Notes, Notings, and Common Refrains

As always, you make me go "what the hell?" about a phrase that seemed perfectly sensible previously. XD Not only is it offensive, it makes no sense in the context in which most people see crutches.

I think it's supposed to refer to malingering, where someone who has a temporary injury or disability is taking a long time to get over it. But the very idea of malingering is... suspicious? Is it synonymous with Munchausen syndrome or something? Because otherwise, who would want to use a crutch longer than they have to, when recovering from a temporary injury? If they're still using it, chances are they need to use it, and again the accusation of malingering is offensive.