For patients with injuries and disabilities, the Tale of Two Crutches, whether to use forearm or underarm style mobility aids, is a competition to see how much pain one can withstand—or how much pain you can afford not to experience.

When I walk into a room, I count the people that look like me—those with mobility aids. Usually it helps me gauge just how accessible a venue is and how accommodating the function will try to be. When I notice someone using the same kind of crutches as me, forearm, this usually tells me that someone has a long-term disability as opposed to underarm crutches, which are most commonly used for temporary injuries in the U.S. Moving to Paris has thrown my time-honored system out of whack, and with the healthcare debate back home, I have realized that the way Americans treat injuries is based on a lie… (Read more here or download a A Tale of Two Crutches _ Peacock Plume)