How to Use Underarm Crutches: A Beginner's Guide

The most important rule for using underarm crutches: carry your weight on the hand grips with your arms, not on the pads under your arms. Everything else is built around that. This is general guidance, not medical advice, so follow the instructions from your doctor or physical therapist.

Keep your weight on your hands, not your armpits

The pads at the top of underarm (axillary) crutches are there to steady you against your rib cage, not to hold you up. Resting your body weight on them can compress the nerves and blood vessels that pass through the armpit, which is why the standard guidance is to press down through the grips with your hands and let your arms do the lifting. A good habit: keep a small gap, about two finger-widths, between the pad and your armpit while you walk.

Pad and grip position

Set the pads against the side of your rib cage roughly two inches below your armpits. Your hands rest on the grips with a slight bend in the elbow, around 15 to 30 degrees. If you have to shrug your shoulders to reach the pads, the crutches are too tall. If you are hunched over the grips, they are too short. Getting this right is mostly about fit, which we cover in the how to fit underarm crutches guide.

The basic non-weight-bearing gait

For a leg you cannot put weight on, the simplest pattern is move-then-swing:

Move both crutches forward together about one short step.
Plant the tips firmly.
Press through your hands and swing your good leg forward to land between or just behind the tips.

Take small steps and look ahead instead of down at your feet. Slower is steadier.

Standing up and sitting down

To stand, scoot to the front of the chair, hold both crutches by the grips in one hand, and push up off the seat or armrest with your free hand. Get your balance on your good leg first, then position a crutch under each arm. To sit, back up until the seat touches your good leg, move both crutches to one hand, reach for the chair with the other, and lower yourself slowly. Pushing off the chair rather than the crutches keeps you from tipping.

Comfort and the right pair matter

Sore hands and shoulders usually trace back to fit or thin padding. Crutches with softer underarm pads and cushioned grips, like the Vive Health crutches, can ease pressure on longer recovery days, while a sturdy push-button pair like the Drive Medical aluminum crutches covers most everyday needs. If you are not sure which suits you, our two-minute quiz narrows it down, and you can compare options in our best underarm crutches roundup.

Frequently asked questions

Where should my weight go when using underarm crutches?

On your hands and arms through the grips. Resting your body weight on the underarm pads can press on the nerves and blood vessels that run through the armpit, so the pads should only steady you, not hold you up.

How do I go up and down stairs on crutches?

A common method is 'up with the good, down with the bad': leading up with your good leg and leading down with the crutches and injured leg. If a handrail is available, many people hold it and tuck both crutches under the other arm. Ask your physical therapist to confirm the method that fits your situation.

Is it normal for my hands to get sore?

Some hand and wrist fatigue is common at first because your arms are doing the work. Padded grips help, and checking that your crutch height is set correctly takes pressure off your wrists.