Can I Use the iWALK Crutch?

Normally you can use iWALK Crutch with a cast or boot without any problems. But in some situations with boots that are high on your shin, you can develop a painful “hot spot” at the upper edge of the boot or cast. Watch the video below, or scroll down to learn why this might happen to some users, and how to easily fix it.

Potential Problems​

Figure 1: Shows where a painful hot spot can occur with some boots or casts.

Without a cast or boot, the front of your shin contacts the knee platform uniformly as shown by the dotted line above.

Some boots or casts cause the shin above the boot or cast to be elevated so it doesn’t contact the Knee Platform. This concentrates most of your weight to the upper edge of the boot, which can result in a sore, tender area. Fortunately, there’s an easy solution.

Solutions​

Simply fill the unsupported gap with additional padding. You can use various foams, a folded hand towel or other means to build up this area.

Build it up a bit higher than you think you’ll need – the foam will compress to the correct height. Experiment with what works best for your particular boot or cast. A quick fix is to purchase a replacement Knee Platform Pad and cut it to the correct length. The peel and stick backing makes installation very quick and easy.

Although uncommon, sometimes it helps to add some extra padding at the back of the Knee Platform also. Try different combinations until you find the one that you like best.

Adjustable Boots

Some boots have adjustable air bladders or other hardware mounted on the front of the boot. This hardware can sometimes interfere with proper interaction between the Knee Platform and the boot.

The solution is to disable the air bladder or obtain a boot that has the hardware mounted on the side. Ideally you have a semi-smooth surface on the front of the boot.

Using the iWALK crutch causes minor gait adaptations that temporarily alter the way you use the muscles of your legs, hips, glutes, and lower back. This may cause short-term minor fatigue and discomfort that tend to self-resolve as these muscles become accustomed to the new activity prompted by the iWALK crutch. If your back discomfort intensifies or does not resolve within a few days of use, discontinue use of your iWALK crutch and consult with your physician.

If you have existing lower back issues prior to using the iWALK crutch, consult with your physician before using the iWALK crutch.

Diabetic foot ulcers are often accompanied by Neuropathy, or damage to the peripheral nerves of the foot or feet. This can cause numbness and reduced proprioception, making basic balance difficult. If you have difficulty balancing on your non-affected limb, then you probably will not have success with the iWALK crutch.

To find out, try this – If, in addition to the qualifications listed above, you can stand unassisted on only your unaffected foot for 30 seconds, without assistance, then you’re likely capable of using the iWALK crutch. But because of the special circumstances surrounding diabetic induced Neuropathy, we recommend that you check with your physician or therapist prior to using the iWALK crutch. If your diabetic condition resulted in a lower leg amputation, see the additional guidelines below.

In rare instances the iWALK crutch can cause localized soreness in the tibial tuberocity, which is the area of the shin directly below the knee.

For most people, the transition from the knee to the shin (tibia) is fairly straight, but some people have a pronounced bump.  In extreme cases, the size of this protrusion is more than the standard foam padding on the iWALK crutch can support, which can result in a localized painful “hot spot”.

Fortunately, there’s an easy solution – just augment the existing foam near the front of the crutch to accommodate the condition.  You can purchase a replacement pad from us and simply install it on top of the existing pad, or you can also try some other readily available remedies, such as a folded hand towel, inexpensive gardening knee pads found at home improvement stores, etc.   To gain a better understanding of the situation and the solution, see our diagrams below.

We could simply use a thicker pad to accommodate everyone, but we don’t – and here’s why.  The connection between the leg and the crutch is crucial for feel and control.  Basically, you want the iWALK crutch to be an integral part of your leg.  Having no padding would be the ideal, but it would be too uncomfortable.  So we intentionally use the minimum amount of padding to provide the best compromise between comfort and control.