Last Updated on October 2, 2023 by Kyle
Alternative crutches help ease the pain
Do alternative crutches help ease the pain of foot or ankle injuries? Crutches have been around for a long time and without much of a change. While crutches are proven to effectively unload the weight off of your injured leg or foot speeding up recovery time, they can be extremely uncomfortable.
There is underarm pain, not to mention how awkward it is to use them. They also always seem to get in the way and you can’t use both of your hands.
Most if not all of us have used crutches at one time or another due to a lower leg injury. I remember my second time using crutches after I suffered a bad ankle sprain walking to my apartment in college, man did that hurt.
My doctor had me wear a serious ankle brace and gave me a pair of brand new shiny crutches. I had to haul those crutches around campus for about 2 painstaking weeks. The day I finally was able to put weight back on my ankle and get rid of those crutches was great.
Fast forward fifteen years and now there are some awesome crutch alternatives, which would have helped me get around a whole lot better and I am sure with much less pain. Alternative crutches help ease the pain of foot injuries by making it less difficult to recover, and allowing the injured individual to move more easily.
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What are alternative crutches?
Well simply put they are any type of device you can use that is not a traditional crutch. Often alternative crutches are associated with a knee scooter or knee walker.
I am sure you have seen plenty of them at the mall, amusement park, or sporting event. They do make getting around with a foot injury that much easier. However, there are other alternative crutches such as forearm crutches, knee crutches, and wheelchairs.
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A new breed of a forearm crutch
Forearm crutches have come a long way in the last few years. One of the great examples of this is the M+D Forearm Crutches. These are special hands-free crutches designed to maximize comfort and mobility.
These modern forearm crutches eliminate the pressure placed on armpits, hands, and wrists. Your weight is supported through your elbows and forearms.
These crutches have a hinged forearm cradle, which frees your hands for better things. This allows users who have practiced using the M+D Forearm Crutches to brush their teeth, comb their hair, or even hug a loved one.
Check out the video below to see how these new forearm crutches are helping many different types of individuals in their day to day lives.
I got to scoot
Knee walkers or knee scooters are one of my favorite crutch alternatives for lower leg injuries. Just like a crutch a knee walker or knee scooter works by keeping all of your weight off your injured leg.
But unlike a crutch, a knee walker or knee scooter places your weight on your uninjured leg and shin instead of your forearms or underarms. This will help alleviate some of the pain of using crutches.
Who doesn’t like scooting around instead of walking? It makes having an injury just a little more tolerable.
Benefits of Knee Walkers
- It is ideal for individuals recovering from foot surgery, breaks, sprains, and other foot injury issues.
- Knee walkers can be steered for increased maneuverability
- Adds stability and support for your leg
- Knee walkers are a safe, comfortable mobility option that will support your recovery.
You got one in my size?
Knee walkers come in all shapes and sizes. There are models for youth as well as adults.
Even a few models are designed to get you off the more beaten path.
There is also a knee scooter for everyone’s budget from $100 for economy models to over $500 for some of the high-end all-terrain models. Regardless of your size or activity, there is a knee scooter for you.
What if I need to use my hands?
So what if you need to use both your hands. Well, there is an alternative crutch for you too. The best example is the iWALK 3.0 knee crutch.
It gives you hands-free and hopefully pain-free mobility for below the knee non-weight bearing injuries. More importantly, it gives you back your independent, functional lifestyle.
I know when I had to use crutches years ago, it was a pain not being able to use your hands. It was hard opening doors and using the phone. With hands-free crutches, you lose all the inconvenience of having to hold on to the crutches but maintain the stability and support you need to help recover.
Hands-free crutches benefits
- Maintain a natural walking like motion when recovering
- Maintains stability and support but allows the use of both hands
- No underarm, hand, or forearm pain
This crutch takes the idea of the ancient peg leg and brings it to a whole new level. The iWalk 2.0 works by allowing you to rest your knee or shin on there comfortable padded leg platform.
By using the iWalk 2.0 you are no longer using your forearms or armpits to support your weight, so say goodbye to the sore and fatigued wrist, forearms, hands, or armpits. Unlike traditional crutches the iWalk 2.0 allows your hands to be completely free.
Can we get a wheelchair over here?
So what if none of the alternatives above works for your particular injury, or you have to deal with coordination or strength issues that make using one of the alternatives above unsafe. There is always the option of using a wheelchair. A wheelchair will not cause strain on your wrists or your armpits. It also doesn’t take any balance or practice to use effectively.
However, using one by yourself could be an issue if strength or stamina is an issue for you. Unfortunately, wheelchairs could possibly not allow you to do some of your day to day tasks.
So do Alternative Crutches Help Ease the Pain of Foot Injuries?
I would think they do for the simple reason they make having such an injury less restrictive on your daily life. They can also help with the pain you might get from traditional crutches, such as armpit, wrist, and elbow pain.
If they can help make the injury you have less disruptive in your life, it will help you heal better and faster. Anything that will help you recover faster sounds like a positive move in my book.
If you have an injury where you think you might need crutches or a crutch alternative, it is important to see a doctor for a checkup. You deserve to feel better and get back to your day-to-day activities. With the right care and treatment plan, you will be back on healthy feet in no time.
Other Resources
- Do you want more information on alternative crutches then check out: Knee Walkers vs Hands Free Crutches
- Is your injury or surgery keeping you from putting weight on your feet, if so check out Best Crutches for Non Weight Bearing
- As always, remember RICE it helps.
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