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All About Knee Scooters
The Definitive Guide to the Knee Scooter
Knee Scooters, a.k.a. knee rover, knee walker, ankle cart…all the same thing! Knee Scooters have key safety features such as hand brakes, large diameter wheels, and a wide front stance.
A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words
Here at MyKneeScooter.com we’d thought we might show off our graphic skills and try an infographic about knee scooters. They say a picture is worth and thousand words, well here’s one with about 46 words. It still might communicate better what a Knee scooter is and eliminate some confusion with what it’s called. There’s no difference between a knee scooter and a knee walker or knee rover…they are all the same thing. As well, sometimes a graphic just gets the job done nice and easy, so we thought to add all the key features that make a knee scooter worth it.
Top Safety and Comfort Must Haves for Your Knee Scooter
As always, be sure a health professional, such as your doctor or a clinician who specializes in recovery and mobility, have helped you assess the need for a mobility device and have made sure a knee scooter is the right choice for you.
- Doctor’s Orders – Proper assessment that considers your personal overall health and recovery needs is mandatory.
- Hand Brakes – I want to have sturdy construction here, but that’s a given. Hand brakes and a parking brake are essential to the safe operation of your scooter.
- Padded Rest – the rest pad for your recovering leg needs to be long enough, wide enough and plush enough to properly secure and protect your leg.
- Large Wheels – large diameter wheels, especially upfront, will make use on carpet or hard floor easier. Floor transitions and sidewalk gaps are no trouble either.
- Adjustable Rest – essential to comfort as well as balance.
- Adjustable Handlebar – having the correct posture is a must for comfort when using for any length of time.
Things to Consider in Use
Where you’ll use your knee scooter
Many designs exist and while they all do the same thing, certain designs do better to accommodate the differences in lifestyle of the user. Individuals in hospital, for instance, might not need all-terrain wheels or a folding knee scooter for transport. There usually isn’t carpet or the need to go out when your in the hospital. People recovering at home may have different needs and terrain to move about on. It may be necessary to pack the knee scooter into a car or go a couple blocks to a store. Discussing all of these issues with your health professional should help in determining which scooter is right for you.
Your abilities
How are you? How’s your balance and overall mobility? A good reference is asking yourself how you feel about riding a bicycle? Knee scooters are used in an upright fashion, like a bike, and the risk of a fall is real. When the front wheels turned ninety degrees, they are inline with the rear wheels and the overall stance becomes much narrower. This is considered the most dangerous position for a knee scooter, as the risk of falling sideways is increased. If balance isn’t an issue for you and you can understand the limitations of a scooter, then using one can help keep active people on the move while healing.
Knee Scooter Rental vs Buying
Does A Knee Scooter Rental Make Better Sense than Buying One?
Sorry to hear you’re in the market for a knee scooter. You, or someone you love enough to bother making more comfortable, is in need of an alternative mobility aid. Hopefully it’s because a successful surgery has taken place, and not a broken foot or ankle! Either way, here’s hoping a speedy recovery with new-found wellbeing is coming soon!
If you and your Doctor have determined that a knee scooter, sometimes called knee rover, is the right device for you; then you have the option between a purchase or knee scooter rental.
Your Doctor will advise you about how long your recovery should take. That will inform you as to how long you’ll need a rental. Check with your local pharmacies and drug stores to see if they have rental programs or if they can put you in touch with someone. Chances are your local druggist has mobility aids for rent. A Google search will reveal nearby places.
From the intel we’ve gathered here, most knee scooter rentals cost upwards from $35/week (USD). Whether or not your insurance provides coverage is something to ask your benefits provider. Get them on the phone and make sure your deductible isn’t more than the cost of either renting or buying! Then ask what restrictions there are on time or duration of the rental. Be sure you’re covered for the entire length of your recovery.
If our numbers are correct, and it does indeed cost $35/week to rent – and your doc says you need 8-10 weeks in a boot post surgery – YIKES! The dollars sure start to add up! With basic knee scooters available online starting at $160, and possibly free shipping, the $280-$350 to rent a knee scooter isn’t such a bargain. You’ll have to do your own local research, and please let us know if we’re way off base, but if you don’t require a specialized knee scooter then an online purchase might make more sense than a rental.
Knee scooter or walker being used by a woman with foot in surgical boot on sunny winter day, close up.
Now, that being said, there are some online knee walker rental companies that rent high-end models with all-terrain tires or other special features. Often high-end knee scooters are made of lighter and stronger materials, fold for transport and storage convenience, and include accessories such as baskets and cup-holders. Of course, it’s always up to you to determine what you can and want to do. If you’re out-of-pocket for a knee scooter, it looks like an online purchase might be the way to go. Quite likely it wouldn’t be hard to re-sell the scooter afterwards and get some of you money back.
So to recap, check if you’re covered by insurance (deductible!!), check locally for rental and prices and determine what a knee scooter rental be cost. Then search online for a used knee scooter, you never know, you might get a bargain!
Here’s to a speedy recovery!
What Is A Knee Scooter
What is a Knee Scooter? The knee scooters above are a great example! The ‘seat’ is actually the pad for your injured leg and you move about by scooting with you healthy leg! The knee scooters front wheel stance is wide for stability, while the rear wheels are narrow for your kick leg.
Knee Walker or Knee Rover: What is a Knee Scooter
A Knee Scooter, also called a kneerover or knee walker, is an alternative to crutches and wheelchairs for people requiring a mobility aid. They’re not overly common, so don’t worry if you find yourself asking; what is a knee scooter. The main benefits are it’s ease of handling and upright position of the user.
You could mistake one for a child’s kick-scooter, except for the padded, elevated leg platform. Provided the injury is below the knee, the scooter supports the lower leg in a proper non-weight bearing fashion. The benefit of this full support is reduced healing time and less chance of re-injury to the ankle or foot.
A good example of a basic knee scooter is the Carex Knee Scooter.
Knee Scooters are Easy to Use
The knee scooter is about as easy to use as it looks! It has a handle bar with brakes like a bicycle does. The front wheels are wider apart than the rear wheels to make room for your ‘kickin’ leg. Honestly, it would be tempting to scoot really fast! However, they are not meant for speed if you’re fleet of foot. Models with smaller wheels are generally for indoor use, like hospital wards and clinics. A range of models are available with various wheel sizes and treads for different terrain. You must consider where you’ll be using yours and if you’ll need to maneuver any uneven floors. Even low room-to-room transitions may need the right wheels to not be a hassle.
For those without the upper body strength to move about on crutches, or push around in a wheelchair, and a knee scooter may be the solution. It’s less effort while using muscles that are more accustomed to the work. Getting around is easy since ‘scooting’ feels quite natural and upright.
Knee Scooters are Hands Free (when not steering!)
Having your hands completely free when stopped is a big benefit. It gives the user a greater sense of ability and less restriction. A scooter can let you have your hands free for all those everyday tasks that don’t stop for healing.
A Knee Walker can fit any size person, as most have adjustable handlebars and leg platforms. There are brands with pediatric size knee scooters available for children, and smaller adults.
The Knee scooter is fairly simple, but there is a learning curve to mastering its use. Practice mounting and dismounting in safe place with an assistant. As well, they’re not meant for high speed and risk toppling over if doing so. Individuals with balance concerns should take greater consideration of the upright nature of orthopedic scooters.
Options include three-wheeled and four-wheeled versions to increase maneuverability or stability, depending how and where you’ll be cruising.