Resource Center — Customer Stories
One Crutch User Tried Both. Here's the Honest Comparison.
Guest review by Virginia, shared via Disabled in the Wild | Millennial Medical Ambassador Spotlight. Millennial Medical did not pay for or solicit this review. This was created by Virginia with no benefit being provided by Millennial Medical....other than making totally awesome crutches!
We love it when real crutch users share honest, detailed feedback about their experience with our products, especially when it comes with the kind of specificity that only someone who actually uses crutches every day can provide.
Virginia is one of those people.
A part-time forearm crutch user managing chronic pain, Virginia recently switched from the Ergoactives Ergobaum 7G to a refurbished pair of our In Motion Pro forearm crutches. She shared her full comparative review over on Disabled in the Wild, the blog run by our own Mobility Ambassador, Amy Denton-Luke, and the detail and honesty in her write-up is the kind of thing we couldn't sum up better ourselves.
So we're not going to try. Here's the short version of what she found, with a link to the full review at the end.
Where the In Motion Pros Came Out on Top
Weight, and It's Not Even Close
Weight was the biggest factor in Virginia's verdict. The Ergoactives Ergobaum 7G weighs 2.9 lbs per crutch, nearly six pounds total that you're lifting and putting down with every single step. Our In Motion Pros come in at 1.8 lbs each, or 3.6 lbs combined. That's a pound and a half less per arm. "It was a bit like learning to drive on an old car where you can feel every bump on the road, then trying some new cars with smoother experiences and not really getting it until you drive your old car again and realize how much it hurts your poor butt. The weight difference is huge.", Virginia When your crutches dangle from your arms while you reach for something, lighter crutches mean you can reach higher, go hands-free longer, and not worry about bumping into someone. It adds up.The Spring System
Virginia wasn't immediately sold on the In Motion Pro's spring system. At first the compression felt "too bouncy", she could see and hear the posts shifting with each step. But after a few hours, she went back to the Ergoactives and had a jarring recalibration. The Ergoactives felt rigid and stiff. She now firmly prefers the spring. She does note that personal preference plays a role here: some users with neurological conditions affecting balance find springy crutches harder to manage, while those dealing primarily with pain tend to love them. Worth keeping in mind if you're trying to decide.Cuff Design and Hands-Free Use
The In Motion Pro uses a traditional hinged cuff that lets the crutch hang nearly vertical when you lift your arm. The Ergoactives use a padded forearm cradle with a hard plastic strap, which Virginia found caused the crutches to stick out in front of her when she lifted her arm, rather than hanging straight down. For single-crutch users or anyone who spends time hands-free, this matters. She also noted the Ergoactives don't work well if you keep your forearms pronated (palms facing down) while crutching, while the In Motion Pro has no such limitation.Aesthetics and Profile
Virginia's take on looks: the In Motion Pro's slim, clean design is more attractive and less obtrusive than the Ergoactives, which "have a lot going on" due to all their add-on features. If you care about how your crutches look (and there's no reason you shouldn't), the In Motion Pro Forearm crutches win.Price, and the Refurbished Option
Virginia chose the refurbished In Motion Pros, which are $50 less than a new pair. Her verdict: "I am thrilled with my choice. I haven't noticed a single scratch, ding, or smudge. They came out of the box looking spanking new." If budget is a factor, the refurbished option is a legitimate path.Where the Ergoactives Still Win
To her credit, Virginia didn't pull any punches on the Ergoactives' real advantages. Here's what she still prefers about them.The Grip
This one's legitimately important for some users. The Ergoactives use squishy, ambidextrous rubber grips that work equally well in either hand, Virginia appreciated this as someone who sometimes switches which side she uses her single crutch on. The In Motion Pro's ergonomic grips are hand-specific: right grip for the right hand, left for the left. For most dual-crutch users this isn't an issue, but if you frequently switch sides, it's worth knowing. One thing she didn't mention in the review is that Millennial Medical has a round handle option that does not have the right and left hand specificity. They work with either hand, You can check those out on our website at this link. The Ergoactives also offer three grip angle settings (15° up, flat, or 15° down), while the In Motion Pro grips are fixed at a downward 13° angle, which is reportedly the healthiest angle for wrist alignment anyway, but the flexibility isn't there.Built-In Flashlights
Virginia uses these on late-night dog walks and calls them the Ergoactives' most genuinely useful bonus feature. Each crutch has a small LED that illuminates the ground in front of you, discreet and actually practical when you've got both hands occupied with crutching. It's a clever feature we'll give them full credit for.Color Options
The Ergoactives come in a range of colors (black, blue, purple, aquamarine, green, gold, grey, and more). Our In Motion Pros don't offer the same variety. Virginia is a self-described advocate for normalizing forearm crutches in public, so she appreciates any option that makes them more of a personal expression.Quick Comparison at a Glance
| Feature | In Motion Pro | Ergoactives Ergobaum 7G |
| Weight (per crutch) | 1.8 lbs ✓ | 2.9 lbs |
| Spring / shock system | Articulating spring ✓ | Rigid |
| Cuff dangle / hands-free | Hinged, hangs vertical ✓ | Strap, sticks forward |
| Grip type | Ergonomic, hand-specific | Squishy rubber, ambidextrous ✓ |
| Grip angle adjustment | Fixed (13° downward) | 3 positions ✓ |
| Built-in flashlight | No | Yes ✓ |
| Color options | Limited | Wide range ✓ |
| Aesthetic / profile | Slim and clean ✓ | Bulkier |
| Refurbished option | Yes ✓ | No |
| Forearm position | Neutral or pronated ✓ | Neutral only |
| Virginia's verdict | Recommended for most ✓ | For specific use cases |
