Ambulatory Devices: Different Types of Crutches

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Crutches:
A crutch is a mobility aid that transfers weight from the legs to the upper body. Often used by people who are not able to use their legs to support their weight, for reasons ranging from short-term to life-long disabilities. A lot of athletes tend to be in crutches do to injuries they encounter in everyday sports. The length of time they are required to use them depends on how sever their injury is or their rehabilitation time as well. When trying to figure out what is wrong with a patient an EMG analysis may be ran to measure the EMG odine. With an EMG measurement you are able to see what relevant for documentation of the response for the rehab programs, effects of physiotherapy and analyzing the muscle balance and activity (Airaksinen, 1998, p.1)
There are four types of crutches: Forearm, underarm, platform and leg support. The forearm crutch is used by inserting the arm into a cuff and holding the grip. The cuff, which is typically made of plastic or metal, can be a half-circle or a full circle with a V-type of opening in the front allowing the forearm to slip out in case of a fall. The underarm, which is also referred to as an axilla crutch, is used by placing the pad against the ribcage beneath the armpit and holding the grip, which is below and parallel to the pad. The platform is not used often by patients due to arthritis, cerebral palsy and other conditions. The arm rests on a grip, which, if properly designed, can be angled appropriately depending on the user’s disability. The leg support is commonly used when the user has an injury affecting one lower leg only. This device functions by strapping the affected leg into a support frame that simultaneously holds the lower leg clear of the ground while transferrin...

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