Clinicians and physical therapists often prescribe crutches as mobility aids to people with impaired or injured gait. The most common types of crutches used for orthopedic rehabilitation include Forearm Crutches and Underarm Crutches. Both these crutches provide weight transfer using their mechanisms.
But which one is more comfortable? Well, it’s probably subjected to the user. But some factors can play the determining role, such as posture support, less straining, ease of use, flexible gaits, etc. We’ll utilize these factors here to evaluate the mechanism and features of either crutch and see which one excels.
Why Forearm and Underarm Crutches make the Best Choice for Orthopedic Rehabilitation
If the patient has problems with balancing, they are generally introduced to a walker or a cane or even directly prescribed a pair of crutches. Crutches (either the underarm crutches or forearm crutches) become a must-have mobility aid until the patient fully recovers. It’s true for anyone undergoing orthopedic rehabilitation like knee replacement or arthroscopy knee surgery.
Crutches transfer the weight from the leg to your upper body. It’s generally used in pairs, but you can also use them singly. There are many reasons why orthopedics prescribe a pair of crutches for people with leg injuries. Some of these include:
- Helps the patient to walk with even strides
- Provides stability and has a faster ambulation speed than a walker
- Helps a person to stand and walk upright in case of short or long-term injuries
- Considered an exercise that increases your chances of quick recovery
Overview of Forearm Crutches
Forearm crutches are also known as elbow or lofstrand crutches. They come with a cuff around the forearm (under the elbow) and the handles. It provides a double grip; the open cuff grips the forearm of the user while the user grips the handles. As a result, the user can take pressure off the wrist and move with less strain.
These crutches are widely used for long-term mobility for people with leg injuries such as a knee injury, a broken foot, or a sprained ankle injury.
The major advantages of forearm crutches are:
Once mastered, they’re much easier to use
- Provides better balance while walking
- More flexible
- Allows different walking styles
- Encourages good posture
It includes a few disadvantages as well, which are:
- Not easy to coordinate and balance initially
- Requires training to master
Overview of Underarm crutches
The underarm crutches, also known as axillary crutches, are the most common type of crutches. They come with crutch pads on top that are held under the arm of the user and pressed against the side of the body.
They allow one to support the weight with the arms, shoulders, and chest while taking strides. These crutches can be adjusted in height and are easy to use and coordinate. They’re the most commonly prescribed traditional crutches for short-term rehabilitation.
The major advantages of the underarm crutches are:
- Easy to master
- Superior stability
- Easy to coordinate and balance
- Excellent for short time recoveries
- Requires less upper body strength
Underarm crutches have a few disadvantages that include:
- Not flexible for different walking styles
- Causes fatigue and soreness with prolonged use
Forearm Vs. Underarm Crutches: Comfortability Factors to Consider
The comfort level of a crutch depends on quite a few factors. We’ll look at these factors to evaluate and find out which crutches are more comfortable. The crutches should meet the following requirements:
- Causes less fatigue or soreness
- Supports better posture
- Require less upper body strength
- Convenient to use, balance, and move
- Flexible for different walking styles
Let’s start evaluating all the factors below:
Fatigue and Soreness
When you look for the comfort factor, you want to ensure the crutches don’t cause fatigue, soreness, or abrasions. Forearm crutches make the best choice in this case.
They feature a forearm cuff under the elbow, and unlike the underarm crutches, they don’t need to be pressed against the body side. So while using the forearm crutches, you feel reduced strain and pressure on your wrist compared to the axillary crutches.
Posture is an important consideration for the comfort level of any crutch. Forearm crutches make a much better choice in this case as well. They allow the patient to stand straight and tall. And that’s why they don’t cause fatigue even after prolonged use and also don’t affect a person’s posture negatively.
On the other hand, most users slouch over the underarm crutches during use which can take a toll on the patient’s posture in the long run.
Stability & Flexibility
Even on rough or uneven terrain, forearm crutches provide better stability than underarm crutches. It’s because of their flexibility that allows a wider variety of gaits and walking styles. So you can adjust your crutches accordingly.
On the other hand, the axillary crutches are easier to balance, but they restrict movement due to the limited gaits. However, according to a study, they make the first choice for people with one side lower extremity and partial weight-bearing for its unparallel 3-point crutch gait feature.
Both these crutches need upper body strength during use. However, forearm crutches require a bit more strength than axillary crutches. But as they’re made for long-term use, the patients generally get used to them, especially ones with more muscle mass and strength.
On the other hand, underarm or axilla crutches are easier to use for those with limited upper body strength.
Ease of Use
Besides being comfortable, using crutches has to be easier as well. Axillary crutches are generally easier to master because of their single basic gait. If someone recovering from medical conditions faces issues with balance and coordination, they will make a more comfortable option.
On the contrary, you’ve got the forearm crutches that require consultation with a physical therapist to master completely. But it’s a better choice for someone who has already overcome the balancing issue.
So we can see forearm crutches outweigh underarm crutches in many factors related to comfortability during orthopedic rehabilitation. However, underarm crutches can also be a comfortable option in particular instances, such as when the patient struggles with coordination and balance, needs crutches for a short period, or cannot bear full weight due to lower extremity.
But in general, forearm crutches are more comfortable for many reasons like equally distributing weight, providing better posture, ensuring superior stability, causing less fatigue, and being more flexible with different gaits. Although they need more strength and are slightly harder to master, you can easily rely on them for a comfortable rehabilitation!
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