Updated by Misty Alder

The 10 Best Crutches

This wiki has been updated 35 times since it was first published in April of 2015. When you need some support getting around, but don't want to be completely off your feet, a good set of crutches could be your ticket to freedom. Our assortment includes lightweight and budget-friendly options for temporary use, as well as more sophisticated, ergonomic designs to help absorb impacts, reduce irritation and promote a healthy posture for longer-term mobility assistance. When users buy our independently chosen editorial picks, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.

1. Mobilegs Ultra U1

Ease of use is the hallmark of the Mobilegs Ultra U1 (around $150), which feature contoured grips for maintaining comfortable wrist angles and proper weight distribution across the palms. Additionally, their rocker tips allow for a fluid, natural gait.

Saddles move with your body
Offset legs provide hip clearance
Will not chafe underarms

2. PCP Push Button

Combining durability with a lightweight design, the PCP Push Button (around $20) are perfect for anyone looking for a basic pair that won't break the bank. Height indicators printed on the side eliminate guesswork and make size adjustments fast and easy.

Can support up to 300 pounds
No assembly required
Comparatively low price

3. Millennial In-Motion ProX

Available in various colors and sizes to accommodate users up to seven feet tall, the Millennial In-Motion ProX (appx. $58) are designed to encourage a healthy posture and a natural wrist alignment. Their spring-assisted feet absorb impacts to reduce the effort required by the user.

Aircraft-grade aluminum struts
Foldable for storage
500-pound weight capacity

4. Hugo Mobility Aluminum

Featuring soft, cushioned hand grips and underarm pads that are washable and resilient to perspiration, the Hugo Mobility Aluminum (appx. $24) are offered in three size ranges for an entry-level price, making them a sensible choice for short-term use.

Provide a good amount of traction
One-inch height adjustments
Can support up to 300 pounds

5. Vive Forearm

The hand grips and arm cuffs on the Vive Forearm (around $49) are one solid molded piece, making for a sturdy, ergonomic design. The contrasting colors and matte finish give them a somewhat stylish appearance, setting them apart from the sterile look of other models.

Non-marring rubber tips
Reflectors on handles for visibility
Only for short-term use

6. Carex Folding

For those who use crowded public transport, don't have a lot of storage space to spare, or just want something that can be easily stashed out of the way, the Carex Folding (about $33) are a practical solution. They weigh just a few pounds and measure a mere two feet tall when folded.

Don't flex or wobble
Budget-friendly price
Require some finagling to unfold

7. iWalk 2.0

The iWalk 2.0 (around $149) is specifically designed to enable users with non-weight-bearing lower leg injuries move freely without tying up their hands. It does require more balance and flexibility than other models, though, and can be difficult to manage on steep inclines or stairs.

Relatively easy to learn how to use
One size fits most
Not ideal for crowded places

8. Life Universal

With handles designed to keep your wrists in a neutral position during use, the Life Universal (appx. $45) reduce the risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome or nerve issues. Their articulating tips tilt and swivel to maintain stability on uneven terrain.

Padded handles for comfort
Good for outdoor use
Best for 4 weeks use or less

9. FDI Ergodynamic Forearm

The FDI Ergodynamic Forearm (appx. $105) feature shock absorbers in the upper shaft to help prevent soreness in the hands, wrists and shoulders. They operate quietly and provide good control and mobility support that doesn't announce itself as you enter a room.

Multiple sizes and spring rates
Accommodate a wide range of heights
Relatively expensive

10. Ez2care Adjustable

If you don't need a pair, the Ez2care Adjustable (around $25) is sold singly, saving you money and space at home. It is particularly great for travelers, as it folds into three pieces, making it easy to fit into a suitcase or the overhead compartment on an airplane.

Supports up to 250 pounds
Weighs only 1 pound
Too tall for users under 5 feet

Stability And Support Where It's Needed Most

You're still going to get around and get things accomplished.

Some people like to be innovative, inquisitive, thoughtful, and are always thinking of ways to circumvent problems, while coming up with applicable solutions and workarounds. This can be true for points of confusion, inventions, and temporary or permanent disabilities. Perhaps you've recently taken an unfortunate tumble down the stairs, have fallen on the street, broken a bone, or perhaps you suffer from a physical difference that would prevent you from having full use of your legs. The last thing you plan to do is give up. You're still going to get around and get things accomplished. For any one of these reasons, crutches are an extremely valuable tool for making the unlikely suddenly possible.

Typically constructed from either hardwoods or metal, crutches are vertical tools designed to support a disabled person when their ability to walk normally has been compromised. Functionally speaking, a pair of crutches reduces the weight load on one's legs, while broadening their support base in order to maintain balance and stability when moving around. By distributing weight towards the forearm and underarm, crutches help to promote upright posture for those with disabilities or paralysis. Crutches also allow the user additional maneuverability in places they wouldn't ordinarily be able to go if they were in a wheelchair.

By supporting upright movements, crutches improve circulation as well as the function of both the kidneys and lungs.

Several different types of crutches are available. The axillary (or underarm) crutch is the most common and is easily adjusted to accommodate a variety of heights. Axillary crutches are used by placing their top pads against a user's ribcage and beneath the armpit. A parallel hand grip is also located below the pads. Axillary crutch users will often place a towel or soft cushioning around the crutch padding to prevent potential armpit injury or nerve damage. The Lofstrand crutch (or forearm crutch) offers increased flexion for the elbow, which allows the arm to bear an increased amount of weight. Platform crutches (or triceps crutches) are known for their built-in troughs that support the forearm at the very top, while a vertical handgrip is placed at the end of the platform. Velcro straps are usually applied around the forearm to keep the platform crutch in place.

Forearm crutches offer several advantages over traditional underarm crutches, with the main advantage being that forearm crutches spread the majority of a user's weight across their entire forearm instead of simply concentrating it around the wrist. This can help to prevent wrist injury. Additionally, the shape and design of forearm crutches allow for a greater degree of movement than a user would experience using an underarm crutch. That being said, the forearm crutch does have a steeper learning curve than the more traditional axillary crutch.

The forearm crutch is preferred in Europe, while the underarm crutch is more common in the United States. One of the underlying reasons for this in the states is that forearm crutches are often associated with permanent disabilities, whereas the underarm crutch has a connotation more aligned with temporary use.

Being Informed Right Out Of The Gait

The type of crutch you choose depends on a variety of factors, including the type of injury or condition you have and the way that injury or condition will affect your gait. Gaits are important to learn when using crutches, as they can help some of your muscles rest while others are working, so finding the right type of crutch to make it as easy on yourself as possible is important.

Comfort is a big deal when using crutches. Depending on your injury, you may have to use one or two crutches for an extended period of time, so ensuring that the pads are properly cushioned, the hand grips are easy to use, and that the crutches are both lightweight and durable will all be integral to your search.

Crutch tips are also important to consider. They should be made from some type of non-slip material to provide superior traction, while also being wide enough to offer dependable support when you move around.

Universal height adjustability also matters, particularly if the intended user for the crutches is a kid who's still growing.

A Brief History Of The Crutch

Evidence of carvings from ancient Egypt dating back to the time of the pharaohs five thousand years ago suggests that crutches have been around for quite a while. The pharaohs of Egypt used these devices to help them get around. Since that time, the design hasn't changed all that much. Tree branches or timber were often used to fashion rudimentary crutches with natural padding to make them more comfortable.

Tree branches or timber were often used to fashion rudimentary crutches with natural padding to make them more comfortable.

Fast forward a few thousand years and we'll come to the first patented and commercially-produced crutch, developed in 1917 by Emile Schlick. This early crutch design resembled a simple walking stick with upper arm support. By 1945, A. R. Lofstrand, Jr. patented the first set of crutches with adjustable height, making them fully customizable. Lofstrand's main goal was to assist a disabled person to achieve both normal step motions and balance.

Credit for the design of forearm crutches lies with Thomas Fetterman who used the invention as a way to deal with his prior experience with Polio in the nineteen fifties. Fetterman realized some of the drawbacks with axillary crutches (the potential for slipping, falling, and nerve damage) and developed a crutch with a superior ability to grab the ground, thanks to an improved crutch tip and shock-absorbing gel cap. This crutch went into production in 1988 and is still recommended by orthopedic specialists today.

Last updated by Misty Alder

Born and raised in the American Deep South, Misty's career in elder care took a sharp left turn when she was swept away to the land of Robin Hood by her very own Merry Man. She's a coffee-swilling master of stitch-witchery with a magical touch in the kitchen and a neverending stream of Disney gag reels playing in her head. A certified nursing assistant by trade and a toy aficionado by choice, some intense parenting ensured she was well versed in gardening, carpentry and electrical engineering by the time she entered grade school. Her culinary artistry, tool-wielding wizardry, and skill with needle and thread were honed over nearly four decades in the kitchens, workrooms, and outdoor spaces of family, friends, and clients. Voracious reading took care of the rest.

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