How to use Crutches on the Beach

Going to the beach while recovering from a leg, ankle or foot injury can be challenging. Standard crutches work best on firm, level surfaces, while sand is soft, uneven and constantly shifting underneath you.

This does not necessarily mean you have to avoid the beach entirely. With careful planning, the right technique and realistic expectations about your mobility, it may still be possible to enjoy a beach visit safely.

If you are wondering how to use crutches on the beach, the most important rule is to avoid relying on standard crutches on deep, loose sand whenever a firmer route is available. Use boardwalks, beach access mats and compact wet sand where possible, move slowly and never exceed the weight-bearing restrictions given by your healthcare professional.

How to Use Crutches on the Beach

If you need to cross sand using crutches, plan the route before stepping onto the beach.

1. Choose the Firmest Route Available

Before entering the sand, look for:

• Beach access mats

• Wooden boardwalks

• Ramps

• Paved paths

• Hard-packed sand

• Accessible entrances

Do not automatically take the shortest route.

A slightly longer route across a boardwalk or mobility mat will usually be easier and safer than crossing a short section of deep sand.

Beach access mats are specifically used by some local authorities to create a firmer and more stable route across sand for people who find soft surfaces difficult.

2. Check Your Crutches Before You Start

Inspect your crutches before leaving a firm surface.

Check that:

• Both crutches are adjusted correctly

• The handles are secure

• Adjustment buttons are locked

• The shafts are not damaged

• The rubber ferrules are securely attached

• The ferrules are not worn smooth

NHS guidance recommends checking the rubber tips for wear and tear before using crutches.

A damaged or worn ferrule is particularly problematic on a surface that is already unstable.

3. Take Shorter Steps

Walking normally across soft sand is difficult even without an injury.

With crutches, shorten your usual stride.

Place the crutches only a short distance ahead rather than reaching far forward. This helps keep your body closer to your support points.

Moving the crutches too far ahead creates a larger gap between your body and the crutches and may make it harder to regain your balance.

4. Plant Both Crutches Securely

Before moving your body forward, make sure both crutches feel stable.

Place them firmly into the sand and pause briefly.

If one crutch immediately slides sideways or sinks much deeper than the other, reposition it before taking the next step.

Do not commit your body weight until both supports feel reasonably secure.

5. Keep Your Body Upright

Try to maintain an upright posture rather than bending over your crutches.

Your shoulders should remain relaxed and your elbows slightly bent.

Your weight should pass through your hands and crutch handles rather than through your armpits when using underarm crutches.

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons recommends keeping the crutches close to the body and supporting your weight through your hands when walking.

6. Follow Your Weight-Bearing Instructions

Going to the beach does not change the amount of weight you are medically permitted to place through an injured leg.

Depending on the injury, you may have been instructed to be:

• Non-weight-bearing

• Touch weight-bearing

• Partial weight-bearing

• Weight-bearing as tolerated

• Fully weight-bearing

If you have been told to remain non-weight-bearing, the injured leg should not suddenly be used for balance simply because walking on sand is difficult.

Partial weight-bearing means that only a specified proportion of body weight should pass through the affected limb, with the remaining load supported through the walking aids.

If you cannot maintain your prescribed restriction on sand, do not continue across that surface.

7. Move Slowly

Speed makes unstable terrain considerably harder to manage.

Use a deliberate sequence:

1. Position the crutches.

2. Check that they are stable.

3. Move your body or injured leg according to your prescribed walking pattern.

4. Bring the uninjured leg forward.

5. Regain your balance.

6. Repeat.

There is no reason to rush.

Allow other beach users to pass you rather than trying to match their walking speed.

8. Stop Before You Become Tired

Crutch walking already places greater demands on the arms and upper body. Sand increases that workload further.

Take regular breaks rather than waiting until your shoulders and arms are exhausted.

Fatigue can affect:

• Grip strength

• Balance

• Crutch placement

• Posture

• Coordination

Plan somewhere stable to sit before entering the sand.

 

Why Is Walking With Crutches on Sand Difficult?

Walking with crutches requires three reliable contact points: your uninjured foot and the two crutch tips.

Sand makes all three less stable.

The Crutches Can Sink

Standard rubber crutch tips have a relatively small surface area. On loose sand, your body weight can push them down into the surface.

You then have to lift the crutch out of the sand before every step.

The Surface Moves Underneath You

Even when a crutch does not sink deeply, sand shifts as pressure is applied.

This makes balancing more difficult than on pavement or an indoor floor.

Walking Requires More Energy

Your arms must work harder to stabilise and lift the crutches, while your supporting leg has to compensate for the uneven ground.

A short distance across sand may therefore feel considerably more tiring than the same distance on pavement.

You May Lose Your Normal Crutch Technique

When the crutch tips sink to different depths, your posture changes from one step to the next.

This can encourage you to lean forward, take excessively large steps or place more weight through the injured leg than intended.

Is Wet Sand Easier Than Dry Sand?

Usually, compact wet sand near the shoreline provides a firmer surface than loose dry sand.

However, it creates additional risks.

Wet sand may be:

• Slippery

• Uneven

• Covered with shells or stones

• Suddenly softer in certain areas

• Reached by incoming waves

Water can also move the sand around the crutch tips after you have planted them.

If you walk near the shoreline, stay well away from waves and do not assume that wet sand will always remain firm.

The safest option is still a purpose-built hard surface or accessibility mat whenever one is available.

Can You Use Crutches in Deep Sand?

Deep, loose sand is one of the most difficult surfaces for standard crutches.

The crutch tips can sink substantially, making it difficult to lift and reposition them. Your uninjured foot may also sink while supporting most or all of your body weight.

If you are non-weight-bearing or have poor balance, crossing deep sand independently may not be safe.

Consider using:

• An accessible beach entrance

• Beach matting

• A boardwalk

• A beach wheelchair

• Another approved mobility aid

• Assistance from another person

Some beaches offer specialised beach wheelchairs and access matting precisely because standard mobility equipment can be difficult to use on sand.

Can You Put Larger Tips on Crutches for Sand?

Specialist attachments with a wider base are available for some walking aids.

Increasing the surface area at the bottom of the crutch can potentially reduce how deeply it sinks into soft ground. However, an attachment can also change the height, angle and behaviour of the crutch.

Do not attach improvised objects to the bottom of your crutches.

Any crutch accessory should:

• Be designed for your type of crutch

• Fit securely

• Maintain appropriate crutch height

• Provide stable ground contact

• Be used according to the manufacturer's instructions

If you regularly need to walk on sand or other soft terrain, ask a physiotherapist or occupational therapist whether a different mobility aid would be more appropriate.

What About Forearm Crutches on the Beach?

Forearm crutches have cuffs around the forearms rather than pads beneath the armpits.

They may be easier for some experienced users to manoeuvre, but they still have relatively small ground-contact points.

The same problem therefore remains: standard ferrules can sink into loose sand.

Good technique does not remove the limitations of the surface.

What About Underarm Crutches on the Beach?

Underarm crutches can also be used on firm beach access routes, but soft sand remains challenging.

Do not respond to instability by hanging your body weight through your armpits.

The top of an underarm crutch should sit below the armpit, while body weight is supported primarily through the hands.

Excessive pressure in the armpit can irritate nerves and soft tissues.

Is One Crutch Easier to Use on the Beach?

Using one crutch reduces the amount of equipment you have to position, but it also provides less support.

A single crutch is appropriate only when your injury and weight-bearing status allow it.

Do not switch from two crutches to one simply because two crutches are inconvenient on the sand.

If your healthcare professional has already advised that you can use one crutch, it is normally held in the hand opposite the injured leg.

If you still require two crutches to walk safely on firm ground, you are unlikely to become safer by removing one when you reach a more unstable surface.

Should You Walk Barefoot With Crutches on the Beach?

Walking barefoot may seem natural at the beach, but footwear can provide useful protection and grip.

Your supporting foot may encounter:

• Sharp shells

• Stones

• Broken objects

• Hot sand

• Uneven surfaces

• Slippery areas

NHS crutch guidance recommends wearing flat, supportive footwear while using crutches.

If your injury allows footwear, choose something secure that does not easily slide off the foot.

Avoid loose flip-flops when you are relying heavily on one leg for balance.

How to Get From the Promenade to the Sand

Before your visit, check the beach's accessibility information.

Look for:

• Step-free entrances

• Ramps

• Boardwalks

• Accessible parking

• Beach matting

• Accessible toilets

• Beach wheelchair hire

• Seating close to the beach

• Drop-off points

Some beaches install seasonal mobility mats extending from the promenade towards the sea.

Planning the access route in advance may eliminate the need to cross deep sand entirely.

What Are Beach Access Mats?

Beach access mats are temporary or permanent pathways placed over sand.

They create a firmer surface for: 

• Wheelchairs

• Mobility scooters

• Walking aids

• Pushchairs

• People who find loose sand difficult to walk on

They can be particularly useful when using crutches because the ferrules remain on a relatively solid surface instead of sinking into loose sand.

Whenever possible, stay on the mat for as much of your route as you can.

Can You Use a Beach Wheelchair Instead?

Sometimes this is the safer option.

Beach wheelchairs usually have large, wide wheels designed to travel across surfaces where conventional wheelchair wheels would sink.

They can be useful when:

• You cannot bear weight through one leg

• You need to cross a large area of soft sand

• Crutch walking is exhausting

• Your balance is poor

• The beach has steep or uneven access

• You want to spend several hours on the beach

Several UK beach accessibility programmes provide beach wheelchairs alongside mobility matting.

Check availability and booking requirements before travelling.

Using Crutches Around Seawater

Salt water and sand are not ideal for mobility equipment.

Avoid placing crutches directly into seawater unless the manufacturer specifically states that they are suitable for this use.

Water can:

• Make surfaces slippery

• Enter adjustment mechanisms

• Encourage corrosion of metal components

• Carry sand into moving parts

• Reduce grip around the ferrules

If your crutches are exposed to sand or salt water, clean and dry them according to the manufacturer's instructions afterwards.

Getting Up From a Beach Chair With Crutches

A very low beach chair can be difficult to stand from when you have an injured leg.

Choose a firm chair with:

• A higher seat

• Armrests

• A stable frame

• A level position

• Space around it for your crutches

To stand:

1. Move towards the front of the seat.

2. Keep the injured leg positioned according to your weight-bearing restriction.

3. Hold both crutches together securely in one hand.

4. Push up from the chair with your other hand.

5. Establish your balance.

6. Position one crutch on each side before moving.

Avoid pulling yourself up using the crutches alone.

 

What to Do if You Fall

If you fall and experience new or severe pain, do not immediately try to continue walking.

Check for:

• Increased pain

• New swelling

• Bleeding

• Deformity

• Dizziness

• Increased difficulty bearing weight

• Damage to your crutches

Seek medical assessment if you may have caused a new injury or aggravated the existing one.

When Should You Avoid Using Crutches on the Beach?

It may be safer to avoid walking across sand when:

• You have recently started using crutches

• You are strictly non-weight-bearing and cannot maintain this safely

• Your balance is poor

• Your arms become tired quickly

• You have significant pain

• The beach consists mainly of deep sand

• The access route is steep

• The sand is very wet or slippery

• There is a strong incoming tide

• You would need to walk a considerable distance

• Your healthcare professional has advised against it

Choosing not to cross an unsuitable surface is not a setback in your recovery.

Common Mistakes When Using Crutches on the Beach

Taking Steps That Are Too Large

Large movements make it harder to keep your centre of gravity between the crutches.

Keep your steps short.

Assuming All Wet Sand Is Firm

Some areas can become unexpectedly soft or unstable.

Test each crutch placement before moving forward.

Carrying Too Much

Your hands and arms should be available for balance and crutch control.

Walking Too Far

Walking across sand is considerably more demanding than walking on pavement.

Plan shorter distances.

Using Worn Crutch Tips

Inspect the ferrules before your visit and replace damaged ones.

Ignoring Your Weight-Bearing Restrictions

Do not place extra weight through the injured leg merely because the terrain becomes difficult.

Walking Directly Into the Water

Waves can move the sand beneath your crutches and knock you off balance.

Beach Checklist for Crutch Users

Before leaving home, consider:

• Check your crutch ferrules

• Confirm your weight-bearing restrictions

• Check whether the beach has accessible entrances

• Look for boardwalks or mobility mats

• Check whether beach wheelchairs are available

• Wear secure, supportive footwear

• Ask someone else to carry beach equipment

• Choose a stable, reasonably high chair

• Bring water and plan regular breaks

• Avoid routes that require crossing large areas of deep sand

Find the Right Crutches for Your Recovery

Using properly fitted, reliable crutches can make everyday mobility safer while you recover. Explore our range of adjustable crutches and walking aids to find support suited to your height, mobility needs and recovery stage.

This article provides general information and is not a substitute for individual medical or physiotherapy advice.