4 Reasons to Use a Knee Walker Instead of Crutches

If we can believe the comics, a caveman invented the first wheel out of stone. This begs a question: considering the long-time existence of the wheel, and the shortcomings of crutches, why did it take so long for someone to invent the knee walker?

While we don’t know the answer to that, we do know several reasons you will be grateful the knee walker exists in our age.

Consider the following four.

1. Enjoy Steady Comfort

Crutches cause more pain than you might suspect. Of course, using them beats walking on your injury—or not walking at all—but it still hurts to use them. With every step, your body weight presses against your crutches. This pain adds up, despite the padding atop crutches.

Fortunately for you, the knee walker lets a much sturdier part of your body (your knee) bear your weight.

2. Glide Alongside Any Stride

Crutches help you do some of the things you used to, but often only partially. For example, you might typically walk briskly alongside your boss, briefing him or her before an important meeting. In the pressure of such a moment, neither you nor your boss wants any distractions.

Crutches would both slow things down and make maneuvering difficult. This could distract from your conversation.

A knee walker, however, can glide along with any stride. With its natural steering, it can keep your mind and eyes free to focus on your boss’s face. You can even hold extra papers in the accessible basket, instead of clutching and wrinkling them with your hand as you also manage your crutches.

The knee walker minimizes your difficulty. In any situation, it keeps your injury from preventing your success.

3. Roll and Stroll

Sometimes missing out on a fun activity causes more pain than the injury that keeps you from it. If your friends want to go on a simple hike, or even just toss a Frisbee at the park, your crutches will slow everyone down. No doubt good friends won’t mind, but why slow them down if you don’t have to?

Many beautiful wilderness areas now boast paved paths. This means that your knee walker will make you as capable as anyone on the trail. You can scan your surroundings while cruising, fall back or speed up to join different groups, and simply enjoy your time without pain.

You can even offer to carry the water bottles in your basket. After all, that makes it easier for everyone else, and not at all harder for you.

At a park, you might not be the most mobile target for a Frisbee, but at least you can rest easily as you wait for a pass, which will put your friends more at ease, too. If nothing else, you can enjoy rolling, if not strolling, along the park’s trails.

4. Find Childlike Fun

In addition to all of the ways the knee walker empowers you to maintain your daily routine, it is also surprisingly fun.

Kids in particular can find value in this. A child may be discouraged by their injury, feeling left out on the playground at recess, since they can no longer play a certain game with their friends. The substitution of another fun option can console them.

The feeling of gliding along with a small breeze of speed can compensate for the games your child is missing out on. Furthermore, the novelty may attract other children’s excitement—even envy—which can keep your child from feeling left out.

If you’re the one injured, you may even have some admirers around your workplace. Crutches probably won’t be so coveted.

Enjoy Rolling Along the Road to Recovery

The knee walker offers comfortable and convenient mobility to anyone who has suffered an injury. You don’t have to miss out or suffer until you recover. Crutches will help you keep going, but the knee walker will help you enjoy life while you do so. You might be surprised to see just how pleasant it can be.