Crutches – A Thing of the Past

Is the future of below-knee leg injuries going to involve strapping on an extra limb?

I broke my foot at the end of November and had to take time off from school and work. I had to be non-weight bearing to help it heal, which has made it really difficult to get around. Non-weight bearing means that you can’t put any weight on the injured bone – seriously, none. I learned that the hard way and ended up extending my healing process by an additional six weeks. 

I tried using crutches and a wheelchair, but it just wasn’t working for me. I am a very independent person.  I needed to be able to cook and clean for myself, not to mention the fact that I live up a flight of stairs. When second semester started creeping up quickly and I still was unable to walk, I realized I needed to come up with another solution.  After doing a lot of research, I found a device to help me get around. It’s called the iWalk 2.0 and it’s been a lifesaver.

It takes about 15 seconds to be securely strapped in. Three straps and I’m good to go: one over the back of my thigh, the second over the back of my calf and the third over my cast. The “foot” on the bottom peg leg is made out of Vibram, a material used in hiking boots that has especially good grip. It’s really good on the bare ground, but not so good on ice. And there’s been a lot of storms since I’ve gone back to school. STU rarely closes which makes it more difficult to make it to my classes. The accessibility office helped me plan a route to get to my classes and told me that they would always be the first ones cleared, but that wasn’t always the case. 

However, I consider myself lucky. I’ve only been unable to walk for about two months; my situation is not permanent. “If you have a permanent disability, this is a day to day occurrence that you work with,” says Rick Sharpe, the coordinator of student accessibility services.

With devices like the iWalk 2.0 becoming more popular and more affordable, I believe that the future of below knee injuries looks promising. I say, bring on the bionic legs.