Written and maintained by CASRAI Editorial Board
Last updated
General product information, not medical advice. A clinician or the crutch’s own instructions decide the fit for a specific person.
Underarm (axilla) crutches are sold in size bands set by the user’s standing height. Two manufacturers’ published bands agree on youth, adult and tall: youth for about 4’6″ to 5’2″, adult for 5’2″ to 5’10” and tall for 5’10” to 6’6″. Only one of the two lists a smaller child size. This page puts both side by side.
Crutch size chart by user height
| Size band | User height (feet and inches) | Converted (cm)* | Listed by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Child | 4’2″ to 4’8″ | about 127 to 142 | PCP only |
| Youth / Junior | 4’6″ to 5’2″ | about 137 to 158 | PCP (called Junior) and Breg (called Youth) |
| Adult | 5’2″ to 5’10” | about 158 to 178 | PCP and Breg |
| Tall adult | 5’10” to 6’6″ | about 178 to 198 | PCP and Breg |
*Centimetre values are converted here by arithmetic (1 inch = 2.54 cm) and rounded; the manufacturers publish feet and inches. Check your product’s labelling: the range printed on the crutch or its packaging is the one that applies to that model.
How to read the chart
The bands overlap. The youth band ends where the adult band starts (5’2″), and the adult band ends where the tall band starts (5’10”). A person at an edge height fits the range of two sizes, so the model’s labelled range decides, not the table.
A band is a range of adjustment, not a final setting. Both crutches adjust in 1-inch (2.5 cm) steps with a push button. The PCP model also carries a printed height scale on the leg. The size band picks the model; the adjustment holes set the length within it.
Handgrips adjust separately. On the Breg crutch the handgrip position is changed with wing nuts, a separate step from the push-button leg height.
How to measure and choose
- Use the user’s standing height, as the manufacturers do for their size bands.
- Match that height to the band printed on the specific model. Where two bands overlap, read the labelled range of each.
- Set the leg length with the push-button steps and the handgrip with its own adjustment, following the instructions that come with the crutch.
- Have a clinician or physical therapist confirm the fit for the person using them.
The step-by-step fitting checks (underarm gap, elbow bend) are covered in what crutches are and how they are sized and in the crutches, canes and braces guide; this page does not repeat them. For the pad that sits under the arm, see crutch pads.
Equivalence notes: height band, crutch length and weight limit
- User height is not crutch length. The bands above are user heights. The crutch’s own length is a separate number that changes with each 1-inch adjustment.
- Weight limits belong to the model, not the size band. The PCP aluminum underarm crutch is listed with a 300 lb limit; the Breg aluminum push-button crutch with 250 lb. Read the limit for the exact model.
- Intended duration. PCP describes its underarm crutches as best suited for temporary usage.
Common mix-ups
- Youth versus Junior. Different brands use different names for the same height range (PCP: Junior, 4’6″ to 5’2″; Breg: Youth, 4’6″ to 5’2″).
- Assuming every brand has a child size. In the two manufacturer listings compared here, only PCP lists one (4’2″ to 4’8″); Breg starts at youth.
- Treating the size as the fit. Picking the right band still leaves the leg and handgrip to be set.
- Using these bands for other walking aids. Canes and walkers are sized differently; see what a cane is and what a walker is. Boots are covered in walking boot sizes.
FAQ
What size crutches do I need for my height?
For these two makers: 4’6″ to 5’2″ takes the youth or junior size, 5’2″ to 5’10” the adult size, and 5’10” to 6’6″ the tall adult size. At an edge height, follow the range printed on the model you are buying.
Are crutch sizes the same across brands?
The youth, adult and tall bands matched between PCP and Breg, but PCP also lists a child size and the weight limits differ (300 lb and 250 lb). Other brands may differ, so check each product’s labelling.
How much can a crutch be adjusted?
Both crutches adjust leg height in 1-inch (2.5 cm) increments by push button. Breg’s handgrip position adjusts separately with wing nuts.
Sources
- PCP Aluminum Underarm Crutches, item 5094-S, product page at Cascade DAFO, checked 2026-10-30: cascade-usa.com/PCP-Aluminum-Crutches/5094-S.
- Breg Aluminum Push Button Crutches, item 100311-000, product page at Cascade DAFO, checked 2026-10-30: cascade-usa.com/Breg-Aluminum-Push-Button-Crutches/100311-000.
Values are copied from these manufacturer product descriptions; no published standard defines crutch size bands.
