If you have a lower leg, Ankle replacement, Broken fibula, ankle or foot injury that is required to be non-weight bearing during recovery, then, in most instances, iWalk 2.0 will work for you.
We hear this from our customers all the time...
Crutches hurt. They’re hard to walk in. Navigating stairs is dangerous. Underarms get bruised and rubbed raw. Arms and shoulders fatigue. But most of all, crutches fall short because they don’t allow you to use your hands.
iWalk 2.0 is a hands free alternative for crutches. It’s a first of its kind mobility device that frees you from the limitations of conventional crutches. Just as our name implies, iWalk 2.0 allows you walk with your hands free, allowing you to live a normal and active life that would be impossible with conventional crutches.
For lower leg injuries including:
- Achilles injuries
- Foot/ankle sprains and fractures
- Foot ulcers,
- Tibia/Fibula fractures
- Jones fracture
- Bunion surgery
- Most lower leg non-weight bearing injuries
- Foot amputation
- Retail friendly - full color carton is 16"x8"x6" (slightly larger than a shoebox)
- User Height Range: 4'10" to 6'6"
- Weight Limit: 275 lb.
- Crutch Weight: 6.1 lb.
- On/Off Time: 10-15 seconds
LOWER LEG INJURY REHABILITATION USING THE iWalk 2.0 CRUTCH:
RECOVERY TIME: The iWalk 2.0 allows for increased bloodflow and partial elevation for your injury, two factors that have the potential for reducing your recovery time. The iWalk 2.0 can increase your ability to cope and decrease your desire to ignore doctor's orders and start bearing weight on your injury before it heals completely.
WHAT TO EXPECT: Your normal, pre-injured lifestyle. Carrying coffee, walking the dog, caring for youself and your family – all things that are made difficult or impossible by standard crutches are all within your grasp (literally, you will have hands again) with the iWalk 2.0 crutch.
NOT USING iWalk 2.0 CRUTCHES: You will have no hands, decreased independence, and an overwhelming inability to perform basic daily activities. Seriously, try carrying anything heavy, spillable, or alive. Actually on second thought, don't. . . you will probably drop it!
iWalk2.0 Alternative Crutches Testimonials:
"MY DOCTOR IS AMAZED!"
"Three days ago I couldn't even walk- it hurt so badly!"
Lucky for me I didn’t break anything when I dropped the barbell on the top of my foot. My doctor told me that I had soft tissue damage and the fastest way to heal would be by staying off of it. He estimated it would take about a week to heal. Seeing as it’s the holiday season, I knew this wasn’t possible. I remembered seeing a friend using the iWALK2.0: teaching classes, doing everything, so I contacted her and got the 411.
Before getting an iWALK I was on crutches for one day and they weren’t helping. I severely curtailed my activities while on crutches because they hurt and I couldn’t get enough weight off my foot. It was too much of a hassle to move around. So I got on an iWALK and used it for only two days and that’s all it took. Because I was able to run around and do all of my holiday chores and events without putting weight on my foot, I healed in only two days- much faster than the week that my doctor expected.
With the iWALK2.0 I just went about my life. I did laundry, emptied the dishwasher, went up and down stairs, and got my own glass of water. Basically my day to day which I couldn’t do before the iWALK crutch.
I thought it would be a much longer learning curve, and I thought it would be more cumbersome to get in and out of, but both were really easy. It was like putting on a shoe.
I can’t believe it! Three days ago I couldn’t even walk- it hurt so badly! After a day on crutches, it wasn’t any better. Now, two days later, after being on the iWALK2.0, I am totally healed and can walk perfectly. My doctor is amazed!
-Anne Burke
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"A KNEE SCOOTER WAS NOT AN OPTION"
My daughter, Elise, is a college sophomore. She lives on the second floor of a dorm without an elevator. Her campus is very hilly. So when she had ankle surgery we decided that a knee scooter was not an option and traditional crutches were not practical. When we saw a video of the iWALK we knew we had to give it a try.
She loved it! It was so much better than traditional crutches.
-Pamela and Elise Cather
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"Why hasn't this been done before?
The iWALK2.0 is a game changer!
Initially I had adjusted it incorrectly, and it was fatiguing, but within an hour I readjusted it and the efficiency went up considerably. There was an artificial feeling to it, but it was not a problem, and I could move around freely. No, it doesn't replace your limb, for sure, but it comes close to it. My original expectation was that it would be uncomfortable, especially where your knee sits on it and where the straps contact your thigh, and that it would take a long time to get used to. Even so, I still thought that it would be very effective for my patients that have off-loading injuries. So after trying it, I found that when fitted correctly, it was quite comfortable, and balance was intuitive. It was amazing, actually, how comfortable it was the longer I used it. It disappeared underneath me. It was surprising how fast I could resume normal activities when using it. I quickly adapted to day to day things without thinking about it. In my trial I found it to be very safe. Patients that I've prescribed it to have been successful. The follow up comments have all been favorable, and "Why hasn't this been done before?" is their common response. The key thing that really makes people happy is the freedom they get from the device. Part of it is the freedom, they remain active, they are able to function, and also, it's the amount of relief they get from the pain of the injured limb. They can focus on getting on with their daily living without focusing on the injured limb.
In my observations I have found several clinical benefits of the iWALK2.0. Muscle atrophy in patients is minimal and seems to be limited to the calf, as it's not truly engaged. The quads and other muscles are forced to work, so atrophy is reduced. Post use of the device, they don't need to do as much work to get back to where they were, that's part of the beauty of the device. In a side by side comparison, I've seen a lot more atrophy of the quad in users of crutches and knee scooters because you're not using them, unlike with the iWALK, where you are, constantly. Another benefit that you get with the iWALK crutch, and anecdotally that I get is from my patients is that their core muscles are engaged and have less atrophy. That's another unexpected secondary benefit. I also definitely see a psychological benefit- less depression because the patients don't feel so helpless. They can go to work and many still pursue their hobbies and even sports. It's a novel device because it doesn't have the stigma of crutches. People that see my patients using the iWALK2.0 get excited, unlike crutches, where their reaction is sympathy, so the pity component of seeing someone with crutches is gone. The negative social stigma of being disabled is replaced with a positive, excited reaction from onlookers. This makes the patient feel empowered, not disabled. It's an empowering feeling that you're not disabled. This is especially important for rehab, and we all know that the positive psychological condition and attitude of the patient is very important for rehab.
If I were told that I couldn't use the iWALK2.0 in my practice anymore I would be mad!… and quite disappointed. In the patients that I've used it with, as compared to others with whom I've used crutches or knee scooters, the iWALK crutch has made such a marked improvement in their life and resulted in shorter rehab periods. I've seen and experienced for myself how effective it is. It's truly revolutionary, and has made a significant impact in my patients compliance and how quickly they heal Medicine is not a stagnant discipline. You have to keep an open mind. That's how you expand your practice. Had I not seen the iWALK in use, I would have been skeptical, as medicine has a history of trying novel therapies, not all of which are effective. The iWALk2.0 is very effective, and is a big step forward in how you can help your patients. In addition, they will be grateful to you for prescribing it.
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"I have freedom of movement that simply doesn't exist with any other device"
4 years ago I had revision surgery for a Lapidus Bunionectomy in my right foot. The first time I had surgery was in March and I used traditional crutches and a knee scooter. I live on the 4th floor of a townhouse so steps and stairs were awful!
With my iWALK2.0 I was able to get out of my car, cross my street, go up the 4 flights of stairs to my bedroom and began my recovery with ease. I am soooo happy to have this device this time around (I’m supposed to be non-weight bearing for 8 weeks). I have freedom of movement that simply doesn’t exist with any other device. Thank you iWALK for making life bearable.
- Shane Methal
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"The iWALK2.0 gave me back my independence…and created a local sensation!"
My only regret about the iWalk Free is that I didn’t discover its existence earlier! I broke my left ankle in two places and required surgery, after which I was not allowed to put weight on the ankle for six weeks. I spent five of those weeks on regular crutches, dependent on others for simple things like making an omelette or carrying a cup of coffee from the kitchen to the couch. I watched sadly as my upper leg muscles, as well as my lower ones, withered away from lack of use. At the same time, my “good” right leg’s knee was developing all kinds of aches and pains from bearing all my weight, especially going up and down stairs. By the end of the fifth week, the right knee was in agony and my shoulders and back were starting to hurt from bearing the weight on the crutches.
Because my driving foot was not affected, I was able to drive throughout my recovery, and once I got the hang of quickly clipping and unclipping the iWalk, it was a cinch to remove it once I got in the car and put it back on when I reached my destination. One day I wore it to my children’s school and gathered a crowd of youngsters around me wanting to know about my “pirate leg.” I was the centre of attention.
This happened again just a day later when I wore the iWalk to my 6-week follow-up appointment with the orthopedic surgeon. At the hospital several envious pairs of eyes were on me as I skipped the line waiting for wheelchairs at the entrance (there was a shortage) and iWalked it to the orthopedic clinic. Once there, everyone who had a crutch with them was staring at me. I fielded several questions about the iWalk, including how it works and where to buy it. Then I started chatting with a woman who had been hit by a truck – in addition to her broken ankle, she had bruises on her face and had suffered a concussion! I explained to her how the iWalk had made stairs so much easier for me. As we waited, she and her husband Googled iWalk and saw all the amazing videos that show how easy it is to use. I told them that if my doctor gave me the go-ahead to start putting weight on my ankle again, I would sell my iWalk to them. Shortly after that, the doctor did tell me to start walking on my ankle again, and my long rehab began. I was a bit sad to say goodbye to my trusted friend the iWalk, but I knew I had to start putting one foot in front of the other again. And I was glad to see that it would go on to help someone else.
Kimberly Darlington
Montreal, Quebec
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"The iWALK2.0 truly saved me from a deep depression!"
In July, I broke my fibula while hiking with my dogs. When the doctor said "surgery and no weight bearing for 6-8 weeks"—-well, I was despondent. My husband works full-time and couldn't really stay home to take care of me, bring me food, do laundry, etc. We live on a remote ranch and our dogs and horses are used to lots of interaction and exercise, mostly from me. The thought of weeks on the couch was extremely depressing.
I was also scared about overwhelming my already hard-working husband; he was facing having to take over all of my daily duties, which are numerous. I knew crutches wouldn't provide real freedom, and a knee scooter wouldn't work on our terrain or allow me to use my hands.
The iWALK2.0 truly saved me from a deep depression. If I hadn't had the ability to move around and use my hands, I would have really suffered. The immobility would've been worse than breaking my leg. The iWALK2.0 is an amazing tool and I highly recommend it.
-Leslie
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