Everyone is familiar with crutches to help after a leg injury, but how do you know if you’re doing it right?
As the song says, you don’t know what you’ve got ‘till it’s gone. That’s especially true for the simple act of walking around. An injury or surgery on your foot or leg will likely heal in time, but how do you get around in the meantime? For many people, the answer is a pair of crutches. Your doctor will tell you to not put too much weight on the leg, but the problem is this: how do you know how much is too much? Once again, a health tech device comes to the rescue. New smart crutch tips have pressure sensors built in that wirelessly send data to an app on your smartphone. The system can send alerts when you are putting too much or too little weight on the injured leg. It can flash lights, make a sound, or send vibrations to give you feedback. And your doctor can adjust the target settings remotely as your recovery progresses.