Forearm Crutch

               When I sprained my ankle and strained tendons in my calf, I was on the standard medical crutches for several weeks.  The problem with the standard medical crutch is that it causes rashes under the arm and makes the causes pain to the underarm as well with all of the excessive force applied to such a sensitive part of the body.

Designed in the United Kingdom and used mostly in Europe, the forearm crutch is a type of crutch with a cuff at the top, instead of a crutch pad, to wrap around one’s arm.  The cuff is a 3/4 filled circle that secures the arm of the user and allows for easy detachment in case of a fall, which is common when using any type of crutch.

The forearm crutch is faulted in that it influences one to apply all of the force of the body to two parallel handles attached to the shafts of the forearm crutches.  This means that the handles are very likely to bend and potentially break due to the intense pressure.  The force on the handles of the Ergonomic Flexi-Crutch is dampened because of the carbon-fiber blades bend and lessen the normal force between the crutch and ground and the handles/underarm pad.  Many people develop minor Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) while using crutches that give a lot of normal force back to the wrists.  Carpal Tunnel Syndrome occurs when the median nerve, which runs from the forearm into the palm of the hand, becomes pressed or squeezed at the wrist at high forces or more commonly with an uncomfortable, repetitive task.  The forearm crutch definitely influences high force and repetitive wrist usage which may cause damage to the median nerve causing CTS.