Using crutches (patient fact sheet)

Please note that this guidance is currently undergoing review by Safer Care Victoria to ensure  the content is up to date. In the meantime, we recommend that you also refer to more contemporaneous evidence where possible.

Download our fact sheet to provide your patients with easy to follow guidance on using crutches.

This fact sheet has the #withconsumers tick from the Consumers Health Forum of Australia

Crutches can help you recover from leg injuries such as a fracture, surgery, sprain (over-stretching of the ligaments) or strain (over-stretching of muscles and tendons).

By reducing the amount of weight placed on an affected leg, injuries can heal quicker and allow you to stay mobile. Sometimes crutches may be given to you for other injuries such as low back pain, particularly if you have pain or weakness in your legs.