Not all things are created equal! This saying goes for the knee scooter as well and the more you test out the more you will understand the importance of choosing one that works correctly and is well made. If you are looking to purchase or rent a knee scooter look for the following features.

Features to look for on a Knee Scooter

1. Fully rotatable wheels – Some knee scooters have wheels that are restricted to move in only a 180 degree manner. This is usually to help prevent accidents, but if you are using it correctly you will not need this aid to avoid such things. Having wheels that fully rotate in a 360 circle will greatly increase the ease of use of the device and make getting around much easier. You will specifically notice the advantage of having fully rotating wheels when you try to turn around in a knee scooter. If you have fully rotating wheels you can stay in one spot and turn around, if your wheels do not turn completely around you will most likely have to move forward and at an angle in order to face the opposite direction.
2. Padded Handlebars – Most knee scooters will come with handles that are padded, but it’s additionally important to make sure that the handlebars are comfortable as you will have your hands on them for a long period of time. Handlebars that have soft gel covers are best, if you use a knee scooter that has hard rubber handlebars you run a higher chance of getting blisters on your hand after a full day of use.
3. Handle Brakes – While not all knee scooters have this option and it’s not essential, it’s a nice thing to have. Some will sport handle brakes which allow you to slow down. You may think this is unecessary until you find yourself on a downward slope on the kneed scooter. You don’t want to put all of the job on your good leg to stop you or you could end up injuring it as well!
4. A very Well Cushioned Knee Seat – This is essential. Your knee / leg will be on this cushion for the duration of the use of the knee scooter so you want to be sure that it is extremely comfortable to use for a long period of time. Most will have this covered.
5. Adjustable Handlebars – This comes on most knee scooters as a great way to adjust to the height of any person who uses it. This is important or you will end up straining your back if you have to lean too far forward to reach the handlebars.
6. A fold away body style. Many  are created for only use around open areas and transported by larger vehicles like a van. But this can be inconvenient if you have a compact car and completely unpractical unless you’re willing to purchase another vehicle. Be sure to check out knee scooters which have fold away designs and joints so that it can easily be compacted and small enough to fit into the back seat or trunk of your vehicle. These joints should “snap” securely into place to be sure this doesn’t happen while you’re using it, but should unsnap fairly easily to be sure that you can place it into your vehicle in as little time as possible and without having to contort into a position that could strain your injures.
7. Reflectors. This is not an essential piece of any knee scooter, but if you want to be visible at night you can get a knee scooter that has one to two reflectors on it similar to a bicycle. This is simply a preference and not a must have for these devices as most people will not be traveling at night on these very much.

Take time to look at all different types of knee scooters as they’re going to be with you for a long time while you get back to your health – good luck!

Knee Scooter – Finding the Best Prices

So you’ve decided to go with a knee scooter for your rehabilitation and now it’s time to select the type that you would like. But before you get there you want to be sure that you are getting a good deal and not getting ripped off. So where’s the best place to look? There are no hard and fast rules for doing this, so in this article we’ll try to give you common sense tactics and things to consider that can increase your chances of getting a good price, overall there are no secrets to making this decision.You might find that when you are in the doctors office that they offer you different options of a knee scooter while you’re in the office. When you first hear these prices you may start having second thoughts about if the device  is right for you or not. It’s important to keep in m ind that prices at the doctors office are typically going to be higher than any other place you will ever find. This is because they price things for insurance; what that means is that the items they typically have to offer are going to be paid for automatically by the insurance agencies which are not actively looking for the best deals as a consumer would. So the quick and easy answer to this part is to not purchase your knee scooter from the doctors office, just thank them for the diagnosis and run, well, limp out of there as quickly as possible.

The best place to find good prices on knee scooters is going to be at local stores in your area. Because these local stores don’t have access to a world wide market like internet based shops do, they can’t afford to lose customer by raising their prices. They are typically dealing directly with a wholesaler and this will allow you to reap the benefits they receive by getting low prices. You also get to touch and test the device while you’re on location. This is a big advantage so that you can get a good idea of what to expect for the next month. Shopping locally for knee scooters also gives you the added advantage of being able to purchase and use the device immediately instead of having to wait on shipping as you would if you purchased from an online store. Shopping locally and in person definitely has its advantages.

There are however advantages of shopping online for knee scooters, one of the biggest being the ability to compare prices of several different units and models. When you are in a local store you are limited to only shopping for the device that they have in the store. When you’re online if you don’t find something that you really like, you’re just a search and a click away from more options. So shopping for knee scooters online gives you the ability to have a wider selection while shopping in person will often times get you the lowest price.

As with most things the best option is to get out there and see what you find. There are always exceptions to every rule and you may find exactly what you’re looking for in either place.

Who Should Use a Knee Scooter?

One of the main questions you should be asking yourself before making your purchase or rental of a knee scooter is if you are suited to use the device. As mentioned before your doctor or physical therapist is going to be your best bet on knowing but in general the knee scooter should not be used by people with the following people:

• People who have injured arms – If your arms are injured you most likely will not be able to use the knee scooter properly. When you re standing one foot you will be using your arms more so than usual for balance, despite the support the knee scooter provides to the injured leg. In these cases crutches should also no be used and an electric wheelchair may be more appropriate. This of course is dependant upon the type of arm injury. If you are burned on your arm then this may not be an issue.
• People who are on Medication – Some medications given for pain relief can cause the patient to have trouble keeping their balance or even staying awake. Because the knee scooter has wheels and will require balance and maneuverability it is not recommended to use these devices with certain medications. This is different when compared to a wheelchair as a wheelchair does not balance your entire body as much as it keeps it static. Remember, with a knee scooter you are the one keeping yourself balanced, not the device (similar to crutches) so you are relying on yourself to stay grounded. As always it’s best to consult your doctor and receive advice from them.
• People Who are Missing more than one Limb – While the knee scooter can be a great advantage to someone who only has one leg, if they are missing an arm as well they will not be able to use the knee scooter properly as both arms are needed for balance and security. If you do choose to use the knee scooter with a missing arm then take caution! If you are missing both legs it goes without saying the knee scooter is not for you!
• People with weak / injured upper bodies – Once you get on a knee scooter you will see how much control the upper body plays in using it. For these reasons if you feel you have low upper body strength or are injured it may be best if you do not use the knee scooter.

The different variables that can summarize an injury are endless and this is why it’s crucial to consult your physician before making any final decision. It’s also a good idea (if possible) to test  yourself on a knee scooter for a bit to see if it’s right for you. Using a knee scooter does have a bit of a learning curve simply similar to crutches, it may look effortless when you see someone gliding along with one but it does take at least a bit of balance but overall is fairly easy.

A quick test you can do right inside your house to see if using a knee scooter would affect any of the injured parts (due to pressure) is to simulate it by using a chair. By keeping one foot down and placing your knee into the other chair you can get a good idea of what types of muscles it would take in order to balance yourself on the scooter. You may want to stay in this position for a few minutes and see how your circulation feels. With certain types of injuries the circulation can be decreased and may not be best for a knee scooter, we’ll discuss this in another article.

In summary everyone has their own unique needs so it’s best to take the use of a knee scooter on a case by case basis, and with every scenario always consult your physician!