The Musmate Range of Walking Aids for Foot Drop

Walking Aids

Musmate, P. O. Box 3976, Bath BA1 0DF, UK
Tel. (0845) 094 4674; fax (0845) 094 4674;
e-mail sales@musmate.co.uk .

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About Us Clinical Results Customer Stories Downloads Home The Musmate Left Leg Products Right Leg Products Both Legs Products Site Map Other Products The Anklemate How to Buy in: Australia Canada Europe UK USA Terms & Conditions	The Musmate Walking Aid for Both Legs Foot drop can affect either or both legs, to a varying degree of severity. The Musmate Walking Aid has been designed to maximise people's ability to walk by combining the properties of elastic cord with design features to maintain mobility, such as a controllable level of support and the ability to adjust the height of the foot lift. The Musmate Walking Aid combines five assemblies: a shoulder pad; a shoulder harness (both legs type); two elasticated assemblies (one for each leg); two shoelace or strap connectors (one for each shoe); or, alternatively, two shoe harnesses (one for each shoe). Each component will now be discussed in turn. The Shoulder Pad The shoulder pad for use with the Musmate Walking Aid cushions the shoulder from the extra work. Some people had complained about the pain as their muscles were weakened by long periods of underactivity arising from their walking difficulties. It attaches to the harness with two velcro tapes which mean that they are detachable and can be used as required. As the shoulder muscles strengthen the pads should no longer be needed.
Deutsch Español Français Português	The Open Shoulder Pad		The harness sits on the open shoulder pad		The shoulder pad on shoulder harness for use

The Shoulder Harness for Both Legs

In the case of a both legs Musmate, the shoulder harness fits over both shoulders with a metal ring on the back. This too has optional detachable belts for the front and back to ensure that the Musmate works as required. The belts are independently adjustable for length. The pictures, below, show the harness from different angles.

We do have customers who prefer to use this harness when they have problems with only one leg because it spreads the load on the shoulders and also can give better control on the positioning of the elastic. Conversely, other customers prefer to use two single Musmates because this allows for better adjustments when one leg is much weaker than the other.

Both Legs Shoulder Harness in Red

There are four sizes of shoulder harness- extra small, small, medium, large.

    * The extra small one is designed for those people who are less than 120cm (3'11") in height and including children
    * The small one will fit people whose height is from 120cm (3'11") to 175cm (5'10") and chest (or hips) up to 90cm.
    * The medium size fits people up to 200cm (6'6") in height and 110cm (43") over the chest or hips.
    * The large one is suitable for people over these dimensions.

We are happy to provide guidance on sizing and to exchange harnesses should the sizing be incorrect.

The length of the harness is easily adjusted using the triglide adjusters. This should only need to be done once. The length of the hanging strap is then adjusted to give the appropriate level of support from the elastic. This is used frequently to vary the support, such as when tired or the ground is more uneven and a higher lift is preferred.

The Elastic Connector

The elasticated assembly is the heart of the product. This is made from shock cord, which comprises a bundle of elastic threads in a plastic coating. The length of this is adjustable by moving the nylon rod up and down. This means that not only can the person wearing it adjust it to their leg length, but can also vary the amount of lift and support to meet their varying needs. For example, the lift can be increased so that stairs can be climbed or to cross rough ground without tripping. We supply a standard length for adults, and a thinner cord for children.

The elastic assembly is currently only available as a black cord. We can supply thinner cords (5mm or 6mm rather than 8mm diameter) in a wider range of colours. In addition, the two hooks are available in black or white. Black hooks are more discreet, alternatively the white hooks are more visible for finding at night for nocturnal visits.

1 Black + 1 White Hook

Two Black Hooks

The Musmate supports the lifting up of the foot when the leg muscles are relaxed. The elasticated assembly is attached to the shoulder harness at one end, and at the other end it is attached to the shoe. There are two ways of achieving this: the shoe harness and the shoelace connector.

The Shoe Harness for the Left and Right Shoes

The first attachment is the shoe harness. This goes around the back and underneath the shoe to form a robust device for lifting the foot. This comes in three sizes. There is a small one for children and ladies with small feet, a middle size one for ladies, and a larger one for men. In addition, this does come in left and right-hand versions. The difference is in the position of the connecting clip on the side. Whilst this could be on the left or right hand side of the shoe, our preference is for it to be on the inside of the shoe to minimise the risk of it colliding with protruding objects whilst in use.

The shoe harness is also available in brown.

The Shoelace and Strap Connector

Shoelace Connectors in Many Colours	The elasticated assembly can be fitted to the shoe with a shoelace connector. This goes around the shoelaces, straps, or hook & loop fastenings. It has a triangle with which to connect to the elasticated assembly. It is available in one size only, but a custom version can be produced if required. These are available in many different colours, although the plastic fittings are only in black. Remember to check the straps and laces regularly for wear and tear and replace them so that they do not break whilst the Musmate is in use.	Shoelace Connector on Trainers
Shoelace Connector on Sandals	Shoelace Connector on Shoes	Shoelace Connector on Trainers

Shoelace Connector on Sandals

Shoelace Connector on Shoes

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