How to avoid hand pain when using crutches?

Crutches are essential in case of injury or loss of mobility. But many users complain of pain in their hands, wrists, or back. Poor posture or improper adjustment can cause chronic issues like tendonitis. Discover why this happens and how to fix it with comfortable forearm crutches perfectly adapted to your body.

Forearm Crutches and Hand Pain: Do You Have to Live With It?

It is very common for people using forearm crutches or orthopedic crutches to experience pain in their wrists, shoulders, or back.

The causes are always similar:

- The handles are not ergonomic and the grip material is uncomfortable,
- The crutches can only be adjusted in large sections (often several centimeters apart),
- The distance between the handle and the forearm cuff is fixed.

Therefore, it is almost impossible for the forearm crutches to perfectly fit your body, preventing a natural and healthy position.

Forearm Crutches: Hand Pain Leading to Tendonitis

Tendonitis, or tendinopathy, is tendon pain; in the hand, it affects the wrist tendons. It occurs when the tendons around the base of the thumb become inflamed. This inflammation also causes swelling of the protective sheaths around the tendons. This puts pressure on nearby nerves — the median nerve, ulnar nerve, and radial nerve — causing pain and numbness.

The main symptom of tendonitis is pain or tenderness at the base of the thumb. You may also feel pain in the lower arm area. The pain can develop gradually or appear suddenly. Over time, the condition can worsen and may require surgery.

Other symptoms include:

- Swelling near the base of the thumb.
- Numbness along the thumb and index finger.
- A "clicking" sensation when moving the thumb.
- Grinding noise when tendons move within the inflamed sheaths.

The most common cause of tendon sheath inflammation is chronic wrist overload. Repetitive movements cause irritation and pain day after day. Walking with crutches or forearm crutches is one of the most obvious causes.

The reason why crutch users are prone to tendonitis is that the shape of the crutch and handle prevents maintaining a neutral arm and wrist position, forcing the hand into a deviated posture. Standard or ordinary crutches push the wrist sideways or back and forth. This directly puts pressure on tendons and nerves. Tendonitis is the natural consequence.

Why Do Crutches Cause Pain?

The main reason: the lack of a neutral arm and wrist position. The rigid, non-adjustable design of standard crutches often forces users into a misaligned wrist posture. The result: abnormal pressure on nerves and tendons causing pain and injuries.

Cheap or pharmacy-sold crutches often do not offer fine adjustment or ergonomic design.

How to Make Crutches More Comfortable?

Only by perfectly adapting your crutches or forearm crutches to your natural posture can you distribute pressure evenly, maintain a healthy wrist position, and avoid pain, tension, and tendonitis.

INDESmed: Comfort and Health Solution

INDESmed forearm crutches allow millimeter-precise adjustment of the handle and forearm cuff for perfect fit to your body.

They provide:

- Correct pressure distribution,
- Natural arm and wrist posture,
- Prevention of hand, shoulder, and back pain.

Available in two versions:

- Carbon fiber forearm crutches: ultra-lightweight (220g), supporting up to 200 kg.
- Aerospace aluminum forearm crutches: 400g, supporting up to 140 kg.

info@indesmed.com