Patent ID: 8707975

Claim:
A crutch comprising: a vertical supporting member of a crutch; a semispherical surface fixedly secured to a bottom end of the vertical supporting member; and a gripping pad having a distal end defining a gripping surface shaped to engage a ground surface, and a proximal end having a socket, wherein the semispherical surface is securely received into the socket to articulate with an abutting surface within the socket such that the abutting surface does not extend outward from the socket into the gripping pad; wherein the gripping pad is formed of a flexible material and is shaped to flex during use of the crutch to allow pivoting motion between the distal and proximal ends as the semispherical surface articulates with the abutting surface; wherein the vertical supporting member and the semispherical surface have the same diameter and are, within the socket, free of any element that protrudes diametrically into the gripping pad.