Testing The Best: A Weekend With Mobilegs Crutches

I am sure that the second version will have higher quality rubber after the negative comments from users. After the 2nd or third version has been released, hopefully these crutches will become standard, so that recovery time and comfort is boosted.

I use crutches every day of my life...except when I use a wheelchair, which isn't often. Let me tell you, armpit crutches are and always have been medical malpractice. Look at anyone that uses crutches on a regular basis - NONE of them use armpit crutches, save the crazy uncle of my ex who lives in Seattle, but we're not counting him.

There's a reason - armpit crutches are terrible. But there's nothing wrong w/ forearm crutches. Why spend boatloads of money on space-armpit crutches when you can have forearm crutches for as cheap as regular armpit crutches?

They've done incredible engineering if they've made armpit crutches tolerable, but those extra moving parts and engineering etc. cost money. Why spend it when armpit crutches already solve the armpit crutch problem by simply *not being armpit crutches*?

This sounds like someone being too clever by half. Reminds me of that famous West Wing exchange:

Leo McGarry: We spent millions of dollars developing a pen that could write in space. Do you know what the Russians did?

Josh Lyman: Used a pencil?

Leo McGarry: Used a pencil.

--)->

You're beautiful!

There are some out here who, for various reasons, can't use forearm crutches and are, or at least have been, stuck with the old armpit crushers or a wheelchair, which I, for one, despise. I probably have the strongest armpits in seven counties, but these puppies look like the relief I've been hoping for. Yeah, large investment for a small niche, so I'm glad somebody else did it, but I'm buyin' a couple of sets.

The iwalk-free, is a hands free, lower leg injury 'crutch' that works on rough ground, stairs, etc. Its main disadvantage, is it must be removed to sit comfortably. The non-profit company sends one to land mine areas, for every unit bought here. Worked great when I broke my ankle!

I hate the term "armpit crutches" because it is a complete misnomer. Axillary crutches (their proper name) when properly fitted should never touch your armpit. If they do they are too long. The padded upper portion is supposed to press against your *ribcage* for stability, not your armpit, because it is dangerous to have any sort of pressure in your armpit due to the nerves and vessels that are vulnerable in that area.

Which makes me raise an eyebrow at these new crutches. It looks like you are indeed supposed to use rest your armpit on these crutches to support your weight. What types of studies and/or research have been done to prove that this is safe? Comfort and appearance is one thing, but safety is far more important. Until more information is available I would still choose axillary crutches for short term use over these new "cooler" crutches.

Julie, Danae is correct about the axillary crutches regardless of the design. They are fitted by adjusting length so that your body weight is borne on the hands with the upper padded areas resting against the sides of your trunk, NOT the axilla[armpit]. The reason is very simple, anatomy. The Brachial Plexus -a grouping of nerves coming off the cervical spine that then run into the arm and innervate sensation and motor control of various muscle groups- runs through that very area. These nerves are susceptible to traction type injury as a result of both pressure and stretching from bearing body weight on the axillary region as you then swing your body under that pivot point, instead of the hands.

They look great, sounds good with spring and all but still if weight is borne under the axilla and not the hands Danae is correct in asking what studies have been done to prove they disperse enough pressure to not risk injury to the axillary or Long Thoracic Nerves. I am a physical therapist with 30+ years in practice. Most will not have issues even if used and fit improperly but it does happen and can be nasty and life long nerve damage. See the link below. In the video and photo yours looked too long and were too high into the axilla...but this may be a feature of that new crutch, I don't know about it, just the above facts and so would caution any others reading to avoid using regular crutches that ride too high and bear weight on your hands not the 'armpits'. Also, when too long they may be more unstable because they force your center of gravity to be too high making it easier to fall. Dang...all this from what looks like such a neat new variation on an old standard.

Standard fit? Crutch a few inches forward of the toes and a few inches out from the outside of the foot and that should leave you with about 3 finger widths between axillary pad top of crutch and bottom of armpit. Then, elbows should have about 20-30 degrees of bend [elbow flexion] if grips are adjusted properly.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16467627

Just me, and sometimes I swear like a trooper, but in a published article there are funnier and more literate ways to express meaning then the slang swears, fwiw.

I signed up only to be able to comment on Mobilegs. I've had three knee surgeries; this year, 10 years ago and 20 years ago. Physical therapy for 1 1/2 years the first time. What did I most dread about this latest surgery? The crutches. I am not young or slim. The underarm saddle of this crutch does not put any pressure on the underarm. It is not for weight bearing. It is more for steering and stabilizing.

I checked out the iwalk-free appliance. Definitely not for my knee related issues. And living in a large city, I can tell you I'd have lost a foot with the iwalk-free. Minimally, someone in a rush would have banged into my foot and sent me crashing to the ground.

Mobilegs walks with you. The rolling tip matches my gait. Okay, the hand grips aren't 100%. But by George, they are at least 85%! By virtue of being between your arm and body, the saddle aligns the crutch. Suddenly needing to do a sidewise creep or walk with the crutches is easy with the saddle. You turn, your crutches go with you. Need a hand free, the crutch is gently anchored. I never leaned on it. I was able to maintain correct upright posture. I stayed on the crutches longer because of the comfort and ease of use. A real plus to let the scraped out train track in the back of my kneecap heal. The tip performed well on wet surfaces.

Well, the accident leading to the first surgery was a real humdinger. So much so that I thought it might eventually take a knee replacement to travel to Europe and walk along the cobblestones. We hit the beaches 3 times this year to help me recover. The first two times, Mobilegs took me right up to the water's edge. I'm not waiting on Europe anymore. If I need a little assist, I'll be using the Mobilegs. The doc and therapist have been impressed. And, since the doc was on crutches long term and I let him try out mine, he will be providing these to his patients. For my first followup he was so excited about walking around on my crutches that I though he might forget about examining me. Dr. B, I'm talking about you.

Forearm appliance aren't practical for me. Mobilegs enhance a short term experience and are a real boon to those of us that are in a long term suspension between mobility levels. The hilly zoo before, no, with Mobilegs, yes. The beach, yes. More adventurous travel, yes. Deluxe model is at 120.00 now. Oh gee, what's that, a couple of movies to pay the extra for freedom of movement. Last weekend's visit to the Ft. Worth stockyards would have been a disaster without them. Old streets and curbs over a foot in places. Normally I would have had to sit a on bench and urge my husband and sons to go on and see the sights.

Mobilegs, I'm in. I asked that they develop a cane, they have. Can't wait to see it. And, I've asked that they develop a walker, something to keep Grandma upright and more stable.....we'll see.

So about that beach, once I got to water's edge, I switched to REI's nice hiking staffs with the rounded cork top. Snow baskets worked great. Got knocked on my rear with the first wave - I could tell everyone behind me held their breath - popped back up and used the hiking staffs to stay stabilized until I was in deeper water. So far the staffs have 6 weeks of two hour a day salt water soakings. No problems yet.

Try whatever is out their and do whatever it takes to keep going. I love my Mobilegs. And, I must have lucked out with newer treads on my Mobi's delivered in February, 2011. The first pair had a faulty handle and they sent a replacement overnight delivery at no charge so I would be sure to have them the day of the surgery.

In the top picture, it looks as if her Mobilegs are not adjusted correctly and are too long in the upper half. Too bad she didn't get some help with that. This last knee surgery I was sent home without even demonstrating my ability to use crutches. That was a first. They didn't even want us to bring them in, just scooted me out the door in a wheel chair. Fortunately I did some refresher practice ahead of time. Fitted properly, these got a 100% + thumbs up by my pt and his boss, both super sharp guys with their PhD's.

And, I found them through the article in Popular Science.