Crutches work safely when the pads sit about an inch below the armpits, weight rides the handgrips, and every step follows your prescribed gait.
Crutches hurt people in a boring, predictable way — not from a dramatic fall, but from a pad pressed into the armpit for twenty minutes at a stretch. A physical therapist can walk you through how to use crutches correctly and safely in about that same twenty minutes, and nearly the whole lesson comes down to two measurements: how tall the crutches stand and where your body weight lands.
Months of use change the risks. The concern stops being a single stumble and becomes skin breakdown under the arms, hand and wrist strain, and a pair that quietly stops matching the weight-bearing level your clinician set — non-weight-bearing, partial, or weight-bearing as tolerated.
How Do You Fit Crutches Without Armpit Pressure?
Fit the crutches while standing in the shoes you actually wear, set the overall height first, then the handgrips, and leave a two- to three-finger gap between each pad and your armpit.
- Stand tall with the tips a few inches outside your feet. Published guides range from roughly 3 inches to 5–8 inches to the side; a wide base beats a narrow one.
- Adjust crutch height before touching the handgrips. Set the pad 1 to 1½ inches below the armpit so the top of the crutch rests against your ribs, not inside the armpit.
- Set the handgrips at wrist level with your arms hanging loose, so your elbows stay slightly bent when you push down.
- Keep the rubber tips, grip covers, and underarm pads installed. A split or glazed tip slides on wet tile and hardwood.
The pad is a locator, not a seat. Weight resting under the arm can bruise tissue and press on the nerves and blood vessels running through that space, which is why armpit pressure produces numbness and tingling down the arm.
Fit also drifts. Pads compress, grips loosen, and a pair that measured right in spring can sit low by summer. When tips crack or the height won’t hold, replacing the crutches costs less than a fall, and this roundup of the best crutches for long-term use covers models built for months of daily wear.
Using Crutches Safely On Floors, Stairs, And Chairs
On flat ground the order is crutches, injured leg, strong leg. On stairs the strong leg always leads going up, and the crutches plus the injured leg lead going down.
- Set both crutches slightly ahead and outside your feet, tips flat on the floor.
- Move both crutches forward together — one motion, not two.
- Bring the injured or weaker leg forward between the crutches, staying inside the weight-bearing limit you were given.
- Push down through the handgrips, keep the elbows slightly bent, and bring the stronger leg through.
- Look ahead rather than at your feet, and take slower steps than feel natural.
| Weight-Bearing Level | What The Injured Leg Does | What The Crutches Do |
|---|---|---|
| Non-weight-bearing | Never touches the floor | Carry the full load through your hands |
| Partial weight-bearing | Takes only the fraction your clinician named | Absorb the rest while you still step on it |
| Weight-bearing as tolerated | Takes as much as feels comfortable | Stay for balance and support until you’re cleared |
Patient instructions for crutch walking run through this same sequence, and Alberta Health Services’ physiotherapy handout adds the part worth repeating: the pattern itself comes from your clinician, not from the crutches.
Stairs need a rail or a spotter. Going up, put the strong leg on the next step first, then bring the injured leg and both crutches up beside it. Going down, lower the crutches and the injured leg first, then the strong leg. With a handrail, tuck both crutches under the arm opposite the rail and use them as one unit while your free hand holds the rail. Without a rail, keep one crutch per side and have a helper stand behind and to the side, never in front.
For a chair, back up until you feel the seat against your legs, hold both crutches on the injured side, reach back with the free hand, and lower on the strong leg. Reverse it to stand: slide to the edge, push off the chair and the grips, and settle the crutches under your arms only once you are upright.
Long-Term Crutch Use: What To Watch For
Long-term users should check the skin under the arms and across the palms every week, and get reassessed whenever weight-bearing status, footwear, height, strength, or balance changes.
- Slippers, flip-flops, and loose clogs are a fall waiting to happen; a laced shoe that grips is not optional on crutches.
- Carrying a mug or a phone in your hands means giving up a crutch; use a backpack or a shoulder pouch instead.
- Ice, wet leaves, bathroom tile, and loose rugs all defeat rubber tips that are already worn.
Numbness, tingling, weakness, color changes, or pain that doesn’t settle are reasons to call your clinician rather than push through. Crutches have no fixed replacement calendar, so inspect tips, grips, and pad covers weekly and swap anything cracked, slick, or loose.
Four checks cover almost all of it — pad gap, grip height, tip condition, and the weight-bearing level you were given. Run them every few weeks and a long stretch on crutches stops being a slow slide toward a second injury.
Common Questions
What Happens If You Rest Your Weight On The Armpit Pads?
Pressure under the arm compresses nerves and blood vessels in that tight space, which can cause aching, numbness, tingling, and skin irritation that lingers after the crutches are put down.
Can You Carry Things While Walking With Crutches?
Not in your hands. Every item held means one fewer point of support, and the wobble usually shows up several steps later. A backpack, a crossbody pouch, or a small bag clipped to the crutch frame keeps both hands free for the grips. Ask someone to carry hot drinks.
Is There A Set Time Limit For Staying On Crutches?
No universal schedule exists — the timeline belongs to your injury and your clinician’s weight-bearing orders. Progress gets decided at follow-up visits, not by a calendar. Ask at each appointment whether your current crutches still suit your strength and balance, since a walker or a knee scooter may be easier for a long recovery.
Sources
- MedlinePlus. “Using crutches” Covers fitting, the crutch-walking sequence, and stair technique referenced in the body.
- Alberta Health Services. “How to use crutches” Physiotherapy guidance on fit measurements, gait patterns, and prescribed weight-bearing limits.
- Alberta Health Services. “How to Use Crutches” (PDF) Illustrated handout supporting the stair, chair, and safety-hazard details.