6. Crutches

Crutches are the most common prescribed ambulatory devices. They are used in pair. Crutches have two contacts with the body (hand and elbow or hand and axilla) which make it a better ambulatory device for stabilization of the user. They are types of orthosis that provide support from the floor to the upper limb. There are two different types of crutches: axillary crutch and elbow crutch [16].

Axillary crutch: this is also known as the standard crutch. It has the following components: axillary bar covered with an axillary pad, a hand grip, and double uprights vertical posts joined distally by a single vertical post (allow height adjustment) covered with a ferrule (Figure 8). The adjustment of the handgrip is performed by adjusting the handgrip in predrilled holes in the double upright bars using screws and wing bolts. The vertical posts and short horizontal bars are made of different materials such as wood, hard plastic, stainless steel, aluminum steel and iron.

Adjustment of height of the axillary crutch and the handgrip is standardized in an inch distance (2.54 cm). Adult axillary crutch range from 48 to 60 inches (122–153 cm). It is available in Pediatric, youth, adult and tall adult sizes (Figure 10 and Table 1).

#### Figure 8. Axillary crutch and its features.

6.1 Advantages

