Forearm vs. Underarm Crutches: Which Should You Use?

The crutches you got from the hospital are almost always underarm (axillary) crutches. But for a lot of people, forearm (Lofstrand) crutches are the better long-term tool. Here’s the real difference and how to choose.

The core difference

• Underarm crutches tuck under your armpits and you grip a handle lower down. They’re the default in the US and need almost no learning curve.
• Forearm crutches wrap a cuff around your forearm and put the load on your hands and arms. They’re the standard in most of Europe and the preferred choice for long-term users worldwide.

Underarm crutches: best for short-term

Pros: intuitive to use, very stable, cheap, fine for a week or two.

Cons: the underarm pad presses on a nerve and artery bundle in your armpit, lean into it for weeks and you risk soreness or numbness (“crutch palsy”). They’re also bulkier and harder to use on stairs gracefully.

Forearm crutches: best for longer or repeat use

Pros: no armpit pressure, more natural and efficient gait, you can release the grip without dropping them, better on stairs, more compact. Far more comfortable over weeks, months, or permanently.

Cons: a short learning curve, and they ask more of your hands, wrists, and balance, which is exactly why an ergonomic, well-fitted pair matters.

Which should you choose?

• Out for a week or two? Underarm crutches are fine, see our best underarm crutches picks.
• On crutches for many weeks, repeatedly, or long-term? Forearm crutches are almost always the better call, and the longer you’ll use them, the more a comfortable pair pays off.

If you’re going the forearm route, start with our best forearm crutches picks or take the quiz. New to the cuff-and-grip motion? How to walk with forearm crutches covers the gait and posture so the short learning curve goes faster. If hand or armpit pain is your main worry, read crutches that don’t hurt your hands. Weighing other options like knee scooters or platform and Lofstrand designs? See all the types of crutches.

This is general information, not medical advice. Ask your clinician or physical therapist which type suits your injury, strength, and balance.