Angle Adjustable Crutch Handle With Offset Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional crutches place the hand and wrist in an abnormal, non-physiologic position, leading to overuse syndromes such as pain, swelling, muscle strain, tendonitis, and neuropathies due to improper weight distribution, which can further cause shoulder issues from compensatory weight transfer.
Innovation Solution
An angle adjustable crutch handle that secures between aligned grip apertures of crutch supports at an offset angle, using adjustment adapters with curved surfaces and serrated mating surfaces to maintain a neutral hand and wrist position, allowing optimal weight bearing and reducing the risk of injury.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the crutch handle is secured with a single fastener extending through aligned apertures perpendicular to the vertical axis, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the hand and wrist are placed in an abnormal, non-physiologic position causing overuse syndromes
Solution Approach 1:
The crutch handle incorporates adjustable components that allow the handle angle to be dynamically changed from the conventional perpendicular position to various offset angles. This enables the handle to be positioned at optimal angles for different users' anatomy and weight-bearing needs, transforming a static, one-size-fits-all design into a dynamic, customizable system that eliminates abnormal wrist positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The handle securing mechanism is divided into multiple independent components including adjustment adapters, fasteners, and mounting brackets that can be separately manufactured and assembled. This segmentation allows for more complex angular adjustment capabilities while maintaining ease of manufacture through modular design, resolving the contradiction between operational flexibility and manufacturing simplicity.
2Force
If the crutch handle is positioned perpendicular to the vertical axis for simple construction, then manufacturing is easier, but weight bearing creates abnormal compressive loads on the radiocarpal joint
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the critical parameter of handle orientation angle from the fixed perpendicular position to adjustable offset angles. This parameter modification allows the handle to be positioned at optimal angles that distribute weight-bearing forces more naturally across the upper extremity, reducing abnormal compressive loads on the radiocarpal joint while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through standardized adjustment mechanisms.
3Reliability
If the hand is placed in a neutral position with offset angle adjustment, then overuse injuries are reduced, but the securing mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces intermediary components such as adjustment adapters and mounting brackets that mediate between the simple crutch structure and the complex angular adjustment requirements. These intermediary elements enable offset angle positioning for injury prevention while distributing the mechanical complexity across separate, manageable components rather than requiring a single complex integrated mechanism.
4Ease of operation
If the crutch handle uses a fixed perpendicular orientation, then the structure is stable and simple, but it causes compensatory weight transfer to the shoulders leading to shoulder pathology
Solution Approach 1:
The handle mounting system is designed to be dynamically adjustable, allowing the handle angle to be optimized for each user's anatomy and weight-bearing requirements. This dynamic adjustment capability enables proper weight bearing alignment that prevents compensatory shoulder loading, while the modular design keeps the overall system complexity manageable through standardized adjustment mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A crutch handle is positionably adjustable to crutch at an offset angle to provide an ergonomic position of a user's hand. The crutch handle has a curved adjustment adapter on both a first and second end of a handle-grip portion of the crutch handle. A fastener slot extends through the first and second adjustment adapters to allow a fastener to extend though and secure the handle to the crutch at an offset angle. The handle-grip has a fastener opening on at least one of the first or second ends to allow the fastener to be positioned along the handle-grip portion of the handle. A conventional crutch may be adapted with this angle adjustable crutch handle with the fasteners being in apertures that are aligned across the crutch support.