Adaptable Mechanism for Walking Aids
摘要
Health has a major impact on everyday life. Walking disorders affect a large number of people, who thus become dependent on the use of a walking device or walking aid. The walking devices are addressed not only to the elderly, to people suffering from various locomotor disorders, but also to people in the phase of post-operative recovery, who for a period of time must use such a device. Their use also implies certain recommendations such as avoiding walking on stairs with bilateral subaxillary crutches, or the walking frame, the need for a fixed support surface next to the antebrachial crutch when lifting / sitting down, the need for a handrail or help from a person to climbing / descending stairs with the help of antebrachial crutch, etc. This paper presents an adaptable mechanism suitable to any walking device, such as a cane, axillary crutch, antebrachial crutch (Canadian) or walking frame, having the role of making the functions of these walking devices more efficient, so that it provides a propulsion force when lifting and ensures a controlled sitting, with support only in the walking device. Thanks to the possibility of changing the length of the walking device, it makes it possible to go up / down stairs, with only support in the walking device, providing an increase in user independence and mobility.