Is there a market for making wood crutches?

[Bob Weisner]

Hi:

Does anyone know if there is a good enough market to make wood crutches? The new wood crutches that are for sale now, seem to be a lower quality than what was made just a few years ago. What do you think? Should I try to make a few and see what the market is like?

Thanks,

[Don Baer]

Most crutches that I see today are made of Aluminum. My son just got a pair (another story) and they cost him $48.00. I don't know how much labor would go into making a pair but for that price it better not be very much.

[Matt Meiser]

I would look into the legal issues surrounding them before trying. A lot of medical "stuff" is highly regulated, but I have no idea if crutches would be. Another concern would be liability.

[Steve Schoene]

The problem is that the patients don't pay for the crutches--the insurance companies do, and if it will suffice to do the job the only criterion for them is cost.

[Bart Goldberg]

I don't know about crutches, but there is a large untapped market for custom made supports for the handicapped. A Dr.friend of mine has a daughter that is handicapped and is always asking me to custom make some sort of support device for her cause there is just no where else for her to go, and the commerically available devices do not fit properly. I would think that Crutches would fit into this category.

[Richard Wolf]

Yeah. I think maybe there is a market for designer crutches. Bad enough hobbling around on them, maybe something with a little personality or personal touch.

Richard

[Tom Hamilton]

Me thinks crutches are temporary devices; thus disposable and workmanship, wood selection and finish probably don't add value.

The previous mentioned issues of liability and distribution would probably require some serious research.

A custom pair for a friend, maybe, but as a money making product line I'm doubtful.

Just a top of the head reaction, Good Luck, TJH

[Ellen Benkin]

Much as I love wood, I don't think I'd want to lug around a pair of wooden crutches -- much less worry about dinging them. The aluminum (or whatever) ones are light and useful and no one cares when they fall or are thrown onto something. And, as Steve said, insurance companies pay for them.

[Jim Dannels]

It never even occured to me to make crutches, but if one needs them they might like nice ones?
However, two days a week I work in a Walmart, and the variety of canes I see rangeing from a gnarley stick to fancy turned and carved pieces with inlays and brass furniture. Not only leads me to believe there is a market, but has me interested in doing some canes. I am doing some research.
A google search for canes and walking sticks, makes for some interesting reading.

Maybe Old Timer`s is setting in? Here`s a childhood memory thats come back.
I must have been 5 or 6 when Great Uncle Willard took me out in the woods to bend canes. He took nylon stockings and would bend a thin sapling till the top pointed to the ground and tie it off. in a few years the top would bend back but the sapling had a natural hook for a cane handle. It was just a matter of giving it a few years to reach a diameter of about an inch.

[Kirk (KC) Constable]

Let me be the cynic here...

In this 'sue happy' society, do you really wanna be the guy making designer crutches?

KC

[Larry Reimer]

Bob, I have no doubt you can make better crutches than what's being sold to people. Unfortunately, anybody making medical devices or health aids will get to learn the ins and outs of our legal system.

Doesn't matter if your device failed or was even at fault. In the case of a slip/fall where the patient was using crutches the crutch manufacturer will be having conversations with his legal counsel - guaranteed. (yet another reason our health care costs are high)

So, if you really want to make crutches, either do it for friends and family (a situation like Bart describes), or sell your product to a supplier with the agreement that the supplier assumes product liability risk.

Sorry to be such a wet blanket but I've "been there done that" way too many times, seen way too much money paid out.

[Dave Richards]

Evidently there is some market for wooden crutches other than the cheap ones that are sometimes given when one sprains their ankle.

A fellow named Ed Openshaw makes some of rosewood, oak, or maple. Take a look at this link. http://www.fetterman-crutches.com/cr...s/woodtop.html

I don't know how many are sold at those prices but they are out there.

[Bob Weisner]

Thanks for all the replys!! I got to thinking about this because every pair of wood crutches that I have had for the past 33 going on 34 years now, have fallen apart after just one year. The dowel rod that holds the top piece together breaks off and ends up making the crutch useless. When I went out to buy a new pair this week, the new wood crutches are now made with a solid rubber top , instead of wood. This makes putting a cushion on the top impossible. They also changed the legs of the crutches. They were at one time all wood. Now, the leg of the crutches are now some sort of hard fiberglass. I don't know how long this new design is going to last since I am VERY rough on my crutches I go hunting , fishing and run a trapline each Fall and through the a Good part of the Winter. This puts a LOT of wear and tear on the crutches.

I did try using the aluminum crutches once. The metal got so cold in the Winter that my hands started to stick to the metal. I stopped using them after that.

I never thought about the product liability aspect of it. Since I have been on crutches for so many years , I just come to expect that they are going to break and if I fall, well, I fall.

Thanks,

[Ronald Bradley]

It never even occured to me to make crutches, but if one needs them they might like nice ones?
However, two days a week I work in a Walmart, and the variety of canes I see rangeing from a gnarley stick to fancy turned and carved pieces with inlays and brass furniture. Not only leads me to believe there is a market, but has me interested in doing some canes. I am doing some research.
A google search for canes and walking sticks, makes for some interesting reading.

Maybe Old Timer`s is setting in? Here`s a childhood memory thats come back.
I must have been 5 or 6 when Great Uncle Willard took me out in the woods to bend canes. He took nylon stockings and would bend a thin sapling till the top pointed to the ground and tie it off. in a few years the top would bend back but the sapling had a natural hook for a cane handle. It was just a matter of giving it a few years to reach a diameter of about an inch.

I know that this is an very old post but I just wanted to know. How big was the sapling when it was bent (height diameter). I have a few saplings here that by the time they grew to the right size I could spend my retirement making canes.
I made a set of wood crutches for a friend a couple of years ago. It was a lot of work. Now mind you they are very ornate with inlay and stuff but I would bet that would run over a thousand dollars with the amount of time I put in. Wish I had a couple of pics to post.

[Prashun Patel]

I've been on crutches for weeks at a time after a couple knee surgeries. Crutches became 100% utilitarian to me, and I would never have traded the aluminum ones I had for a a wood one. In fact, I would have paid more for a graphite or lighter ones.

Further, you'd probably have to make them adjustable to serve a larger market. This would entail some kind of dowel pin and would likely be subject to the same issues current models have.

Every pair of wooden and aluminum crutches I've used have big ugly foam pads on them to protect your hands and underarms. Wood or aluminum, I don't see a comfortable way around that.

I don't see anyone walking around permanently on crutches.