches are used by people with poor hand or grip strength.

These users rest their forearm on a horizontal platform or trough. They are usually secured with velcro-type straps that release during a fall. The hand holds an angled grip that can be adjusted for length and sway. There are also non-traditional leg supports for single-leg injuries.

These strap the affected leg into a frame to keep it off the ground. This transfers the load to the user's thigh or knee. This design allows walking without using the hands or arms. It may also help reduce upper thigh atrophy because the leg remains in use.

History shows that humans have sought mobility assistance for millennia. Crutches were used as far back as ancient Egypt. In 1917, Emile Schlick patented the first commercially produced crutch. His design was a walking stick that included an upper arm support. Later, A.R. Lofstrand Jr. developed crutches with a height-adjustable feature. This innovation allowed the tools to be customized to the user. Despite these advancements, the classic design remains the most common today.

To move effectively, users must master specific patterns called gaits.

A four-point gait is the slowest but safest method. It follows a sequence: right crutch, left leg, left crutch, then right leg. This keeps three points of contact with the ground at all times. A two-point gait is faster and involves moving a crutch and the opposite leg simultaneously. For those who cannot bear weight on one leg, a three-point gait is used. In this gait, both crutches move forward first, followed by the unaffected leg. There is also a "swing-to" gait for non-weight bearing injuries. In this method, the user places both crutches in front and swings the uninjured leg to them.

Navigating stairs also requires specific techniques depending on the direction. When climbing stairs, the unaffected leg moves up first. Then, the affected leg and the crutches move up together. When descending stairs, the process is reversed. The crutches move down first, followed by the affected leg and then the unaffected leg. If crutches are not suitable, people may use wheelchairs or knee scooters. While these are wheeled alternatives, they often cannot negotiate stairs as easily as crutches can. Modern crutches are manufactured from many materials, including wood, steel, aluminum, and titanium. They may also use carbon fiber or glass fiber reinforced composites and thermoplastics.