Ataxia balance crutches

• US 8,371,320 B1
• Filed: 11/01/2010
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mary Ellen C. Mckenna
• Original Assignee: Mary Ellen C. Mckenna
• Inventors: McKenna, Mary Ellen C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jackson, Danielle
• Application Number:
  US12/917,039
• Time in Patent Office: 834 Days
• Field of Search: 135/65, 135/68, 135/71, 135/77, 135/82, 135/84, 135/86
• US Class Current: 135/77
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2003/0205 Crutches with no pivoting movement during use, e.g. tripods
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2003/0272 on a single crutch allowing it to remain upright when not in use, e.g. retractable tripods A61H2003/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 3/02 Crutches
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 3/0277 Shock absorbers therefor

Abstract

An improved forearm crutch includes an adjustable shaft, a forearm cuff affixed to an upper end of the shaft, a manifold affixed in proximity to the lower end of the shaft, and three legs affixed to said manifold, the legs including an anterior leg, a posterior leg, and a lateral leg, wherein each leg is disposed at an acute angle to the shaft, wherein the anterior and posterior legs are over six inches in length, wherein the lateral leg is at least two inches longer than the anterior and posterior leg, and wherein the lateral leg is flexibly engageable to the ground by means of either flexible legs or gel-type crutch tips engageable to the ground.

Claims

1. An improved forearm crutch comprising:

(a) an adjustable shaft having an upper section and a lower section, said lower section engageable with ground;

(b) a forearm cuff affixed near an upper end of said upper section of said shaft;

(c) a manifold affixed to said lower section of said adjustable shaft a predetermined distance above a lower end of said lower section, and

(d) three spaced apart legs affixed to and extending below said manifold, comprising;

i. an anterior leg,

ii. a posterior leg,

iii. a lateral leg,

wherein each leg of said legs being disposed at an acute angle to said lower section of said adjustable shaft, said legs and said lower section of said adjustable shaft being engageable with the ground, wherein the anterior leg and posterior leg are a predetermined length and positioned in a same first plane as said lower section of said adjustable shaft and wherein the lateral leg lies in a second plane perpendicular to said first plane and said lateral leg is at least two inches longer than the anterior leg and posterior leg.

2. The forearm crutch of claim 1, wherein each of said legs and said lower section of said shaft comprise a tip affixed thereto, said tip being capable of compression in response to a vertical component of weight being applied.

3. The forearm crutch of claim 2 wherein said tip comprises a gel-type material for absorbing a shock when said legs and said adjustable shaft engage with said ground.

4. The forearm crutch as recited in claim 1 wherein said predetermined length of said anterior leg and said posterior comprises at least six inches.

5. A method for using an improved forearm crutch comprising:

manufacturing two forearm crutches, each one comprising;

a central adjustable shaft having an upper section and a lower section;

a forearm cuff affixed near an upper end of said upper section of said shaft;

a manifold affixed in proximity to the lower end of said lower section of the adjustable shaft, and

three legs affixed to and extending below said manifold, comprising;

an anterior leg,

a posterior leg,

and a lateral leg,

wherein each of said three legs being disposed at an acute angle to said lower section of said adjustable shaft, said legs and said lower section of said adjustable shaft of said crutch being engageable with ground wherein the anterior leg and posterior leg are a predetermined length and positioned in a same first plane with said adjustable shaft and wherein the lateral leg lies in a second plane perpendicular to said first plane and wherein the lateral leg is at least two inches longer than the anterior leg and posterior leg; and

after inserting each of the arms of a use in the forearm cuffs of said crutches by a user and gripping each hand grip, performing the steps of;

(a) moving a left crutch forward of said user'"'"'s left leg on a left side of the user'"'"'s body, with the body weight primarily on the posterior leg, lateral leg, and the central adjustable shaft of said left crutch;

(b) stepping forward with the user'"'"'s right leg on a right side of the body;

(c) shifting the user'"'"'s weight forward;

(d) rotating the legs of the left crutch on the left side of the body so that the weight of the user shifts to all of the legs on said left crutch, equally, as well as on the central adjustable shaft,

(e) moving a right crutch forward of said user'"'"'s right leg on a right side of the user'"'"'s body, with the body weight primarily on the posterior leg, lateral leg and the central adjustable shaft of said right crutch;

(f) stepping forward with the user'"'"'s left leg on a left side of the body;

(g) shifting the user'"'"'s weight forward; and

(h) rotating the legs of the right crutch on the right side of the body so that the body weight of the user shifts to all of the legs on said right crutch, equally, as well as on the central adjustable shaft, and

repeating said steps (a) to (h).

6. The method of claim 5, wherein each of the legs and said lower section of said shaft comprise a compliant tip affixed thereto, said compliant tip capable of compression in response to a vertical component of weight being applied.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said compliant tip comprises a gel-type material for absorbing a shock when said legs and said adjustable shaft engage with said ground.

8. The method of use of said forearm crutch as recited in claim 5 wherein said step of manufacturing two forearm crutches comprises the step of making said predetermined length of said anterior leg and said posterior leg to be at least six inches, and a length of said lateral leg being at least two inches longer than said anterior leg and said posterior leg.