After multiple surgeries and months of struggling with traditional crutches, XLEG founder Reid Robinson decided there had to be a better way. What started as an idea in a Calgary garage became the XLEG knee crutch, an innovative hands-free device designed to give people recovering from foot, ankle, Achilles tendon, and lower leg injuries a better alternative to crutches.
Building a Better Knee Crutch
Reid Robinson sketched the first version of the XLEG in a hospital bed after surgery number 10. He wasn't feeling hopeful about the long term success of yet another surgery and was looking for a way to walk. After searching high and low for a device similar to the XLEG without any success, he built it.
From Garage Prototype to Hands Free Crutch
“The creation of the first XLEG started in my garage. I purchased an aluminum welder and taught myself how to weld aluminum with the help of many YouTube videos and built the first prototype of the XLEG while limping around in just under 3 weeks.” – Reid Robinson
Patent filed
Realizing that there was nothing available like the XLEG, Reid searched the public patent databases and came to find that this design had not been patented either. So he contacted a patent agent and began filing the Canadian and US patents. Since then Reid has been granted the Canadian patent (March 2018) and has patent pending in the US and Europe (PCT filed in Feb. 2017, actionable until Dec. 2018).
A Better Alternative to Crutches
This was not a quick process. Inspired by Reid's original garage-built prototype, the design developed over years of consultations with medical professionals and biomedical engineers, beta testing, and a certain element of trial and error. The current version is now a medically certified, light-weight, fully adjustable device made of high grade components.
The Mission Behind the XLEG
In August of 2016, Robinson Exotech Corp was opened for the purpose of bringing the XLEG to market. In the 18 months that followed, Reid received over $115,000 in government grants through Alberta Innovates that has gone towards the development and enhancements seen in the current XLEG.
Every innovation begins with a problem. For Reid Robinson, that problem was living on traditional crutches after multiple surgeries. Today, the XLEG has become a trusted hands free crutch alternative, helping people recover with greater comfort, mobility, and independence. If you're looking for a better alternative to crutches, learn how the XLEG can help you stay active throughout your recovery.