Performance Gel Grips-Product Review
I recently had an opportunity to test drive the performance gel crutch grips made by Tom Fetterman. In addition, I spoke with a very active forearm crutch user who had been using the Performance gel grips for about a year. She felt they were a little hard and could use more Absorbalite gel. I would concur with her on that point. Being an inventor of a crutch handle myself I can appreciate just how difficult a task it is to make a great handle!
The Performance grips do not fill the palmar arch of your hand. Because of this your wrist does not get the support it needs and she found herself getting wrist fatigue and very sore hands. While the Performance grip offers the crutch user more surface area than a traditional crutch handle-there is still room for improvement. I would say that about every crutch handle on the market, including my own, The Right Grip.
The Performance grip has many fans and as we have discussed before-there is not crutch handle that will accommodate every hand. It would be fabulous to have crutch handles available in small, medium and large. In addition, they would be ergomicically correct to protect your wrist and have large quantities of Absorbalite in them to absorb the shock of walking on crutches!! Until then, we continue our quest for the perfect crutch handle.
Let’s talk about the economics of bringing custom crutch handles to the market place. When I first made a temporary aluminum mold to manufacture The Right Grip-the cost was over $25,000. This was in the early 90’s and hopefully prices have come down. For the money, that only included one size. You can see that for a small entrepreneur this can be a substantial financial setback. For all you inventors out there who have a better crutch handle please let me know-I would be happy to review it!
Steve Mertz
Where is the Perfect Crutch Handle?
September 4th, 2007 at 4:01 pm
My name is Cacsmy and i use crutches. However i can’nt seem to find the perfect one. I sketched one myself where do i go so they can make it for me?
cacsmy@yahoo.fr
September 13th, 2007 at 12:14 am
Hi Cacsmy, depending on where you live and the model: ie underarm or forearm you may find a local shop to modify one for you. Don’t be surprised if it is very costly.
December 22nd, 2007 at 4:53 pm
I have used the performance gel grips for some time now and I’m having lots of hand pain. These grips need more gel, its like grabbing a rock, they are very hard, I am looking for alternative grips. I have walked on crutches all of my life since having polio in 1951. So I know first hand about crutches. And these gel grips need to be softer to grip.