[Purpose] The aim of this study was to estimate the stability of the axillary pad in the axilla during single-crutch walking through kinematic analysis of the crutch position in the horizontal plane. [Subjects] The subjects were 19 healthy young males. [Methods] The subjects were instructed to walk 5 m in a straight line while using a single crutch. This was repeated 10 times. Repeated-measures...

background: energy expenditure is of paramount importance in the assessment of usefulness of wheelchair for paraplegics. despite widespread recognition of problems associated with currently available mobility systems for persons with spinal cord injuries, development of more efficient systems has been slow.  lack of a suitable and simple technique for the assessment of energy expenditure in par...

In this paper, sensitivity and parametric analyses of impact intensity in crutch walking are investigated. The selected parameters of the crutch for these analyses are chosen as the mass, the second moment of inertia, and the location of the center of mass. The intensity of impact can be characterized by the pre-impact kinetic energy of the constrained motion space. Consequently, this part of t...

Background: Energy expenditure is of paramount importance in the assessment of usefulness of wheelchair for paraplegics. Despite widespread recognition of problems associated with currently available mobility systems for persons with spinal cord injuries, development of more efficient systems has been slow.  Lack of a suitable and simple technique for the assessment of energy expenditure in par...

A group of patients who are good candidates for the application of Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) to restore reciprocal walking is described. They have incomplete lesions of the spinal cord. Because of the degree of preserved voluntary control, proprioception and sensation some of these patients can achieve crutch assisted walking by means of multichannel electrical stimulation. In a n...

A three-dimensional (3D) biomechanical model was developed to determine upper extremity kinematics and kinetics of persons walking with forearm crutches. Six-component load cells and strain gauges were installed in the crutches to determine crutch forces. A six-camera VICON motion system was used to acquire coordinate data from 24 reflective markers attached to the upper extremities and crutche...

Objectives: The standard axillary crutch is known to cause general discomfort to the user and crutch palsy. Aim of this pilot study is to compare a modified axillary crutch with the standard aluminum crutch. The following modifications were made in the new design (patent – LK/P/15/866). 1. A single pole design 2. Improved axillary and back support 3. Shock absorbing mechanism 4. Adjustable hand...

Introduction: Myelomeningocele (MM) is complex disease that often results in functional disability. Studies have shown that approximately 5060% of young adult patients ambulate in the community, with around 20% of these patients using an assistive device, such as Lofstrand crutches [1]. During crutch walking, peak axial loads are a substantial amount of body weight. Literature has shown that lo...

The aim of the experiment reported here was to determine the static and dynamic stability of two-point stance phases when walking on hands and knees at different speeds. In addition, we defined the methods and predicted the consequences of including two-point stance phases into crutch assisted functional electrical stimulation (FES) walking. Crawling on hands and knees was performed at three sp...

Force plate studies with nine adult traumatic complete paraplegics with lesion at thoracic level have shown that, unlike children walking in the Oswestry Hip Guidance Orthosis (Para Walker) system, they have to apply extra stabilizing forces through the crutches for safe walking. These forces are described and are attributed to an increased crutch force applied to prevent lateral deformation of...