How To Use Crutches With Less Arm Pain – Helpful Tips

If you use crutches and walking around with them gives you pain in your hands, forearms, wrists, elbows or armpit, then we have some helpful tips. If you recently broke your foot, leg or had surgery on your thigh then most likely your doctor or ER gave you a pair of crutches that are causing you pain since you are not used to them.

Helpful Tip #1 – You may need to properly adjust your crutches for your proper height. Unscrew the wing nut on the side of the crutches and readjust the height of the crutches. The padded top end of the crutches should rest comfortably in your armpit area. NOTE: Crutches should be set just under the height of armpits so when you swing your body all the pressure is under the armpit and your hands are just for balance. So this basically means that the weight should NOT be on your hands. The weight of your body should be in your armpits when using crutches.

Helpful Tip #2 – If using the crutches give you black and blue marks on your hands or palms of your hands then it is best to get a pair of padded fingerless gloves. These gloves will protect the palms of your hands from taking all the weight and will give you some relief from the weight being exerted into your palms.

Helpful Tip #3 – A simple but not the most beautiful way to ease the pain and pressure on your hands is to cut up an old towel and duct tape the slices of towel onto the handles of the crutches. This adds some material at the handles so all of the weight is not completely absorbed by your hands.

Helpful Tip #4 – Purchase some low cost gel cushions that can be found at most any pharmacy or other medical supply stores. Use some of the white medical tape and tape the cushions onto the handles of the crutches. This will take about 80% of the pressure off of your hands and palms making it easier to use you crutches with less pain.