Adjustable crutch

Abstract

The invention relates to medical technology, and more particularly to an adjustable crutch. The crutch comprises: a support post consisting of an upper support post and a lower support post, which are provided with height adjustment mechanisms; a shoulder support which is fastened to the top of the upper support post; a support handle which is mounted on the upper support post above the height adjustment mechanism; and a support foot which is mounted to the bottom of the lower support post. The axes of the upper support post and the lower support post are offset in relation to one another, and the support handle is configured for displacement when the distance between the armpit and hand is adjusted. A support platform with a leg rest fastened thereto is fastened to the bottom of the upper support post. At the top of the lower support post and on the support platform, there is a displacement mechanism in the form of a dovetail fixture, which can be secured by adjustment screws and allows transverse movement of the support platform and the lower support post in relation to the upper support post. The invention increases the mobility of persons who have undergone transfemoral amputations or suffered other injuries of the lower limbs.

Description

[0001] ADJUSTABLE CRUTCH

[0002] The invention pertains to medicine, specifically traumatology and orthopedics, i.e., orthopedic devices, and concerns a device that facilitates independent movement of the user after a leg injury. The adjustable crutch can be used both indoors and outdoors, as either a permanent or temporary means of mobility.

[0003] It is known that after amputation, the projection of the center of gravity shifts towards the preserved limb, and in the case of transfemoral amputation, the magnitude of the shift is greater [L. Tesio, D. Lanzi and C. Detrembleur, "The 3-D motion of the center of gravity of the human body during level walking. II. Lower limb amputees" 1998]. The result of this phenomenon is a change in body position - a compensatory tilt of the trunk and pelvis towards the preserved limb, including a change in the ratio of forces between the legs during walking [R. Amma, G. Hisano, H. Murata, M.J. Major, H. Takemura and H. Hobara, "Inter-limb weight transfer strategy during walking after unilateral transfemoral amputation," Sci Rep, vol. 11, no. 1, Dec. 2021, doi: 10.1038 / s41598-021-84357-9].

[0004] A tendency to lean toward the uninjured side is common, increasing the risk of balance problems. Maintaining balance is aided by an abductive gait: increasing the distance between the legs to 10 cm, which helps normalize the body's center of gravity.

[0005] The IWALKFREE INC design, specifically patents No. US 20130152986 A1 "Hands-Free Crutch" and No. US 10441493 B2 "Mobility device", is known. These designs partially address mobility issues. The disadvantages of these devices include the inability to distribute pressure from the injured limb to the shoulder support, which precludes their use in the postoperative period, and the insufficient reliability of patient movement due to the persistent shift in the projection of the center of gravity. The closest technical solution is a three-legged crutch (patent RU 2642283, IPC A61N 3 / 02, published 01 / 24 / 2018), consisting of a telescopic stand with the ability to adjust the height and lock in the desired position, equipped with a crossbar with two rubber tips at the bottom.At the top of the stand there is an underarm support and a socket for a crossbar with an eye, to which a hinged seat is attached with the ability to adjust the width of the pelvis and fix it in the desired position.

[0006] A disadvantage of this device is that it does not provide high reliability for patient movement and mobility, as the projection of the center of gravity beyond the support column is not ensured, since the hinged seat is located directly on the column, which does not guarantee against falls without a rigid fixation of the hand handle and the presence of a second crutch.

[0007] The objective of the present invention is to create an adjustable crutch for individuals who have undergone transfemoral amputation (TFA) during the periods between surgery and prosthetic replacement, replacement of prostheses or their components, and on a permanent basis. This will allow them to independently move and care for themselves without the use of a prosthesis at home, including facilitating movement in the shower, pools, and other bodies of water.

[0008] The technical result consists in increasing the mobility of persons who have undergone transfemoral amputations, as well as other lower limb injuries.

[0009] The technical result is achieved in that the adjustable crutch contains a support post consisting of two parts - an upper support post and a lower support post, configured to adjust the height using adjustment mechanisms, an undershoulder support, a support handle, wherein on the upper part of the support post an undershoulder support is fixed, configured to shift when adjusting the distance between the armpit and the hand, and in the lower part of the upper support post a support platform is installed with a support for the leg fixed thereto, on the upper part of the lower support post and on the support platform there is a mechanism for moving transversely to the lower support post, wherein the axes of the upper and lower support posts are made with a shift relative to each other, and the upper support post is located between the lower support post and the support platform, also in the lower part of the lower support post a support heel is installed, configured to rotate outward due to a hinged fastening,having different shapes for different surfaces,

[0010] Thus, adjusting the height of the support post sections and adjusting the transverse offset of the lower support post and support platform relative to the upper support post allows the crutch to be customized to individual physiological parameters. Furthermore, offsetting the axes of the upper and lower support posts relative to each other and positioning the upper support post between the lower support post and support platform prevents the projection of the center of gravity from extending beyond the support platform, which can lead to imbalance, thereby promoting better balance and safety during movement.

[0011] The support platform, in addition to regulating the shift of the lower support post relative to the upper support post, serves to secure the leg support.

[0012] The shoulder attachment secures the adjustable crutch to the body without the need for additional attachments at the extremities, freeing the user's hands for various household tasks and increasing independence while also helping maintain balance. Furthermore, it allows for instant use without the need for additional attachments to the crutch.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the support platform contains fastenings for the leg, allowing for use in cases of unhealed wounds, abscesses, and formed but unhealed stumps.

[0014] The support heel, according to one of the design options, is made with a rolling radius and the ability to change for different walking surfaces (a small area for a hard surface and a larger area for a loose surface - sand, pebbles, etc.).

[0015] The essence of the invention is explained by the following illustrations, where: in Fig. 1 - an adjustable crutch with a soft mount is shown, a frontal projection, where 1 is an upper support post, 2 is a lower support post, 3 is a height adjustment mechanism, 4 is an undershoulder support, 5 is a belt, 7 is a support handle, 8 is a horizontal support platform, 9 is a leg support, 10 is a support heel, 11 is a detail of the lower part; in Fig. 2 - an adjustable crutch with a soft mount is shown, a side projection; in Fig. 3 - shows an adjustable crutch with a rigid mount, a frontal projection, where 1 is the upper support post, 2 is the lower support post, 3 is the height adjustment mechanism, 6 is the mechanism for adjusting the distance between the armpit and the hand, 7 is the support handle, 8 is the horizontal support platform, 9 is the leg support, 10 is the support heel, 11 is the detail of the lower part; in Fig. 4 - shows an adjustable crutch with a rigid mount, a lateral projection; in Fig. 5, Fig. 6, Fig.7 - shows the mobility of the lower support post; Fig. 8 - shows the leg support, where 8.1 is a top projection, 8.2 is a lateral projection, 8.3 is a frontal projection; Fig. 9 - shows the horizontal platform, where 9.1 is a lateral projection, 9.2 is a frontal projection, 9.3 is a top projection; Fig. 10 - shows a detail of the lower part, where 10.1 is a frontal projection, 10.2 is a lateral projection, 10.3 is a top projection, 10.4 is a bottom projection.

[0016] The crutch comprises a hollow support post consisting of two parts: an upper support post 1 and a lower support post 2, each equipped with height-adjustable mechanisms. According to one embodiment, height-adjustable mechanisms 3 in the form of spring clamps are located within the upper support post 1 and the lower support post 2. Other height-adjustable options are also possible, such as fixation in the desired position with a screw and nuts, collet or pneumatic height-adjustable mechanisms. An undershoulder support 4 is secured to the upper portion of the upper support post 1. The undershoulder support is provided with a fastening that allows the distance between the armpit and the hand to be adjusted, for example, in the form of a soft fastening with an adjustable strap 5 or a rigid fastening with a built-in size-adjustable clamping mechanism 6.On the upper support post 1, above the height adjustment mechanism 3, a support handle 7 for the hand is mounted. In the lower part of the upper support post 1, a support platform 8 is secured in such a way that the axes of the upper support post 1 and the lower support post 2 are offset relative to each other, and the upper support post 1 is located between the lower support post 2 and the support platform 8. In the upper part of the lower support post 2 and on the support platform 8, there is a shift mechanism, made, for example, in the form of a side bar fastening, that is, a dovetail, fixed with goujons and intended for transverse movement of the support platform 8 and the lower support post 2. Any other shift mechanism can also be used to move the support platform 8 and the lower support post 2. A leg support 9 is mounted on the support platform 8. The leg support 9 is intended for supporting the injured limb.At the bottom of the lower support post 2, a support heel 10 is installed, which can be rotated outward due to a hinged fastening and can be of any shape to be changed for different walking surfaces - a small area for a hard surface and a larger area for a loose surface - sand, pebbles, etc. It can also be removed if necessary.

[0017] The device works as follows.

[0018] The height adjustment mechanism 3 of the lower support post 2 is used to set the distance from the floor to the patient's knee. The distance between the knee and the patient's armpit is then adjusted using the height adjustment mechanism 3 of the upper support post 1. The distance between the armpit and hand is then adjusted by sliding the support handle 7. The distance between the armpit and shoulder is adjusted by adjusting the fastening of the shoulder support 4, which can be either hard or soft. Next, it is necessary to adjust the shift of the upper support post 1 relative to the lower support post 2 in order to compensate for the shift in the projection of the center of gravity caused by the asymmetry of the weight of the lower limbs. To do this, the support platform 8 and the lower support post 2 are moved transversely using the shift mechanism. The inclination of the support heel 10 is then set in the desired direction using the hinged fastening to the lower support post 2.

[0019] Thus, the placement of the adjustable foot support platform inside the support, that is, in close proximity to the body in relation to the support, and the outward rotation of the supporting heel of the structure allows for the expansion of the abduction base and the normalization of the position of the projection of the body's center of gravity in the space between the foot of the healthy leg and the support, reduces energy costs for walking, and frees the hands.

Claims

The AMENDED CLAUSE OF THE INVENTION was received by the International Bureau on April 10, 2026 (10.04.2026) AMENDED CLAUSE OF THE INVENTION 1. An adjustable crutch comprising a support post consisting of upper and lower support posts provided with height adjustment mechanisms, an undershoulder support secured in the upper portion of the upper support post, a support handle for the hand mounted on the upper support post above the height adjustment mechanism, a support heel mounted in the lower portion of the lower support post, in which the axes of the upper and lower support posts are offset relative to each other, and the support handle is configured to shift when adjusting the distance between the armpit and the hand, characterized in that a support platform with a secured leg support is secured in the lower portion of the upper support post, the undershoulder support has a fastening configured to adjust the distance between the armpit and the shoulder, a shift mechanism is implemented in the upper portion of the lower support post and on the support platform,made with the possibility of transverse movement of the support platform and the lower support post relative to the upper support post, wherein the mechanism for adjusting the height of the lower support post is made with the possibility of setting the distance from the floor to the patient's knee, the mechanism for adjusting the height of the upper support post is made with the possibility of establishing the distance between the knee and the armpit of the patient, and the support heel is made with the possibility of turning outward due to a hinged fastening.

2. A crutch according to claim 1, characterized in that the fastening has a built-in mechanism for adjusting the distance between the armpit and the shoulder.

3. A crutch according to item 1, characterized in that the fastening is made in the form of a belt, made with the possibility of adjusting the length.

4. A crutch according to item 1, characterized in that the shift mechanism is made in the form of a dovetail fastening, with the possibility of fixing with goujons. 8 AMENDED SHEET (ARTICLE 19)

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