Crutch

It is often used by people who cannot use their legs to support their weight, for reasons ranging from short-term injuries to lifelong disabilities.

[1][2] In 1917, Emile Schlick patented the first commercially produced crutch; the design consisted of a walking stick with an upper arm support.

[3] With underarm crutches, sometimes a towel or some kind of soft cover is needed to prevent or reduce armpit injury.

The underarm pad is a curved design that is open in the front with the grips for the hands shaped for maximum comfort and to reduce the prevalence of overuse injuries.

The idea behind this design is to allow the user to propel themselves further, resulting in quicker movement from place to place, though research has shown that the difference in speed is very small when comparing standard axillary crutches to spring-loaded crutches.

The hinged cuff, most frequently made of plastic or metal, can be a half-circle or a full circle with a V-type opening in the front allowing the forearm to slip out in case of a fall.

[3] These are less common and used by those with poor hand or grip strength due to arthritis, cerebral palsy, or other conditions.

A claimed benefit is that upper thigh atrophy is also reduced because the affected leg remains in use.

[1][8] Walking sticks or canes serve an identical purpose to crutches, but are held only in the hand and have a limited load bearing capability because of this.