Research & Development

Proto-type 1 – August 1984

Proof of concept (attachable feet) field tested on Mt. Baker and Mt. Rainier in Washington, USA. I became the first woman amputee on crutches to climb Mt. Rainier without an artificial limb.

Proto-type 2 – May 1985

Design modifications – field tested on Mt. McKinley (Denali) in Alaska, USA. First amputee on crutches to climb Mt. McKinley without an artificial limb. Visit the Digital Resource Foundation and scroll down (a long way!) to the ‘Mountain Climbing’ section.

Proto-type 3 – May 2004

New concept introduced to the crutch in the form of shock absorbing system. Other forearm crutch systems were only providing a spring system (no damper). This proto-type was field tested on the Camino de Santiago in Northern Spain. I became the first amputee on crutches to walk 700 kilometers in one month without an artificial limb.

Proto-type 4 – May 2006

Crutch system using existing commercialized and inexpensive light weight crutches on the market, and including the SideStix shock system. Tubular materials broke down easily and the handles and cuffs were not adjustable or comfortable. SideStix uses a 6061 aluminum and/or titanium and/or carbon fiber tubular materials which are light and strong. The handles and cuffs are interchangeable.

Proto-type 5 – December 2008

SideStix forearm crutch with a shock system and feet which is Patent Pending. Brian Dubberley of Inventive Solutions in Gibsons, along with Michael Roman and Jeffrey Vicq of Clark Wilson in Vancouver helped us with our patent filing. This crutch offers a significant reduction in joint compression, and the feet attachments allow safe access to a variety of terrains from urban to wilderness. This proto-type was field tested on Mt. Kilimanjaro in January ’09.

Proto-type 6 – October 2009

A new spline damper shock system and sand baskets were introduce in August ’09 and field tested on B.C.’s West Coast Trail. See our Journal entries on the West Coast Trail.