{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,7]],"date-time":"2026-01-07T07:50:13Z","timestamp":1767772213469,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":12,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,7]],"date-time":"2025-01-07T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1736208000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Sensors"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Axillary crutches assist people with lower limb injuries but can lead to upper limb strain with extended use. Spring-loaded crutches offer a potential solution, yet they are rarely tested in clinical settings. This study developed spring-loaded crutches with an integrated force-measuring system to analyze gait dynamics. Three prototypes, each with different spring constants (k), were tested. To measure ground reaction force (GRF), a Nylamid cover was around the crutch stem. Two participants with different weights completed a 15-m route using both the designed spring-loaded and standard crutches. Findings showed that spring-loaded crutches increased mean GFR and impulse, with the prototype matched to the user\u2019s weight yielding the best results. The study\u2019s findings suggest that when properly adjusted to the user\u2019s weight, spring-loaded crutches can offer significant improvements in gait, which may have important implications for the design of mobility assistive devices.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/s25020296","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,7]],"date-time":"2025-01-07T03:38:41Z","timestamp":1736221121000},"page":"296","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Prototype of a Spring-Loaded Module for Axillary Crutches"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"25","author":[{"given":"Dalia Danely","family":"M\u00e9ndez-G\u00f3mez","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Bioelectronics Section, Department of Electrical Engineering, Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute (CINVESTAV\u2013IPN), Av. IPN 2508, Col. San Pedro Zacatenco, Mexico City 07360, Mexico"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Arturo","family":"Minor-Mart\u00ednez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Bioelectronics Section, Department of Electrical Engineering, Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute (CINVESTAV\u2013IPN), Av. IPN 2508, Col. 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Sci."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"152281","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cej.2024.152281","article-title":"Fishbone and Nettle Fiber Inspired Stretchable Strain Sensor with High Sensitivity and Wide Sensing Range for Wearable Electronics","volume":"492","author":"Hong","year":"2024","journal-title":"Chem. Eng. 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