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Tag Archive for Replacing Crutches with Knee Walker

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What is a Non Weight Bearing Scooter?

Admit it: when you first read the title of this article, you had visions of unattended children zipping around you on those annoying little scooters. And hey, it’s understandable. But when it comes to recovering from your foot or ankle surgery, non weight bearing scooters completely change your mobility options during your recovery period. In fact, knee walkers even make it possible to forgo the awkwardness and inconvenience of crutches.

It’s enough to make you disassociate scooters with the terrifying image of children barreling towards you in a crowded mall!

If you’ve never heard of or seen a non weight bearing scooter, get ready to meet the mobility device that’s going to change the way you look at your foot or ankle recovery.

A non weight bearing scooter is also known as a knee walker or a knee scooter. This is because a non weight bearing scooter combines the sleek mobility of a scooter with the balancing powers of a walker. The combination of these two devices ends up creating something that looks like a 4-wheeled scooter with a very low seat. You can see what we mean by this in the picture above.

Speaking of seats, the reason why the non weight bearing scooter is so excellent for foot and ankle recovery is because it completely removes any pressure from your injured leg. Instead, you simply kneel your injured weight on the padded seat and propel yourself forward with your good leg. It sure beats the disaster-potential of crutches, which can often cause pain and discomfort – not to mention the chances of slipping and crashing to the ground.

Insurance companies often cover a non weight bearing scooter, so you may not have to shell out for yours. If you’re wondering if your non weight bearing scooter will be covered, simply contact your insurance company and ask how your coverage extends to knee walkers. Knee Walker Central can even verify your benefits and explain coverage, so you don’t have to deal with the hassle.

Non weight bearing scooters are perfect for patients who are recovering from foot or ankle injuries – and who want to avoid the sheer discomfort of using wooden crutches.

 

Category: After Surgery Recovery, Ankle Surgery Recovery, Crutch Alternatives, Foot Surgery, knee scooter, Knee Walkers, Mobility Options | Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
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Non Weight Bearing Workouts You Can Perform During Your Recovery Period

When your foot is locked up within the ironclad grip of a cast, you might feel like there’s no chance of getting the exercise you need. Gone are the days when you could walk around whenever you pleased. Gone are the days when you could hop in your car, drive to the gym, and log in a six-mile run on the treadmill (or six minutes…but honestly, who’s counting?). And even the days when you could walk around the mall and shop to your heart’s content are temporarily gone (hey, shopping counts as cardio).

While it’s important for you to get plenty of rest and relaxation during your recovery period, it’s also just as important for you to get your fair share of exercise. But this might seem impossible, especially when you’re lugging around a massive cast.

Fortunately, there is a wide range of non weight bearing workouts you can perform during your recovery period. You’ll just need to get a little creative to do them!

Take a Walk with Your Knee Scooter

A knee scooter, or a knee walker, is a unique mobility device that’s designed to help you move around without the awkwardness or embarrassment of crutches (not to mention the chances of bumping or hurting your injured foot). A knee walker looks like a special bike where you rest your injured leg on the special pad; the other leg is used to propel yourself forward. It represents a fantastic way to get the exercise you need, as you’ll be able to move around, open doors, and engage in activities that may have been previously off-limits with your crutches.

Check out our knee scooters at Knee Walker Central, and you’ll discover why more people are turning to us when they need high-quality mobility devices!

Focus on Your Upper Body

You don’t always have to work out your legs in order to get exercise; in fact, some of the best non weight bearing workouts you can perform during your recovery period involve arm workouts.

If you’re consigned to your bed or couch, considering investing in a pair of light handheld dumbbells. These will allow you to perform bicep curls, tricep extensions, and other fantastic non weight bearing workouts that can increase your heart rate without putting pressure on your foot or ankle.

Get the Blood Pumping

If you’re intent on working out your legs, you can perform a myriad of activities without actually placing any weight on your feet. Simply sit on your couch or bed, lift up the injured leg, and rotate it in small circles. This simple activity can get the blood pumping and help you get the cardio you need to stay healthy. You may also just want to elevate each leg for about thirty seconds, then switch and elevate the other. Remember, the key here is to get in a good workout, not train to become an Olympic athlete.

That can come after your recovery period is over!

As you can see, there are plenty of non weight bearing workouts you can perform during your recovery period. By engaging in these tips, you’ll be able to get the exercise you need without placing any additional strain on your recovering foot or ankle.

Category: After Surgery Recovery, Ankle Surgery Recovery, Entertainment after surgery, Exercises after surgey, Fun After Surgery, Mobility Options | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Entertainment Options While Using Your Rolling Knee Walker

Let’s face it: when you’re stuck on the couch waiting for your broken ankle or foot to heal, you might feel like you’re coming down with a severe case of cabin fever. Luckily, a rolling knee walker offers you plenty of mobility freedom that you might not have with crutches. A rolling knee walker makes it easier for you to head outside and enjoy what the world has to offer…

Without feeling like a robot with a massive wingspan.

If you’re looking for ways to liven up your recovery time, here are some excellent entertainment options while using your rolling knee walker:

If you’re located in a city, it’s time to truly explore what it’s like in your neighborhood. Pretend you’re a tourist for the day and go see local attractions. Roll around in a famous park, head to the best restaurant in the city or walk along the esplanade for a deliciously breezy experience.

Make the most of the handicap access in local museums. A rolling knee walker makes it easier for you to get around, which means you can head to your favorite museum and check out a new exhibit. Better still, go to a museum that you haven’t been to yet but have always wanted to go. You may discover a new favorite spot, all thanks to your rolling knee walker.

Do you have a dog? Get some gentle exercise by taking him or her for a walk. If you don’t have a dog, ask around the neighborhood to see if anyone needs a dog walker. It’s a great way to get out of the house, and you’ll get some much-needed exercise. Be careful not to walk any huge breeds that don’t know how to obey orders, as you don’t want to turn into a human sled.

Head to the movies to catch up on what’s out in cinemas. Many movie theaters have handicap access, which means you’ll get the best seat in the house without even having to try.

Use these entertainment options for a fun day out with your rolling knee walker!

Category: After Surgery Recovery, Entertainment after surgery | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
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What You Need to Know About Renting Knee Walkers

If you’ve broken your foot or your ankle, chances are that you’ve heard about knee walkers. These unique mobility devices represent an innovative approach to getting around, as they completely take your injured foot out of the equation. Think about it as a normal scooter – one that’s designed to take your weight off of your injured foot and transition it to your knee.

Knee walkers are becoming a very popular choice for people who need to spend the next three to six months in a cast. Unlike crutches – which can often be unstable and lead to a greater chance of re-injury – knee walkers are much more stable and allow you to move around with greater ease. Knee walkers allow you to move forward with your good foot, while balancing the weight from your injured foot onto the kneepad of the scooter.

While knee walkers are becoming even more common, there’s no denying that many people still have questions on how to rent a knee walker. And when you’re suffering from a foot or ankle injury, you don’t want to waste your time trying to figure out how to get your hands on a knee walker…

You want it as soon as you hobble out of the hospital!

The Ins and Outs of Renting Knee Walkers

Fortunately, this article will detail what you need to know about renting knee walkers. From checking with your insurance company to finding the best deals, you’ll find everything you need to know right here:

  • Before you even begin looking for knee walkers, be sure to contact your insurance company to ask about how payments will be handled. Depending on your insurance company, you may find that you will need to pay the rental fees upfront in order to be reimbursed by your insurance. Your insurance may handle the entire process yourself – or you may even find that your deductible applies to your rental fees. Be sure you have a crystal-clear understanding of your insurance coverage, as you don’t want to receive a nasty surprise when your rental bill is rejected by your coverage.
  • Once you’ve cleared out this information, you’ll want to conduct a thorough search for a knee walker rental in your area. Keep in mind that your hospital or doctor might have a referral in mind, so don’t be afraid to ask.
  • Check out knee walker rentals online. You may find that there’s a national brand that can provide you with a high-quality knee walker rental and even delivery it right to your front door (bonus!).As with using any new service, be sure to check out the vendor online before investing any money in the rental. You want to be sure that you’re using a vendor with a long and happy history of satisfied customers – and that you won’t get ripped off!
  • Finally, be sure you understand the terms and service of working with a certain knee walker rental service. Be sure you understand how the knee walker rental will be delivered and picked up, the weekly fees, any taxes and surcharges, and penalties for damaging or destroying the knee walker.

Now that you understand how to rent a knee walker, it’s time to get your hands on the coolest mobility device around!

Category: Insurance, knee scooter, Knee Walkers, Non Weight Bearing Products | Tags: , , , , ,
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A Better Alternative to Crutches: Knee Walker Central

Let’s face it: the thought of battling with crutches is enough to make you want to consign yourself to bed rest for the entirety of your recovery period. Sure, you may need to go to the bathroom or return to work – but the thought of struggling with two awkward pieces of wood isn’t exactly thrilling.

In fact, it makes you frustrated that you’ll have to be so uncomfortable and downright cumbersome during your foot or ankle recovery period.

If you’re facing a temporary future with crutches, you’ll practically stand up and cheer (hey, you DO have a foot injury) when you discover that there’s a better alternative to crutches. Here at Knee Walker Central, we’re delighted to specialize in that alternative: knee walkers.

Also known as knee scooters, these handy devices are meant to help you move around during your foot or ankle recovery period without looking like you’re on arm stilts. Knee walkers look like ordinary walkers with one difference: they contain an elevated cushion where you can rest the leg with your injured foot or ankle. You propel yourself forward with your other leg, which means you won’t place undue stress on your armpits or risk bumping your injured foot.

In fact, we like to describe it as an advanced bike that will actually make moving around enjoyable again!

The truth is, crutches are like a medieval torture device. You have to deal with the armpit blisters (those two words should never be combined, EVER). You have to learn how to walk without looking like a clown. And as for opening doors and moving around spaces that are free from clutter? Forget about it. Unless you actually like the feeling of having overly worked arm muscles, knee walkers represent a much better alternative to crutches.

Crutches also increase the chances that you’ll end up accidentally hurting your foot or ankle. Knee walkers minimize these chances with unique designs that isolate the foot or ankle. Plus, you won’t have to place all of your weight on your arms and your good foot, which can be very uncomfortable for many people.

In short, knee walkers are the best alternative to crutches imaginable. Here at Knee Walker Central, you’ll find a wide range of high-quality knee walkers that fit your specific recovery needs. We provide fast, free shipping and can even verify your insurance benefits.

Ditch the crutches. Contact Knee Walker Central today for a better mobility experience during your foot or ankle recovery.

Category: Crutch Alternatives, knee scooter, Knee Walkers, Mobility Options | Tags: , , , , , , ,
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What To Look For In A Foot Surgery Scooter

Style. Comfort. Elegance.

Did we mention that these characteristics are what you should look for in a foot surgery scooter?

Like with picking out a new car, selecting a foot surgery scooter represents an opportunity to demonstrate your unique personality. After all, when you’re recovering from foot and ankle surgery, you’ll be on your scooter for a considerable number of weeks…

And the last thing you want is to look like you picked up your foot surgery scooter at the nearest old folks’ home!

Whether you prize a sleek and elegant look or you want to make heads turn when you roll down the sidewalk, here’s what you should look for in a foot surgery scooter:

1. Comfort: Let’s face it – you’re already uncomfortable enough as it is with a massive cast strapped to your ankle. The last thing you want is for your foot surgery scooter to make you long for the days of rock-hard desk chairs in high school. Therefore, make sure that the seat of the foot surgery scooter is plush, comfortable, and stable enough to support your weight.

2. Convenient: Foot surgery scooters should be comfortable, but they should also make it easier for you to live your life. Look for a foot surgery scooter that has a basket attached to the front. This allows you to carry around your computer, bags, purses, and anything else you’d otherwise carry in your hands or in your arms.

3. Style: Just because it’s a foot surgery scooter doesn’t mean it doesn’t have to rock! Luckily, the new generation of foot surgery scooters is sleek, elegant, and come in a variety of styles. You can head to www.kneewalkercentral.com to take a look at a wide variety of seriously stylish knee walkers, complete with a wide variety of accessories designed to make your surgery recovery time even easier.

When it comes to a foot surgery scooter, don’t settle for something medicinal and uncomfortable. Get the foot surgery scooter that you’d be proud to rock out on the sidewalks!

 

 

Category: Crutch Alternatives, Foot Surgery, knee scooter, Knee Walkers | Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
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4 Helpful Tips to Keep the Rest of Your Body Active While Recovering From Foot Surgery

Experts at The Mobility Resource know how pressing it can be for those that have just undergone foot surgery, to remain as active as possible. This can go beyond a mere physical desire to heal, but involves emotional needs as well. The fact of the matter is, that despite some of the pains that come from surgery, you just want to break free of crutches and get back to your old self. We are here to tell you, there are other options. A knee walker is a great option to get you up and mobile without aggravating your foot injury, they can give you the independence and mobility that you may be longing for. Of course you can also take the route of a wheelchair, which will give you some mobility as well, and a little bit of an arm work out too.

You need to take it easy and follow your doctor’s orders. Still, there are several other ways that you can stay in shape without putting your foot at risk. Try some of these options and see what works for you.

Pay extra attention to nutrition.

Because some of your exercise routines will be hindered, maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle are very important. Proper nutrition plays a huge part not only for regular benefits but also because some foods contain certain nutrients that help injuries heal. These include fresh juices not from concentrate and as many as eight servings of whole fruit a day.

Alternatively, stay away from foods that promote inflammation—foods such as potatoes, hot peppers, processed white flower and foods high in omega 3 fatty acids.

Exercise your mind.

When you’re done with surgery, take your mind off of the burning desire to get active again. Instead, stock up on some movies and books, and relax. If you are determined to somehow keep improving your body during this time, get books that focus on your physical goals, dieting or other self-improvement topics that are relevant to your goals.

Ride with your arms.

The use of an upper-body ergometer—otherwise known as an arm bike—can come in extremely handy. Many physical therapists are raving about them, particularly for those that can’t use their legs. They provide a stellar cardio workout and are a great way to relieve some of that pent up stress that might still be lingering from the surgery.

Get preoccupied.

Find an upper-body exercise that does not require the use of your foot or leg, for that matter. Pull ups can be great for this, so long as you keep your injured foot inactive. Some rehabilitation centers will also rig up a rowing exercise that keeps your injured foot safe from harm. Whichever exercise you choose, use your competitive spirit and challenge yourself. See how many reps you can do and constantly try to one-up yourself. This sort of focus will help you forget about the fact that your leg is hindered at all.

You can also get creative with other exercises. Speak to a trainer or your physical therapist to make sure anything you come up with is safe before trying them out, though. The last thing you want to do is push yourself too hard, re-injuring your foot and enduring the recovery process all over again.

Category: After Surgery diet, After Surgery Recovery, Crutch Alternatives, Foot Surgery, knee scooter, Knee Walkers, Mobility Options | Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
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The Top 10 Worst Things About Crutches

If you’re on crutches right now, it’s safe to say that you don’t really need an article to tell you about the top 10 worst things about crutches – in fact, you’re living it everyday.

But an essential part of recovering from your foot or ankle injury is your ability to commiserate with others. After all, misery loves company – and if you’re currently sidelined by your foot or ankle injury, you probably have plenty of things you’d like to get off your chest.

 

Let us help you get started with our version of the top 10 worst things about crutches.

1. Not being able to use stairs. In fact, you had no idea there were so many staircases in the world until you landed in crutches.

2. No swimming. Sometimes you wished you hurt your foot in the winter…but then again, you’d have to contend with another foe to crutches: ice.

3. Giving up on physical hobbies. Good-bye, recreational dodge ball league…hello daytime TV and your couch.

4. Dealing with opening doors. On the plus side, you’ve come to realize that there are a ton of nice people out there in the world.

5. Dealing with public transportation. You’ve now considered yourself an avid supporter of giving up seats to the disabled, thanks to your stint on crutches.

6. Not being able to grab things on the top shelves of your kitchen cabinet. Like those nacho cheese chips that are calling to you even as you read this list.

7. Struggling to pick up your kids. Of course, this doesn’t apply if your kids are in their teens and twenties. Hopefully.

8. Leading with confidence. You may feel like your work team can only see your crutches, not your kick-butt presentation on last quarter’s sales. Don’t worry: your teammates can only notice how much you rock.

9. Going on vacation with crutches. From getting on the plane to walking around the theme park with your family, you sometimes feel like you want to throw your crutches straight out the emergency exit window.

10. Dealing with the super-strength you develop from walking around on crutches. It’s pretty difficult to deal with people’s jealousy – but we have a feeling you’ll manage.

Luckily, this list of the top ten reasons why owning crutches is awful has a happy ending. You don’t have to deal with the pain and annoyance of fumbling around with your crutches. A knee walker can provide you with all the support you need if you’re recovering from foot, ankle and knee injuries. Trust us: you’ll laugh at the thought of using crutches after you try it out.

Share your own top 10 list – or just share stories about how you’ve dealt with the curse of crutches!

Category: After Surgery Recovery, Crutch Alternatives, Foot Surgery, knee scooter, Knee Walkers | Tags: , , , , ,
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The Pros and Cons of Crutches

Whether you’ve had a broken ankle surgery or you’re attempting to recover from an Achilles tendon injury, it’s highly likely that your doctor is attempting to put you on crutches. While you certainly appreciate your doctor’s efforts to make you feel comfortable, you can’t help but feel a little suspicious that she’s trying to force a medieval torture device on you.

After all, crutches certainly aren’t easy to maneuver. You have to get used to carrying most of your weight on your armpits (that is an area of the body that should NEVER be exercised). You have to get used to expanding your “wingspan” by another three feet. And you have to deal with carrying around two stilts that will practically be your new best friend in the coming weeks and months.

 

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However, it’s not all doom and gloom with crutches. If you want to find the pros and cons of crutches, look no further – we’ve outlined them all for you:

Pros

  • If you have good upper mobility, using a crutch will be much easier for you. You can usually walk faster with crutches, which means you’ll be able to beat everyone getting in line for Starbucks.
  • Crutches can be a good way to get exercise while you’re recovering from a major foot or ankle injury. Since it takes so much energy to use them, you may find that they’ll help you stay in shape while you’re out of the gym.
  • Crutches are generally less expensive than other mobility options.

Cons

  • Crutches significantly inhibit the use of your upper body. When your arms and hands are busy clutching you crutches, it can be difficult to free up your upper body to move things, open doors, and do other activities.
  • Crutches significantly inhibit the use of your upper body. When your arms and hands are busy clutching you crutches, it can be difficult to free up your upper body to move things, open doors, and do other activities.
  • The risk of losing your balance is also higher with using crutches – and if you lose your balance, you could end up causing serious damage to your injured foot or ankle.
  • Oftentimes people find that crutches hurt their armpits or their wrists.

Weigh up these pros and cons to determine if crutches are the right mobility option for you.

Category: Crutch Alternatives, Knee Walkers | Tags: , , , , , ,
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The Downside of Using Crutches

 

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When it comes to using crutches, you may think that the world is looking up. After all, you’ve just busted your ankle or went through a major foot surgery – and with the size of the cast that was strapped on your foot, you practically thought that you would be resigned to using a wheelchair for the next couple of months.

That’s why when your doctor walked in to the waiting room dangling a pair of crutches from his hand, you practically leapt up for joy – but quickly remembered that you were suffering from a very painful foot injury.

But before you wedge those crutches under your armpit and walk out the door of your doctor’s office, it’s worth exploring the downside of using crutches. Now, we’re not trying to be negative Nancies here…we just want to make sure you have all the information you need so you make the right mobility choice for you.

So what exactly are the downsides of using crutches?

Crutches can be really unstable. Think about it – you have to balance your entire body weight on two crutches that practically resemble sticks. This is why crutches often lead to people losing their balance, which can put your injured foot at serious risk.

Crutches can be very uncomfortable, especially if you don’t have a significant amount of upper body strength. Because you’re supporting your entire weight via your armpits, this means that you may be very sore as you get used to the crutches.

Crutches can make it difficult for you to free up your arms and hands to do, well, pretty much anything. When you’re busy balancing your entire body weight with your arms and hands, this means that even opening doors can be extremely difficult for you to do.

Now that you’ve discovered the downside of crutches, you may want to look into different mobility options by clicking here. You may find that crutches are actually not the best option for your mobility needs.

Category: Crutch Alternatives, Knee Walkers, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , ,
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