Ankle and knee injuries will limit your movements. I have experience in both situations. I had a serious knee injury that left me in serious pain that I could not walk. I had to sit down every three minutes as the pain was unbearable and I could not take it anymore.
There was a time in my life that I broke my ankle and this led me struggling to move around. I had to get crutches so that they could help me move from place to place. They worked but now I do realize that a knee walker would have been the best option.
Each mobility device has its pros and cons and the fact is when it comes to ankle or knee surgery/injuries you would prefer a knee walker over crutches or it might be in an opposite way depending on your situation. The choice is up to you so you will have to spend your time and do your research before you decide to go for any of the devices.
Knee Walkers
In reality, knee walkers are the best, they are the best option when it comes to lower-body injuries. When you are using a knee walker, you will have the ability to move around town. But they are difficult to maneuver when moving up or on tough terrain.
For a standard knee scooter, you will face challenges when moving over gravel, rocks, and sand, but there are other options known as all-terrain scooters that can deal with every kind of terrain.
When moving over pavement or any hard surface you will be able to easily use your knee scooter with great efficiency. When using a knee scooter you will be required to do the following:
- You will have to place your injured knee upon the knee pad
- You then have to bend your knee at a 90-degree angle and use the other uninjured leg to propel your scooter forward
- Below are things you must consider when using a knee scooter. The following are the pros and cons of a knee scooter:
Pros of using a knee scooter after an ankle Surgery
- You do not require upper body strength when using a knee scooter
- They are more comfortable as compared to other devices
- They speed up your mobility
These are benefits you will get in case you had ankle surgery. When using a knee scooter all the weight is placed upon a tibia and then supported through the knee and this means that your ankle will not experience any pressure.
You will be able to use your injured leg’s hip, your butt as well as your stabilization muscles. This will enable you to continue with your daily routines. Besides the risk of falling or slipping is minimal as compared to using crutches.
Cons of using a knee scooter after an ankle Surgery
- Weight is placed upon the knee
- You are forced to bend the knee at 90 degrees
- The knee walker comes with a high price tag
As knee walkers place all the weight upon the knee, you might experience pain, swelling as well as other issues following the knee surgery.
Crutches
These are referred to as true mobility aid and they have been around for a thousand years and still have their place in today’s world. When you have an injury than can bear weight on your injured leg or knee, then crutches are a good option to aid your mobility.
People who had ankle surgery do better with knee walkers but when they want to walk upstairs or on rough surfaces, then crutches come into play.
There are pros as well as cons for using crutches, but the pros work for both knee as well as ankle surgery.
Pros of using crutches after an ankle Surgery
- They work on all kind of terrains
- No weight pressure is experienced over the whole leg
- They are affordable
- They are portable and easy to transport
Crutches are easy to use on and rocks but the risk of falling is very high as compared to knee scooters. This is because your entire weight will be upon the crutches and in case you slip you might end up falling.
The good thing is that crutches remove all the weight from your knee or leg so the healing process will not involve excess discomfort or pain.
Besides crutches are sold everywhere, in local stores as well as online stores such as Amazon.
Cons of using a knee scooter after an ankle Surgery
- They require you to use excessive upper body strength
- They force you to place all the bodyweight under your arms
- They do not let you pressure any weight upon the injured leg even if you only have an ankle injury
- They are hard to use when going upstairs or on icy surfaces
They are known to cause pain when used for a long time. Your underarms will experience ache as well as being hurt. Besides crutches decrease mobility speed as compared to knee walkers. Also, you cannot use the leg muscles in such a way that you do when using a knee walker.
When moving over icy surfaces you are facing a big risk of falling, besides you will face difficulties when it comes to walking up and down the stairs. This is also impossible when using a knee walker as it will be impossible to walk up or downstairs. Also as mentioned before a lot of bodyweights is placed upon the arms, so if you had an accident that caused an injury to your ankle or knee as well as the upper body, then there is no way you can use the crutches.
You can use both crutches and knee walkers thus switch between them depending on the situation.
For many knee surgeries, crutches are the standard walking aid until the doctor prescribes you to have a knee walker.
When it comes to ankle surgery, most people prefer knee walkers as they do not require extreme upper body muscles to propel forward. Besides, they are more stable and the make mobility fast and easier. If you are in a dilemma on what to go for, you can ask your surgeon to give you medical advice.
If you check out our knee scooter rental in Madison, WI areas.