Forearm Crutch Replacement Parts and Care
Tips, cuffs, handles and spring-assist posts are all sold separately for the in-Motion Pro. What wears out first, when to replace it, and how to look after a pair you use every day.
The reason to care about parts is money over time. A crutch that cannot be repaired is a crutch you replace, and if you use one every day you will be replacing it on a schedule set by whichever component wore out first. A crutch whose wearing parts are stocked items lasts as long as you keep feeding it parts.
Every component on the in-Motion Pro that is designed to wear is sold separately.
What is available
| Part | What it is | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Articulating tips | The ground contact, and the only part in constant use against pavement | C$30.00 |
| Forearm cuffs | The cuff that wraps your arm, in two sizes | C$37.00 |
| Handles | The handgrip you hold | C$45.00 |
| Spring-assist posts | The lower leg section containing the spring | C$60.00 |
Prices are per the store and are in Canadian dollars. Parts ship from the United States with Canadian duties and taxes included in the price, so nothing is collected from you on delivery. Shipping is free on orders over C$200; a part on its own is under that line and pays FedEx shipping, shown before you pay, which is why adding a part to a larger order beats crossing the border twice.
Tips: the one to actually watch
Tips are the consumable. Everything else on this list is occasional; tips are ongoing, and they are the part where letting wear go too far actually matters rather than just being untidy.
Inspect monthly if you walk outdoors. More often in winter, because road salt and freeze-thaw are harder on rubber than plain distance is.
Replace when any of these is true:
- The tread pattern is worn smooth, anywhere on the contact surface
- The rubber has gone hard, shiny or glazed rather than matte and slightly grippy
- You can see or feel the internal structure through the rubber
- There is a split, a chunk missing, or the tip has gone oval instead of round
- The tip has started to rotate or rock on the shaft rather than sitting firmly
The articulating design means the tip pivots to keep contact through more of the step rather than only when the crutch is near vertical. That is the behaviour you are maintaining when you replace them on time.
Do not wait until a tip slips to decide it is worn. By then you have already had the experience the replacement was meant to avoid.
Cuffs and handgrips
These are the parts you are in contact with, so they show wear on a daily-use pair well before anything structural does. Handgrips compress and go slick with use. Cuffs take skin oils and abrasion and eventually stop holding their shape.
Both are worth replacing on comfort alone, not just on failure. If your hand has started to slide on the grip, or the cuff no longer stays put when you let go of the handle to open a door, the part has stopped doing its job even though nothing has broken.
The pair ships with two cuff sizes. If the fit has never felt right, try the other size before ordering a replacement of the one you have been using.
Looking after them
Very little is required, and most of the damage people do is by trying harder than necessary.
Cleaning. Warm water, mild soap, a cloth. That is the whole method. No solvents, no bleach, no abrasive cleaners, nothing designed to strip grease. Those attack the rubber compounds and lift the printed markings, and the markings are how you reproduce your adjustment settings later.
After snow, slush or salt. Wipe them down, particularly the lower leg and the tip. Salt left to dry does more damage over a winter than the walking does.
Drying. Air dry at room temperature. Not on a radiator and not with a heat gun. Heat distorts plastic components and hardens rubber, which is exactly the failure mode you replace tips to avoid.
Check the fasteners. Every few months, confirm the adjustment pins are seated and nothing has worked loose. Vibration over thousands of steps does what vibration does.
Note your settings. Write down the hole numbers you use for handle and length. If you ever strip the crutch down, travel with it, or replace a section, you can restore your fit in a minute instead of re-deriving it over a week.
When to call rather than order
If the problem is structural, or you are not sure whether what you are looking at is normal wear or a failure, call rather than guessing at which part to buy. The number is (877) 753-5556, and it is toll-free from Canada. A one-year parts and replacement warranty covers a part that failed; it does not cover a tip you have walked flat, and the difference is not always obvious from the outside.