Forearm Crutches - A Friend in Need


"Lean on me, when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
'Til I'm gonna need
Somebody to lean on."
                     - Bill Withers,  'Lean on Me'

 

At times we all need someone, or something, to lean on.  As a child it could have been a parent or family member.  As an adolescent it might have been a best friend.  While in our teens it could have been a girlfriend or boyfriend and as an adult, a husband or wife.

At other times a person just needs to lean on something, a thing to give them support and balance while walking.  They might need something to help them become more sure-footed and mobile, to become more independent and able to walk on their own. 

Sometimes a cane is not strong enough and a regular crutch is too bulky and is more of a short-term type of support.  For many people with a long-term disability or recovering from surgery, or even in the body's response to old age, a forearm crutch is the best option.

According to The Wheelchair Site, "Forearm crutches are walking aids that are generally designed for long term use. They have been around for many years and are recognized as one of the most supportive and functional types of walking aids. They are often used by people who are mobile impaired, but can still use their legs.

Forearm crutches look like canes with handles placed about a quarter of the way down.  At the top of the crutches are contoured arm cuffs in which you place your arms.  The cuffs will surround your arms just below the elbows to help reduce any strain on your arms. This allows you to your use your hands without dropping the crutches. 

The bottoms of forearm crutches are covered by replaceable rubber tips to help stop you from slipping and sliding on the floor or ground. Forearm crutches are relatively lightweight with some models weighing only a pound or two each. Most forearm crutches are designed to support a specific amount of weight so make sure your crutches are strong enough to hold your body weight."

The following are some new examples of the variety of forearm crutches offered by Rehabmart.  The first forearm crutch is the Standard Youth Forearm Crutch.  This crutch is sized specifically for children and smaller adolescents and has a weight capacity of 250 pounds.  
                                                 
From library.rehabmart.com

As with most forearm crutches, it comes with a vinyl hand grip, a push button length adjustment and a cuff adjust.

For adults, one option is the Standard Adult Forearm Crutch.  This is sized for an average adult with a weight capacity of 250 pounds and is made of one inch luminum Anodized Aluminum tubing.
 
  From library.rehabmart.com                From library.rehabmart.com

For you tall people, Rehabmart can offer you the Tall Adult Forearm Crutch with a weight capacity of 250 pounds featuring the vinyl hand grip and push button adjustments and cuff adjust.

The bigger individuals among us can feel more secure with the Grand Line Bariatric Heavy Duty Forearm Crutch which features a 700 pound weight capacity. 
 
                                                          From library.rehabmart.com           From library.rehabmart.com                                   

Or the Grand Line Platform-Forearm Crutch with Weight which also has a weight capacity of 700 pounds and includes features such as a vinyl hand grip, side to side handle adjustment, a hook & loop fastening system, an easy change pad, and a push button adjustment.

At times in a person's life, there is nothing to be ashamed of in needing someone, or something, to lean on.  If the need arises to lean on something, a forearm crutch can become a friendly devise to trust and to lean on.

"Well, we all need someone we can lean on
And if you want it, you can lean on me
Yeah, we all need someone we can lean on
And if you want it, you can lean on me"
                                             - Mick Jagger, 'Let It Bleed'

To view more forearm crutches or other type of crutches offered by Rehabmart, go to the product page called Crutches.


Bill Stock
Library Editor for Rehabmart
and
Hulet Smith, OT
Rehabmart Team Leader & CEO