---
title: How to Use Crutches Properly - 5 Tips to Avoid Common Mistakes
description: How to use crutches properly and avoid common mistakes. Follow these tips to stay comfortable and avoid injuries while walking on crutches.
image: https://www.spinalcord.com/hubfs/how-to-use-crutches-properly-5-tips.png
---
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# How to Use Crutches Properly - 5 Tips to Avoid Common Mistakes
Author: [Jeff Kinney](https://www.spinalcord.com/meet-our-authors)
Publish Date: December 27, 2023
I live with spina bifida and have walked with crutches since I was three, so I know firsthand how tricky it can be. There are lots of things you can do wrong, many of which can put you in a world of hurt.
Here are 5 tips on how to use crutches properly and avoid common mistakes people make when walking on crutches. Follow this advice to stay comfortable and avoid injuries while walking on crutches.
## Use Forearm Crutches Instead of Underarm Crutches
I covered the advantages of forearm crutches vs. underarm crutches in a [previous post](https://www.spinalcord.com/blog/top-5-tips-for-buying-crutches), but they’re so important that it's worth reiterating.
I didn’t always appreciate these advantages, and stubbornly used underarm crutches for most of my life, even when people told me I should switch to forearm. In my defense, underarm crutches do have a few upsides of their own. The biggest one is that they don’t require as much shoulder and forearm stability, which makes it easier to stabilize yourself, particularly when going up and down stairs.
However, that doesn’t make up for everything that forearm crutches bring to the table. Most importantly, they eliminate pressure on your underarms, which can lead to nerve damage. I was very careful not to lean with my underarms on my underarm crutches – most of the time. However, I did cheat occasionally, and in some cases using my underarm crutches that way was unavoidable. I was lucky not to cause any damage.
Forearm crutches have other advantages too. For example, they’re shorter and thus easier to store, lighter, and seem like more of an extension of your arms.
There’s definitely a learning curve, especially if you’ve been using underarm crutches for a long time. When I first switched to forearm crutches, I hated having them attached to my arms with the arm cuffs. I was also a bit unstable until my forearm and wrist muscles got used to the increased workload.
Now, I’d never go back. If you’ve been using underarm crutches, talk to your medical provider about switching. It might be one of the best medical decisions you ever made.
## Hold Your Crutches at the Correct Angle
Keep your arms tucked close to your body so the force is more or less straight up and down.
When you walk with crutches, it’s important to protect your shoulders at all costs. Shoulder joints are a marvel of engineering, but they’re also prone to injury and definitely weren’t designed to be walked on year after year.
One of the easiest ways to hurt your shoulders is to hold your crutches at an extended, awkward angle away from your body when you walk. This puts an exponential amount of stress on your shoulder joints.
Keeping your arms tucked close to your body can be hard to do in some cases, like when you have to extend one of your crutches to take a step. Exercising your upper body regularly (as discussed below) will go a long way toward stabilizing your shoulders in situations like that.
## Take Care of Your Hands and Wrists
It may seem obvious that you need to protect your hands and wrists if you walk with crutches. However, this can be easier said than done.
The reality is that if you walk for a long distance, your hands are going to hurt. That said, they can recover fairly quickly. I know that if I go on a long hike, it takes just a few hours of rest before the soreness fades. I don’t go for another long walk until the pain is totally gone.
If you seriously hurt your hands or wrists, however, all bets are off. Here are some tips to avoid that:
- Use lotion to prevent cracking, especially if you have calluses, and especially in the winter.
- Wear gloves when going for long or even moderate walks. I’m partial to fingerless bike gloves unless it’s really cold.
- Keep your wrists lined up with your hands as much as possible when you’re walking. Avoid bending your wrists outward, as this can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome.
- Speaking of which, if you type a lot for your job like I do, properly set up and use an ergonomic keyboard and office chair. Carpal tunnel is bad for anyone, but it’s downright debilitating if you walk with crutches.
- Examine your hands regularly, including calluses if you have them. If anything looks like it might be a problem, such as blood under a callus, see your doctor.
- Use cushioned, shock-absorbing hand grips. I’m partial to [these](https://fetterman-crutches.com/collections/grips/products/performance-gel-filled-hand-grip).
## Be Careful on Slippery Surfaces
Nothing’s worse than the feeling of your crutch suddenly skidding out from under you because you didn’t see a wet spot.
All wet surfaces can be slippery, but some are worse than others. Wooden walkways, painted portions of crosswalks, tile and marble floors, wet rocks, and cobblestone streets are just a few that you want to tread especially carefully on after a rain or when a floor has just been cleaned.
Recently my wife and I got our kitchen remodeled, and we installed tile floors. Why? The laminate floors we had before were almost like ice when they got wet, which happens often in a kitchen. I wiped out more times than I care to remember, and a few tumbles could have been serious. For example, once I hit my head on the refrigerator and cranked my neck back, giving me whiplash for a few days.
But ever since we got textured tile floors – which I carefully tested for crutch slippage before we installed them – I haven’t fallen once. Lesson learned.
## Keep Your Upper Body Strong and Flexible
A proper [exercise program](https://www.thrivewithparalysis.com/five-essential-tips-for-starting-a-workout-program/) is essential, not just for [recreation](https://www.thrivewithparalysis.com/all-recreation-articles/) and [overall health](https://www.thrivewithparalysis.com/health/), but for walking safely on crutches year after year. Shoulder exercises – both strengthening and stretching – are especially important. Strong, flexible shoulders are much more resilient and resistant to injury than weak, inflexible ones.
Don’t forget your chest, core, and arms, too. All of these need to be strong if you want to keep walking as you age. I’m 52, and I hope to be walking on crutches until I’m at least 70. For that reason, I do strength training exercises three times a week.
It goes without saying that you should always talk to your doctor before starting any exercise program. Check out my blog, [Thrive With Paralysis](https://www.thrivewithparalysis.com/), for more tips on staying in shape.
**Topics:** Accessibility & Adaptations
### Stay Updated on Advancements On Traumatic Brain & Spinal Cord Injuries
About the Author
#### Jeff Kinney
Meet Jeff Kinney, a blogger providing a unique perspective on spinal cord injuries. A journalist and attorney with spina bifida, Jeff transforms challenges into triumphs. Through his blog, Thrive With Paralysis, he delivers expert advice on living your best life despite disabilities. With three weekly posts spanning health, recreation, relationships, life skills, and cutting-edge news, Jeff's journalistic prowess shines. Dive into in-depth articles on workouts, college, and adaptive tech. Jeff's unique lens captures not just inspiration but practical insights from those who've conquered obstacles. Beyond the blog, Jeff, an outdoor enthusiast, balances family, work, and a love for adaptive sports, pushing boundaries with activities like handcycling, scuba diving, and more. Join Jeff as he shares insights with our audience on SpinalCord.com for a journey of empowerment and shared knowledge, then be sure to read his full catalogue on Thrive With paralysis.
[Learn More About the Author](https://www.thrivewithparalysis.com/)
**Leave a Comment**
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### Spinal Cord Injury
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### Brain Injury
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"articleBody" : "The spinal cord is a vital part of the human body. As the vehicle responsible for carrying messages from the brain to the rest of the body and back again, even the smallest interference can be detrimental. Following a traumatic spinal cord injury, this bundle of nerves can become bruised, also known as a contusion. Because of the nature of the nervous system, any interference can constitute a serious spinal contusion, but these facts will help you dissect all of the information from the medical professionals.\n\nWhat Is a Spinal Contusion?
\n![\"Signs-of-a-spinal-contusion-title-image\"](\"https://www.spinalcord.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog-Images/Signs-of-a-spinal-contusion-title-image-min.jpg?width=300&name=Signs-of-a-spinal-contusion-title-image-min.jpg\")
\nMuch like any other bruise, a contusion can cause bleeding from local blood vessels and inflammation which, rather unlike bruises on other parts of the body, can have serious negative impacts on the spinal cord itself. Because the “blood must clot to stop the bleeding”a bruise results from contusions also increase cardiovascular risks.
\nFor example, the swelling a contusion can cause will often disrupt nerve impulses that travel from the brain to the body through the spinal cord, and the severity of this will depend upon the level of injury. Unlike a concussion, a contusion would not cause unconsciousness or a ‘blackout’, but instead cause the patient to feel a numbness or tingling in the extremities.
\nA contusion can cause spinal compression, which happens when there is pressure on the spinal cord. This can go on to cause an array of physical symptoms such as loss of sensation in the feet, inability to use the hands and loss of sexual ability. It must be noted that not all contusions cause spinal compression, and not all spinal compression is caused by a contusion, although they do often connect this way.
\nWarning Signs of a Serious Spinal Contusion to Watch For
\nFirstly, doctors will try and establish what area or limb the injury has affected. Spinal contusions most often “affect the upper extremities bilaterally and also sometimes involve the lower extremities,” according to Dr. Wong, an orthopedic physician.
\nSymptoms include “numbness, tingling, [or] electric shock-like sensations and burning in the extremities,” (American Association of Neurological Surgeons, 2016). Generally falling into the category of “spinal trauma” there are many symptoms which are similar to other forms of spinal trauma and spinal cord injury. Below are some symptoms of spinal trauma:
\n\n- Spinal shock — or the "loss of feeling or movement below site of injury" (Columbia University Medical Centre, 2016) that can last between hours and weeks
\n- Loss of bladder or bowel function
\n- Difficulty breathing
\n- Muscle spasticity
\n- Difficulty understanding speech
\n- Problems with attention
\n- Memory challenges
\n- Heart rate and blood pressure problems
\n
\nUnfortunately, it is sometimes challenging to identify which symptoms are due to a spinal contusion, and which ones are the result of a spinal cord injury directly. It can sometimes require a few days or weeks for the body to recover from spinal trauma and reveal if any permanent damage is left from the accident that caused the SCI.
\nUnderstanding what a contusion is, and how it can come into play following a spinal cord injury is important in order to clearly appreciate your injury, understand your diagnoses, and work toward treatment and a prognosis. Doctors can sometimes use jargon that’s difficult to understand, so the more you can educate yourself about your condition, the more control you can have in your recovery and treatment.
\nIf you still have questions about the details of the spinal cord and how it may be affected from your injury, please contact us or download our guide to understanding a spinal cord injury.",
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"description":"The spinal cord is a vital part of the human body. As the vehicle responsible for carrying messages from the brain to the rest of the body and back again, even the smallest interference can be detrimental. Following a traumatic spinal cord injury, this bundle of nerves can become bruised, also known as a contusion. Because of the nature of the nervous system, any interference can constitute a serious spinal contusion, but these facts will help you dissect all of the information from the medical professionals.
What Is a Spinal Contusion?
Signs-of-a-spinal-contusion-title-image
Much like any other bruise, a contusion can cause bleeding from local blood vessels and inflammation which, rather unlike bruises on other parts of the body, can have serious negative impacts on the spinal cord itself. Because the “blood must clot to stop the bleeding”a bruise results from contusions also increase cardiovascular risks.
For example, the swelling a contusion can cause will often disrupt nerve impulses that travel from the brain to the body through the spinal cord, and the severity of this will depend upon the level of injury. Unlike a concussion, a contusion would not cause unconsciousness or a ‘blackout’, but instead cause the patient to feel a numbness or tingling in the extremities.
A contusion can cause spinal compression, which happens when there is pressure on the spinal cord. This can go on to cause an array of physical symptoms such as loss of sensation in the feet, inability to use the hands and loss of sexual ability. It must be noted that not all contusions cause spinal compression, and not all spinal compression is caused by a contusion, although they do often connect this way.
Warning Signs of a Serious Spinal Contusion to Watch For
Firstly, doctors will try and establish what area or limb the injury has affected. Spinal contusions most often “affect the upper extremities bilaterally and also sometimes involve the lower extremities,” according to Dr. Wong, an orthopedic physician.
Symptoms include “numbness, tingling, [or] electric shock-like sensations and burning in the extremities,” (American Association of Neurological Surgeons, 2016). Generally falling into the category of “spinal trauma” there are many symptoms which are similar to other forms of spinal trauma and spinal cord injury. Below are some symptoms of spinal trauma:
Spinal shock — or the loss of feeling or movement below site of injury (Columbia University Medical Centre, 2016) that can last between hours and weeks
Loss of bladder or bowel function
Difficulty breathing
Muscle spasticity
Difficulty understanding speech
Problems with attention
Memory challenges
Heart rate and blood pressure problems
Unfortunately, it is sometimes challenging to identify which symptoms are due to a spinal contusion, and which ones are the result of a spinal cord injury directly. It can sometimes require a few days or weeks for the body to recover from spinal trauma and reveal if any permanent damage is left from the accident that caused the SCI.
Understanding what a contusion is, and how it can come into play following a spinal cord injury is important in order to clearly appreciate your injury, understand your diagnoses, and work toward treatment and a prognosis. Doctors can sometimes use jargon that’s difficult to understand, so the more you can educate yourself about your condition, the more control you can have in your recovery and treatment.
If you still have questions about the details of the spinal cord and how it may be affected from your injury, please contact us or download our guide to understanding a spinal cord injury.",
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"description":"The authors at SpinalCord.com come from diverse backgrounds including doctors, attorneys, medical journalist, and survivors of spinal cord injuries or traumatic brain injuries. Each author brings with them different experiences and expertise which when combined provide clinically accurate information which is useful to all individuals in the spinal cord and traumatic brain injury communities. Within the content you will find citations to medical journals, scientific research, as well as national and local resources to provide immediate support to families in need of assistance. Content is reviewed and updated regularly with changes in the clinical guidelines, new resources, and fresh ways to understand the content such as videos and infographics. ."
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