Imagine crutches -- or make that a crutch -- that requires no cumbersome upper body effort and simplifies the transition from sitting to standing. For anyone who sprains an ankle or otherwise in the future, the road to recovery is looking easier and less restrictive.
The Sit & Stand crutch engages the thigh and buttock in the injured leg while keeping weight off the injured lower leg and is said to allow the user to walk in a more natural manner than conventional crutches.
The base supporting the upper thigh is padded for comfort and the shaft appears sturdy and likely well-protected against skidding and sliding in the foot.
Behzad Rashidizadeh, a student at the Industrial Design College for Creative Studies, invented the device as part of a class project to improve the tired, traditional design of crutches. His project is being considered for a Dyson Award from the designer of the Dyson vacuum cleaner and ground-breaking expert in cyclonic separation James Dyson.
Rashidizadeh, 27, of Ontario, Canada, says that in addition to researching the evolution of crutches, he conducted interviews and limited himself to crutches to get a feel for the restrictions they impose on quality of life.
"The results from interviews and the experiment showed that the main problem is related to limitations in the use of hands," he says on the Dyson Foundation web page describing his project. "So my new challenge was to come up with a solution that enables crutch users to have their hands free, while they could maintain their balance without any problem."
It's not possible to foresee when Sit & Stand will be available to consumers since only a mock-up has been completed, although Rashidizadeh envisions a product that is lightweight and easy to use for all body types and both genders.
[Editor's note: in a previous version of this article on the Sit & Stand crutch design, we incorrectly stated that Mr. Rashidizadeh's project had won a Dyson Award when, in fact, the results are to be announced September 18. As of now, it is being considered.]
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