SEOUL DESIGN AWARD

The Freewalk Project is an innovative crutch design developed to help patients with leg injuries walk more stably, minimizing pain or discomfort. Traditional crutches place body weight on the hands and underarms, which often leads to secondary injuries such as pain, nerve damage, and muscle fatigue when used for extended periods. Knee-support crutches, another alternative, are unsuitable for patients with arthritis or weak lower limbs, limiting their usability. Freewalk resolves these challenges by redistributing body weight below the thigh, offering a unique and effective solution.

At the core of the design is an adaptive crank mechanism: when the crutch touches the ground, it automatically locks to provide stable support. When lifted, it unlocks to allow natural leg rotation. This ensures both stability and flexibility, enabling a far more comfortable and natural walking experience compared to conventional crutches. Beyond mobility assistance, Freewalk helps reduce physical strain and pain, improves daily independence, accelerates recovery, and ultimately enhances quality of life for the user. It also promises broader socio-economic benefits, including lower medical costs, shorter rehabilitation periods, and earlier return to work.

Freewalk goes beyond addressing individual patient needs. It has the potential to set a new standard across the assistive device industry. Its innovative design fosters the development of safer, more human-centered medical tools, redefining assistive devices not as clinical equipment but as instruments of freedom in daily life. With a vision that transcends borders, Freewalk aims to empower leg injury patients not only in Korea but around the world to walk and live freely, spreading human dignity and happiness.