On the modeling crutch assisted locomotion: examining the interfaces with the ground and with the human body

Abstract

[Excerpt] Over the years, assistive devices for locomotion, such as crutches, have been developed to provide support to patients suffering from mobility and/or independence impairments [1]. According to the World Health Organization, more than a billion people worldwide depend on one or more assistive devices, and this number is estimated to double by 2050 [2]. Patients suffering from disabilities, such as spinal cord injury, rely on crutches to preserve their base of support and balance, as well as to partially or fully unload the lower limbs by transferring their body weight to the upper limbs. Crutch use can either be temporary or permanent, and allow for a variety of gait patterns, namely swing-to, swing-through and reciprocal gait patterns.