How to walk with crutches
- how tall should crutches be
- how long should crutches be
- how high should my crutches be
- how high should forearm crutches be
How to use crutches!
1. Let your arm hang down by your side.
2.
Crutch measurement in standing
Place the crutch in front of your arm with the handle of the crutch against it.
3. Adjust the height of the crutch so that:
- a) The handle of the crutch is in line with the bone that sticks out above your wrist - that’s the end of ulna bone (see picture 1).
- b) The clasp of the crutch is just below your elbow (see picture 2).
To adjust the handle of your crutch, push the pins in and slide the crutch to the correct height.
You can do the same to adjust the height of the clasp.
Too low?
If your crutches are too low, you will end up leaning forward and will have completely straight arms, as in picture 3.
This can increase the weight you put on the front of your arms, and could cause you lower back pain.
Too high?
If your crutches are too high, your shoulders will be pushed up and your elbows will be bent too much, as in picture 4.
This will make it difficult to move around as you won’t be able to push down hard enough through your arms to support your legs. It could also cause shoulder and neck pain.
If you are
- how should crutches be adjusted
- how should crutches be used