Crutches

• History
• Function
• Getting the Proper Fit
• Proper Use
• Multimedia
• Synonyms and Keywords
• References
• Authors and Editors

History

Since antiquity humans have fashioned support devices to hold themselves up when they became sick or injured. Evidence of such devices dates to 2830 B.C. A carving on the entrance of an Egyptian tomb depicts a figure leaning on a crutchlike staff.

Crutch design has evolved from the basic "T" used by Tiny Tim in A Christmas Carol, to aluminum braces with ice-gripping tips or energy-storing tips that function as shock absorbers—kind of like Air Jordans for the injured.

For lower-limb injuries, crutches remain useful today to decrease discomfort, reduce recovery time, and assist walking.