When you are recovering from a foot or ankle injury you are going to have to make a choice. Do you use crutches or a knee scooter to get around? As someone who has used both this is a no-brainer….the knee scooter is the winner hands down and is a great alternative to crutches! Here are 11 reasons the knee scooter is the way to go based on my own experience.
1. Grocery Shopping
Have you ever tried to go grocery shopping on crutches? It is virtually impossible. On the other hand I have purchased almost $100 in groceries using my kneed scooter basket and a hand cart. Use this life hack. You can slide the handles of the hand cart under your knee scooter handles so you don’t have to carry it. Makes grocery shopping a snap!
2. Going to Work
Getting around the office is so much easier on a scooter vs crutches. I work in a large 2 story building and when I was on crutches I found myself staying a at my desk all day was too much of a hassle. I would talk myself out of going to meetings because it took too much energy to get around and I was moving around at a snails pace.
The scooter makes a huge difference in getting around. Also if you are in a full room it is a good make shift chair if it is standing room only. As an extra bonus if you are sitting in a chair during a meeting it is a great foot rest for elevating your leg.
3. Taking the Dog for a Walk
Have you ever tried taking a dog for a walk on crutches? Ha! Good luck. On a knee scooter on the other hand this is a breeze. Just make sure you keep an eye out for uneven spots on the sidewalk. You don’t want to flip off your scooter!
During my recovery this was one of my favorite activities. Easy way to get out of the house and get some fresh air and exercise.
4. Going to the Gym
You want to make sure you stay active during your recovery and going to the gym and getting in a light workout is a great way to stay in shape. I’ve been able to keep a regular gym routine to workout my upper body thanks to my handy little knee walker!
5. Playing With the Kids
I have 2 small children and I have been able to remain active with them because of the scooter. I’ve gotten pretty creative and have been able to play catch with a football, baseball and pitch to my son who is learning to bat. We’ve even flown our drone.
I’ve done all of this while keeping my injured foot propped up on my knee scooter. I played so much baseball with my kid that the coach thought that he had played before!
6. The Mall
Going to the mall is a breeze on a knee scooter and is one of my favorite activities while recovering from foot surgery. We are able to spend some time together in a climate controlled environment (we live in Texas). It is a convenient activity where we can all get out of the house and spend some quality time together, shop and eat some food. I couldn’t even imagine doing this on crutches.
7. Keeps you From Putting Weight on Your Foot
This is probably one of the most important benefits of the knee scooter over crutches. It keeps you from putting any weight on your injured foot or ankle. Using crutches is easy to accidentally put weight on your leg so this will guarantee that you are 100% non-weight bearing to help with your recovery.
8. Your Underarms Will Thank You
Crutches will irritate and chaff your underarms. Don’t believe me? Just try using them for a few days. They will also cause you to get embarrassing underarm pit stains on your shirt. This was a huge concern for me since I wear dress shirts in an office environment and am prone to sweating.
9. Much More Stable
Knee scooters are much more stable vs crutches. You will really appreciate this when it rains or if there is ice or snow on the ground. You should however always go slow and watch where you are going on your scooter. I fell off of it once in front of my wife and kids. Luckily I only hurt my pride and my laptop which shot out of the basket. They had a really good laugh at my expense.
10. You Like Going To Restaurants Don’t You?
If you like going to restaurants try doing it on a pair of crutches. Ha! It is no fun as you hobble your way over to the table and try to sit down. It is easy as pie on scooter.
I have even braved the buffet on mine. My kids love CiCi’s Pizza. One hand on my tray and one hand steering! Bon apetit!
11. You Will Look Really Cool!
Well maybe not! I have been the butt of many jokes at work and have caused at least 2 people to laugh at me so hard that they teared up. They just didn’t expect to see me come zipping around the corner and it was just too much for them to handle.
That being said I even decked out my scooter with a faux wool cover on the knee pad for extra softness. You may not be the coolest kid on the block but you will have your mobility, comfort, and independence while you recover which is worth a few jokes and sideways stares!
In my opinion getting a knee scooter is far and away the best solution when compared to crutches. They may be more expensive but they are worth every penny. Having been non weight bearing for 3 months I tell you that I have been able to do about 8%0-90% of my normal daily activities because of it and my recovery has been much more tolerable and I have been active the entire time.
See the latest knee scooter prices at Amazon
Thanks for the tips. I must say that knee scooters are so much better than crutches. I had foot surgery about a month ago and my knee scooter has been a real life saver. It makes it so much easier to get around.