Is walking aid height critical?

A study is reported in which 20 healthy subjects performed a non weight-bearing aided gait with elbow crutches. The crutches were adjusted to a conventional height and also to heights 2cm and 4cm above and below this setting. Temporospatial and kinetic data were acquired and the results indicated that no significant differences were demonstrated for most parameters across the various height settings. Only at the setting 4cm above conventional was there a significant increase in the abduction moment at the shoulder joint. The conclusion of the study was that height adjustment of elbow crutches with this gait was not a critical issue except at a height 4cm above the conventional setting, and that the subjective impression of the user regarding comfort was a good indicator of correctness of fit.