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20 of 20 found the following review helpful:
 Lower Leg Injury? You NEED This. Jul 10, 2010
By N. Chan
I did not buy this from Amazon but feel compelled to contribute a positive review since so little is known about this terrific product.
My Injury & Search for Maximum Mobility:
I ruptured my Achilles tendon on June 7, 2010. My right foot will be NWB (non-weight bearing) for 3 months. After being on conventional crutches for one week and discovering how limited they were (e.g. heating up a coffee in the microwave and taking it to the kitchen table becomes an exercise in strategic planning), I found the "Freedom Leg" on-line (I'll let you google for that), but from what I read, most of the Internet "buzz" painted a promising picture but very few positive testimonials from actual users (not counting their youtube video). I suspect the product is just too new. One of their on-line retailers stopped carrying it due to numerous returns and one spontaneous failure (yikes!). There are several interesting alternatives such as leg/knee scooters, the onecrutch, and fore-arm crutches, but in my job, I drive and/or fly to meet customers. I carry a laptop, luggage, stay in hotels etc. A wheel chair or powered scooter were not practical unless I remodeled my home.
About the iWALKFree:
Then my wife found the iwalkfree. Necessity is the mother of invention, and the inventor created this in 97 after a bad fall. Since then, it has been certified by the FDA and Canadian medical authorities as an approved medical device. It has been blogged about at places like [...] among others and all signs pointed to a viable alternative. After a minor fall going down stairs on the crutches, I ordered the iwalkfree and received it Jun 24. The manufacturer recommends using a cane until you gain your balance and I concur...but after "testing" it for a few hours for stability, I "strapped it on" and went to dinner the same day. I did not feel very stable but thought "This is your best chance for mobility for the next 3 months...get used to it!". I am happy to report I DID get used to it and highly recommend it.
Things to Consider:
1. Fit - Make sure you get it sized correctly; the aluminum strut needs to be cut to match your leg's inseam. If not, it could poke into your abdomen when taking large strides. Not the end of the world, you will need a saw to cut away any excess. I read on productwiki a reviewer who believed it was not designed well for males since the top strap rides high into your crotch. I've had no issues at all.
2. IMHO, this is for people who:
a) WANT to be mobile - if you're already a couch potato...stop reading and grab another mouthful of nachos.
b) Fairly active and have good trainable balance - I'm no ballerina or superstar athlete. I can ride a bike, ski blues and occasional blacks and do a 10K in about an hour, I have decent adaptable balance. You will place additional load on your "good leg" especially going up and down steep terrain, e.g. hiking up a moderately inclined mountain trail that was supposed to take 15 minutes walking took me about 20 - 25 minutes on the iWalk. I don't believe reviewers who've said you need to be "very athletic".
3. Not great for constantly getting up and down (i.e. in a chair) - With repeated practice I can take it on/off in 15 to 30 seconds WITHOUT any help. I think this is a decent trade off against the overall mobility it provides.
4. People will stare at you - If this makes you too uncomfortable or self-conscious...don't bother. By my 3rd day with it, I went to Costco by myself for about 3 hours...I purposely avoided parking in a wheel chair spot. I had at least 5 people approach me to ask about it and enough staring/gawking to make me think I was a real hottie.
5. Pressure/Rubbing on your injured leg - Some have complained that the position it puts your leg in can cause shin or (in my case heel pain). Look carefully at the position it puts the injured leg in, it is almost horizontal on the "knee shelf". Consider your cast/brace/CAM walker/boot and whether or not you think this will be a problem. The position is most like having the injured leg on a chair (likely what you presently do in the bathroom or kitchen right?). Depending how active you want to be, you may experience a bit of leg bounce on the injured leg. For me, the weight of my CAM walker/boot occasionally causes heel pain in this position e.g. when I tried playing badminton or basketball so I took numerous breaks.
6. Padding on the knee shelf adequate? I weigh about 140 lbs. and other than putting a cotton pad on the knee shelf for breath-ability (I sweat a lot and it is summer), I find the padding just fine. I am a tad concerned that the foam may compress (i.e. pack out) beyond usefulness at the end of my 3 month NWB period...in the worst case, it looks easily replaceable and is clearly as a result to the constant use it gets.
I would give it 5 stars if it had options for a suspension/shock absorber (like on a bike) and an add-on to attach to a bike pedal so it could serve double duty as an iBIKEFree :). Conversely, I can see that its genius is in its simplicity. I am a fan of this device and highly recommend it to everyone I talk to.
9 of 9 found the following review helpful:
 Great Product For Lower Leg Injuries Nov 08, 2010
By M. Mahoney
I fully echo N. Chan's July 10, 2010 review. Her points are well organized and articulately presented. When I was looking for reviews before purchasing an iWALKFree, I found hers to be the best review out there (Thank you N. Chan!). Based on my 3 weeks with the iWALKFree, I will only add a few points to her comprehensive write-up.
1. I too have found the iWALKFree device to be a huge quality of life improvement over using crutches. Not only can you carry and lift things with your hands, but you can easily and comfortably simply stand upright and have conversations, etc. without being draped over crutches. And you are no longer dependent on others to get things for you.
2. There are other rolling knee walker devices out there, but they cannot go over rough and uneven terrain, and even stairs, like the iWALKFree can. I thought some of the things I read others were doing on thier iWALKFree's were "stretches" of the truth (swinging a golf club, throwing a ball, mowing the lawn, etc.), but after 3 weeks on my iWALKFree, I have done all of those and more.
3. It took my cast technician two modifications to the top of my cast, for the iWALKFree to be comfortable. At first the cast was so high that it put pressure on the little bony protrusion below the knee (tibial tuberosity), so we took 1 1/2" off the top of the cast. Then the newly cut top of the cast dug into my shin, so I went back and he added some padding. I can now wear it for several hours at at a time before I need to get off of the leg for a while.
4. A related product that you might look into if you have a lower leg cast or injury is the DryCorp "Dry Pro" surgical rubber waterproof cast protector. It goes on and off quickly so that you can shower or bathe without getting your cast wet. And I have been swimming laps in mine as well. It is a big improvement over the garbage bag and rubber band method that I used to use each morning to shower - no to mention the ability to swim again and get some exercise.
5. I told my wife this weekend that if I were forced to make the choice between 10 weeks in a non-weight bearing cast WITH the use of the iWALKFree VERSUS only 5 weeks in a cast on crutches, I would choose 10 weeks WITH the iWALKFree... it improves my quality of life that much!
Mike
6 of 6 found the following review helpful:
Get back your lifestyle & livlihood Mar 10, 2010
By Michigan Guy
"canoeu87"
The I WALK FREE Hands Free Crutch is a godsend allow you to go on stairs, uneven surfaces, even in the shower. It took a few days to get accustomed to it during which time I used a cane. After that I had gained the confidence to use it everywhere. ONE MAJOR THING TO BE AWARE: THE ALUMINUM BEAM MAY NEED TO BE CUT. This requires power tools. Not easy on one foot. There are some distributors that cut them to size and even rent them. Goodbye Crutches, hello I WALK FREE
4 of 4 found the following review helpful:
Almost perfect--well done product; scooter more convenient for office environment Aug 22, 2011
By Jeffrey D. Day
"Jeff Day"
This product is 5 stars in most ways but there are a couple of practical issues that made me decide to give it only 4 stars overall. But if you're reading this review, let me give you some advice: BUY IT.
Love the iWalkFree. I have a severed Achilles and can't put any weight on it. The iWalk has helped me get much of my life back. Since getting it 10 days ago, I have mowed the lawn, blown and raked leaves, walked my dog, raced my son around the running track (we start in the same spot and see how far I can get before he can lap me), played a (casual) baseball game, coached my daughter's soccer team, and generally regained my ability to walk anywhere.
I am 6'6" and about 230 lbs, and the crutch fits me perfectly. I have a 36" inseam, yet I still have adjust to spare on the knee support--I think this thing would work for some folks that are 6'8". 5 stars for fit.
When not needing a crutch, I am fit and active, but I'm not a super-athlete. Anyone who is in reasonably good shape with reasonable coordination should be able to use this product. Just make sure your "good" leg and hip are in decent shape.
The crutch is very well designed and built. And it's reasonably easy to adjust. 5 stars.
I had no trouble learning how to use it. The videos on the iWalk-Free.com web site helped me get started. I was a bit wobbly at first but was able to walk to the park within 15 min of putting it on. After about 3 days, I was quite comfortable and started walking with a longer stride, balancing on the crutch, walking stairs without a railing. Last night I was showing off and "twirling" around in place while standing only on the crutch. 5 stars for ease of use.
Safety: My wife, and mom were all fussing about me buying this thing. They were all convinced that is "looks" unstable and were worried that I was going to fall and hurt myself. In reality, I feel *way* more safe on the iWalkFree than I do on both crutches (they run into and get snagged on furniture, my kids' junk, etc.) and my knee scooter (roll over a rough surface at your own peril). I do "snag" the bottom of the crutch on cracks or uneven concrete & grass surfaces, but it feels more like what would happen if you tripped or stumbled a little--you just catch yourself. Overall, I feel very comfortable and stable on the cruch. 5 stars for safety. (And my wife and mom agree now that they've seen me on it.)
Overall comfort: While the crutch fits me well and is comfortable to wear, the rest of my body doesn't love wearing it. My right knee (the one thats on the support) tends to get tired and stiff when I've been moving around for awhile. Also, my lower back tends to feel pretty achy when I'm wearing the crutch. This has to do with the fact that my weight isn't entirely even on each leg and because my hips aren't perfectly level. I've played with the height settings, and I've made everything a little better, but my body still gets out of sorts after awhile. I expect it will get better with time, as I get used to it. 3 stars.
Hands free-ness: Ok, this is where the crutch really shines. I can carry stuff. I can carry both my laptop and a hot cup of coffee. I can grab rails. I can shake hands. I can do work. 10 stars. (Can I give 10 stars?)
Insurance: My doctor (at the excellent U. of Washington Foot & Ankle Clinic) was familiar with the crutch and had one on hand that he's loaned out to patients. It was a bit beat up and my insurance was willing to pay (with a prescription), so I purchased. 5 stars for price!
Stories: Same doctor told me two stories: 1) he has a video of a patient playing Ultimate Frisbee on the crutch; 2) a patient who was a home builder was able to work in the crutch and (to the doctor's horror) even climbed ladders on it. Honestly, as safe as I feel on the crutch, a ladder sounds like a terrible idea.
Sitting: OK, as useful as the crutch has been overall, it's not a perfect replacement for my knee scooter. It's simply not practical to sit wearing the crutch. I still try to do it, but I'm never comfortable, and the end sticks out...kinda looks like I've got a shotgun hanging off my leg. Also, I end up with weight on my foot/ankle which works for maybe 30 sec but then I'm uncomfortable. Given that it takes about 15 sec to get off and maybe 30 sec to put back on, and that putting it on requires some careful balancing, I have decided not to wear it around the house or my office much. I'm still using my knee scooter primarily when I'm sitting at my desk or on the couch--much easier to get up for meetings or to go to the bathroom. 3 stars.
Speaking of going to the bathroom: Works great at a urinal. Much easier than crutches or a knee scooter. Need to take it off if I need to sit. (I sit first then take it off.) 5 stars.
Showers: I don't go near the shower in the iWalk. There would just be a little too much balancing and maneuvering around a slippery floor. It would probably work, but I revert to my scooter or crutches when getting in/out of the shower. 3 stars.
Around the house: Great, great, great if you need to do housework, yard work, cook, etc. Just today I was walking around the yard spraying weed killer, walking my dog, folding laundry (while standing) and cleaning the kitchen. 5 stars.
Customer service: I bought the crutch directly from iWalkFree, since I wanted to be certain of customer service, and I didn't know if there was only one size. It's a small company, and I called them with my questions. They were AWESOME. Great people, very passionate about their product. 5 stars.
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
Worth Every Penny Jul 25, 2011
By Mach5k
Fractured my ankle playing soccer and had to be non-weight bearing for six weeks. Got this on day 5 and has been worth every penny. I am a large guy 6'2" 260-270 lbs+. I still used crutches, but would say I split the use 60% on the iwalk and 40% on crutches. It is great once you get use to it for any long period of time on the feet. So if you are cooking, or for me vacuuming the pool, or coaching my daughter's soccer team. Anytime I had a long-distance to go i would do it on the iWalk. Around the house to jump up and get something i tended to use the crutches.
Got to the point where I could put the iwalk on in 20 seconds or less, and I got good at going up and down stairs too. To the point i preferred to do stairs on the iwalk than using crutches. I would tweak the height whether I was using it barefoot or with a shoe, they have a scale on the front making it easy to adjust and remember your settings. Build quality is excellent. It took a little getting used to, but I would recommend it for anyone looking for a crutch replacement that has a foot/ankle injury. Of course I did ask my doctor before using to make sure they were ok with it too.
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