Studies determined the purpose of the 8 inch by 1 inch soft rubber underarm pad on regular or conventional crutch tops was primarily to create friction so the top would adhere to clothing and not slip out from under the arms. Unfortunately, this friction design feature is the reason people experience irritation and soreness each time the 8 inch by 1 inch pad pivots during the step cycle. CareBorne engineers found that by Stabilizing the Crutch Behind the User (SCBU), the crutch becomes more stable and can not slip forward. Instead of a large rubber pad area to create friction, the aim is to reduce as much friction as possible by use of a smooth curved surface - thus underarm irritation and soreness are eliminated. Besides stability and comfort, a number of other benefits occur. For example, much less metabolic energy is required because the crutch doesn't have to be held in by the arms. Bill Dickerson, President of CareBorne says, "It is simply basic physics - if you want to go in a forward motion, it is very inefficient to require forces at 90 degrees to hold the crutch against the side of the body. By stabilizing the crutch behind the user, the forces applied to the crutch assist or complement the forward motion. For non-weight bearing injuries, the difference is night and day." A person can easily experience this difference by simply using a conventional crutch with a SCBU crutch. Essentially, by using a 6 inch longer lever, the length of each stride is increased two to three inches. Previous gait analysis studies show ambulation on axillary crutches is customarily at 50% the speed of a slow walk. CareBorne research has shown that 80% the speed of a slow walk is the norm when the crutch is stabilized behind the shoulders. This is possible because of the increase in length of stride, overall smoothness of gait and the use of only the larger muscles. The SCBU crutch has strong appeal for anyone doing a swing through gait. A 15-20 minute walk provides an upper body workout similar to the cardiovascular benefits of cross country skiing, for medical studies have shown that a nonweight-bearing crutch gait requires 78% more energy than walking. |
CareBorne,
Inc. a research, design and engineering company in Reno, Nevada, worked
with medical schools, orthopedic surgeons, nurses, physical therapists,
amputees and athletic trainers for over three years studying crutches.
They found that while surgical procedures, materials, and technology
have
advanced dramatically over the past few years, the axillary crutch has
not progressed much except for rubber tips and adjustability.