Can I Use It?

 

For most people suffering lower leg, foot and ankle injuries, the answer is YES! iWALKFREE is a great way to improve your qualify of life during your rehabilitation. That said, since every physique and every injury is unique, we recommend that you always consult with your health care professional before using the iWALKFREE.

What sort of injuries is the iWALKFREE best
suited for?

If you have a lower leg, ankle or foot injury that is required to be non-weight bearing during recovery, then, in most instances, iWALKFREE will work for you.

Typical injuries include (but are not limited to) any sprain, strain, fracture, dislocation or surgery to the lower leg, ankle or foot. Common conditions we experience are sprained ankles, fractures of the lower leg, foot or ankle, Achilles tendon injuries and surgeries, foot surgeries such as bunion or foot ulcer correction. iWALKFREE is also useful as a gateway device during prosthetic limb transition periods or as a shower / swim prosthetic for users of permanent prosthetic limbs. In short, if you’ve sustained an injury to your lower calf, ankle or foot, and you need to be non-weight bearing, then iWALKFREE can be used instead of conventional crutches.

Sorry, but iWALKFREE isn’t for everyone

We wish that we could help everyone avoid the pain and inconvenience of using crutches, but we can’t. While the iWALKFREE can and does bring new mobility and functionality to the lives of countless people, it does have its limitations.

You are a good candidate for the iWALKFREE if:

You are in generally good health and prior to your injury you were not challenged by normal ambulatory activities such as walking, climbing stairs, etc.

Your injury is to one leg (or foot or ankle) only.

Your injury is to the lower leg, ankle or foot and requires you to be non-weight bearing during your rehabilitation

You are between 5’0” (152CM) and 6’6” (198cm). The iWALKFREE is fully adjustable for a wide range of heights and leg sizes. If you fall outside of this range, iWALKFREE might still work for you, but contact us for an individual assessment first.

You weigh 275 pounds (125 kg) or less and your maximum leg circumference is 27 inches (69 cm) or less (measurement taken as high as possible on the thigh).

If you’re wearing a cast, it doesn’t extend above an couple of inches below your knee. You can pad the knee platform to relieve pressure on the top edge of a taller cast.

A good quick test to see if the iWALKFREE might be suitable is to place the shin of the injured leg (with your leg bent 90 degrees) on a padded bench or chair. If you can carry weight in this manner for a few minutes and the shin and knee remain comfortable, this is a good indication that iWALKFREE will work for you.

There are exceptions to the guidelines provided above, so if you fall outside of those listed here, don’t be discouraged – just give us a call so we can discuss your specific circumstances.

iWALKFREE may not be suited for:

People that have poor health, diminished strength or have walking or balance challenges.

Those that are significantly overweight are not ideal candidates and might be better served with other mobility devices.

Those that are unwilling to spend one to three days to become completely proficient in using the iWALKFREE. (We’ve seen cases where users get used to iWALKFREE in 10 minutes, but everyone is different).

People with injuries to the knee, upper leg or upper half of the lower leg.

Still not sure if iWALKFREE is for you?

We’re here to help. If you fall outside of the initial guidelines set here, you still might enjoy total success with iWALKFREE, however, before you decide, let us know the specifics of your particular case by contacting us, either by phone or e-mail. You can find our contact information here.