Can you believe that humans have been using crutches for nearly 5,000 years?! Well its true, the concept of the crutch dates back to ancient Egyptian times with the evidence carved in the walls of some of ancient Egyptian's tombs. Although crutchtes have gone from being made from more natural materials such as wood to metal alloys in present times, the basic design has remained the same. The basic crutch has always been some type of stick like device with something attatched to the top to help you keep your upper body balanced and stabilized. There are three main types of crutches used to aid people who have difficulty walking: auxillary crutches, forearm crutches, and platform crutches. Forearm and platform crutches are used in more serious cases, with the auxillary crutch being the most common one used. The crutches in the picture are an example of auxillary crutches.Past, present, or future, the crutch is where mankind leans when it has trouble making its way in the world.
Credits:
Hartmann, Michael*. "Crutches". 10 August 2005**. http://www.emedicinehealth.com/. 08 June 2009. http://www.emedicinehealth.com/crutches/article_em.htm.
* Michael Hartmann is the main author of the article referenced in this post. There are several other coauthors and editors that can be viewed at the URL listed above that helped write it as well. Michael Hartmann has the following qualifications: DO, Staff Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, Darnall Army Community Hospital.
**This is the date of the last editorial review.
No comments:
Post a Comment