Recyclable, Disposable Crutches Curb Healthcare Costs

A cheap and disposable plastic crutch could solve crutch shortages and reduce subsequent manufacturing costs accrued by the United Kingdom National Health Service (NHS).

Put together by a product design student at the University of Sussex (United Kingdom), the disposable plastic crutch has been designated by its creator replace the standard NHS aluminum crutch. Several key structural principles have been implemented into the design to ensure the strength needed to support a user's weight is provided by the minimal plastic design. Through a series of various levels of prototyping, key areas of weakness were highlighted and strengthened to ensure that the crutch inhibits similar strength and durability properties to its predecessor, but at a lower cost. The crutch does not need to be returned to the hospital, as the single-use Nylon device can be recycled back into the system when the user has recovered by disposing of them in a recycle bin. Two-part snap-fitting cuffs allow the design to be quickly tailored to the individual user, and a foam angled handle assures comfort during prolonged use.
"Each pair of crutches costs the NHS GBP 20 but over 50% never gets returned. I've worked through several prototypes to strengthen all the different stress points to make a recyclable crutch that's even stronger than the original but at a much reduced cost,” said student designer Alex Williams, who presented the crutches at the 2009 University of Sussex Design Show.

The project was inspired by the current state of the NHS's equipment lending service. Hundreds of hospitals nationwide spend thousands of U.K. pounds each year replacing equipment (in particular crutches) that are lent to patients and never returned. A single crutch costs approximately GBP 10; with thousands of people requiring them each year, the effect on the NHS's budget is significant. As a result, there is an ongoing crutch shortage in hospitals across the United Kingdom, resulting in many patients left wanting and having to suffer unnecessarily whilst they recover.

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