M+D Crutch® users experience greater mobility with less pain

For the majority of Max Younger’s life, his father, Dan, has been on and off crutches. Dan’s semi-permanent crutch use began when he was just a teenager, after an accident shattered his knee. He was only 18 when surgeons replaced his knee entirely — at the time, the youngest patient to undergo the procedure. His doctors told him to live normally and not hold back. So, he did.

Dan played sports, ran, exercised normally, but then he broke his knee. Over the years, Dan underwent five knee replacements, each procedure more invasive, as surgeons had to keep cutting into the bone to attach the prosthetic. In 2008, following surgery, Dan developed a staph infection. Even after intensive treatment and yet another new knee, the swelling and pain returned. Under doctors’ advice, he decided to amputate the affected area.

Seeing his father struggle with his injury and traditional underarm crutches, Max knew there was an opportunity to make mobility more comfortable, versatile and functional. An industrial design major, he chose crutches as his college thesis and came up with a prototype that uses the forearms and elbows instead of hands, wrists and armpits to support users’ body weight. After years of testing and improving, with Dan’s feedback, the first iteration of the M+D Crutch® came to fruition.

Max partnered with his wife and fellow industrial designer Liliana to officially incorporate their company, Mobility+Designed, and bring the M+D Crutch to people across the U.S. and Europe. This revolutionary mobility aid improves users’ experiences by relieving severe discomfort and disruptions to everyday life, while preventing the debilitating injuries normally associated with crutch use. The M+D Crutch also offers significant lifestyle enhancements, including a rotating handle for hands-free walking, customizable arm bands, an unlocking arm cradle that improves freedom of motion, and interchangeable feet for any weather and terrain.

Stephanie Mlodzik, who has cerebral palsy, started using the M+D Crutch after a serious fall in June 2018. Determined to recover from the injury and walk down the aisle on her wedding day, she was proactive with her physical therapy, but extreme pain in her wrists from using her regular canes (standard forearm crutches) held her back. She explored other models, but they all put too much pressure on her arms.

That’s when she ordered the M+D Crutch. When they arrived and she stood up with them for the first time, she "got lost in tears. It was the first time in 10 years I’ve been able to look at the man I love face to face, without worrying about losing my balance or the effort of standing distracting from the moment."

Adapting to the M+D Crutch took some time, but Stephanie says she feels stronger and can walk farther without tiring so quickly. On July 8, she reached her goal to walk down the aisle to her groom. Overall, 45 percent of M+D Crutch users agree it’s easier to do daily activities using the M+D Crutch vs. other mobility devices, and 71 percent do not hurt at all when using the M+D Crutch. That’s a 373 percent improvement from traditional crutch use.

To learn more about the M+D Crutch and how you can prescribe your patients greater mobility with more versatility and less pain, contact Mobility+Designed CEO Dan Alcazar at +1 816-213-0160 today.