How to Reduce Pain When Using Crutches

If you’ve ever had the misfortune of using crutches, I’m sure you’d agree with me there these aren’t designed for comfort. In fact underarm sore and pain in the palm and wrist are a very common problem associated with crutches. They are also known to cause problems in the nerves that move from the spine to the shoulder. Crutch pads and grip pads can help to ease the pain. To install these, you’ve got to open the crutch caps, place them on to the end of the crutch and pull it over to the other end. But make sure to buy one that can be easily installed by the wearer himself.

Discomfort when wearing crutches is also caused by the fact that these are often wedged within the arm pit. This not only causes nerve damage, but also results in underarm sore. Crutches aren’t designed to bear weight in the arm pit; it’s the arms that ought to bear the weight. Make sure that they are at least 1 or 2 inches away from the armpit and are snug between the insides of the upper arm and the chest wall. Needless to say, underarm pads help, but you also ought to take care of the position of the crutch.

Although the primary aim of crutches is to take the pressure away from the bad knee, it is a common tendency for people to carry on with their routine work, thus causing tension in the forearm muscles. This may lead to pain in the flexors of the forearm. The best way to get rid of this pain is to stretch these muscles for a minimum of 10 minutes every hour or apply an ice pack on the area. Grip pads ensure that the inclination to grip the handles hard is considerably reduced.

It is also important to adjust the height of the crutches. When you buy a new crutch, make sure that you stand straight and place two fingers between the crutch and the arm pit. If your fingers fit perfectly, the crutch may have to be lowered and if there is a lot of gap between the fingers and the arm pit, you might have to pull it up. It’s very important for the crutch to be in proper height.

As earlier said, using cushions for crutches ensure that there is less pressure on the underarms, thereby preventing muscle sore and pain in the underarms. But make sure you choose from the right product. Crutch pads made from high density foam ensure that there is least discomfort when wearing crutches.