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Project 1 - Design and Development of Crutch ( Medical Technology)
Canes & Crutches Market Analysis The canes and crutches market is expected to register a CAGR of 4.3% over the forecast period. The COVID-19 pandemic restrictions affected the diagnosis and treatment of chronic diseases worldwide impacting the studied market. For instance, according to a research article titled "COVID-19…
ADVAITH MENON
updated on 05 Mar 2023
Canes & Crutches Market Analysis
The canes and crutches market is expected to register a CAGR of 4.3% over the forecast period.
The COVID-19 pandemic restrictions affected the diagnosis and treatment of chronic diseases worldwide impacting the studied market. For instance, according to a research article titled "COVID-19 and Rheumatoid Arthritis" published in May 2021, older patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were susceptible to COVID-19. RA patients had been affected by changes in access to care, telemedicine, drug shortages, anxiety, and social isolation, which contribute to disease flares. During the pandemic, access to therapy was constrained. 42% of patients reported canceled/postponed appointments and switched to telemedicine visits. Hence, COVID-19 had an adverse impact on the canes and crutches market.
In addition, the rise in the geriatric population and the increase in the incidence of rheumatoid arthritis and other disabilities are actively affecting the growth of the studied market. For instance, as per the Statistics Canada, 2021 census, in Canada, there are around 7,021,430 people aged 65 years or above in 2021, out of which 3,224,680 are males and 3,796,750 are female. Such a large geriatric population in different nations around the globe creates the need for canes and crutches and thus boosts the growth of the market.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's October 2021 update, 43% of osteoarthritis patients were 65 years of age or older in 2020. It also stated that the annual incidence of knee osteoarthritis is highest between 55 and 64 years old. More than half of individuals with symptomatic knee Osteoarthritis are younger than 65. The surge in the geriatric population is expected to increase the burden of osteoarthritis and other disorders which is likely to augment the growth of the studied market over the forecast period.
Additionally, funding by the government and healthcare institutions is likely to propel growth. For instance, in December 2021, Harrogate and District National Health Service Foundation Trust in the United Kingdom spent GBP 14,000 on purchasing new crutches and issued around 2,000 pairs to patients. Such initiatives are expected to increase the usage of canes and crutches in the coming years.
Therefore, owing to the aforementioned factors the studied market is anticipated to witness growth over the analysis period. However, increasing alternatives for canes and crutches is likely to impede the market growth.
Canes & Crutches Industry Segments
As per the scope of the report, canes and crutches are used to assist patients with injured or weak legs to balance and allow them to perform daily activities more safely. The Canes and Crutches Market is segmented by Product Type ( Canes (Single canes and Multiple-legged canes), Crutches (Axillary Crutches and Forearm Crutches), and Accessories), Distribution Channel (Hospitals, Online Stores, and Others), and Geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa, and South America). The report offers the value (in USD million) for the above segments. The market report also covers the estimated market sizes and trends for 17 different countries across major regions, globally.
Canes & Crutches Market Trends
This section covers the major market trends shaping the Canes & Crutches Market according to our research experts:
Single Canes Segments are Expected to Witness Healthy Growth Over the Forecast Period.
A cane is necessary for persons with arthritis, whether they have osteoarthritis or inflammatory arthritis to make everyday tasks easier. Patients with arthritis who use a cane remain active, mobile, and even safe.
An increase in the incidence of diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoporosis, associated with the geriatric population, is a prime factor that affects the mobility of the patients and as a result, the demand for canes increases. Different users have different needs when choosing between the two available canes style. Single-point canes are usually chosen for arthritis needs.
According to World Population Prospects 2022 report, the percentage of the population aged 65 years and over in Sub-Saharan Africa is 3.0 in 2022 and projected to be 3.3 in 2030, in Northern Africa and Western Asia it is estimated to be 5.5 in 2022 and projected to be 7.0 in 2030, in Central and Southern Asia it is estimated to be 6.4 in 2022 and projected to be 8.1 in 2030, and in Europe and Northern America, 18.7 in 2022 and projected to be 22.0 in 2030. Since arthritis diseases are more common in the geriatric population, the growth of the market segment is likely to increase as the population increases.
According to a research article titled "Prevalence and Incidence of Osteoarthritis: A Population-Based Retrospective Cohort Study" published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine in September 2021, the incidence of osteoarthritis (OA) increases with age, and women have higher rates than men, particularly after age 50. It also stated that by 31 December 2018, the total number of OA prevalent cases detected was 180,126, yielding a prevalence of 115.3 per 1000 persons. The high prevalence of osteoarthritis and surge in the geriatric population is associated with the increased need for a cane in balancing while walking which is likely to reap the demand for single canes.
Therefore, owing to the abovementioned factors, the single cane segment of the studied market is expected to project significant growth over the forecast period.
Canes & Crutches Market Competitor Analysis
The canes and crutches market is fragmented in nature due to the presence of a large number of companies operating globally as well as regionally. The competitive landscape includes an analysis of a few international as well as local companies which hold the market shares and are well known. Some of the market players are Drive, Cardinal Health, Inc., Medline Industries, Inc., GF Health Products Inc., NOVA Medical Products, Invacare Corporation, Ergoactives, Sunrise Medical.
TASK 2:
CUSTOMER NEEDS:
The biggest question those with injuries or illnesses ask is if they should use crutches. It can be hard to determine if a medical mobility device like crutches will help you recover. Usually, using this medical device will depend on the injury you have.
Essentially crutches are used by people who need to keep weight off of an injured leg or foot. There are many different kinds of crutches. Yet, people with foot or leg injuries usually use non-weight-bearing crutches.
What Injuries Need You To Use Crutches?
Below we have shown a few of the injuries that often need non-weight-bearing crutches. By using crutches in the short or long term, you will heal faster and ease the mobility issues you are facing.
However, before deciding, you should consider speaking to your doctor. Some people with lower-body injuries shouldn’t use crutches.
Broken Ankles
One of the most frequently used crutches situation is broken ankles. In most instances, if you have a broken ankle, you will need to use more than one medical mobility aid.
This means you could need to use aids. Aids such as moon boots, crutches, splints, and casts simultaneously. For a broken ankle injury, you can expect to use crutches for around six to ten weeks.
Forefoot Fractures
Forefoot fractures are also called metatarsal fractures. They are injuries that don’t often need surgery but do need mobility aids to heal. If you have a forefoot fracture, you need to keep your weight off of it if you want it to heal.
This type of injury will have a varied healing time as it will depend on its seriousness. On average, a forefoot fracture can heal in a few weeks if you use crutches.
Stress Fractures
If you are suffering from a painful stress fracture, you are likely in pain. Most stress fracture injuries happen when a leg bone incurs repeated force. It takes time to diagnose a stress fracture because these injuries can be complex. Yet, they are not too hard to treat.
Using crutches will let you keep your weight off your stress fracture. This will enable you to heal faster. Most stress fracture injuries take six to eight weeks to heal.
Tibia Fractures
Tibia fractures are one of the most complicated leg injuries a person can sustain. You can fracture your tibia in many different ways. If you have an oblique, comminuted, spiral, or stable fracture, you are going to need crutches to heal fast.
Unfortunately, tibia fractures take a while to heal. So you may need to use crutches for four to six months, if not longer, if you want a speedier recovery.
Pulled Muscles
Another common injury that requires you to use crutches is pulled muscles. Pulled muscles are comparable to muscle strain injuries. They can vary in severity from minor to severe.
Fortunately, these types of injuries heal fairly quick if diagnosed early. You can recover from minor pulled muscles in three to six weeks.
Sprained Ankles
We spoke of broken ankles before. Yet another injury associated with your ankle also requires you to use crutches. Using crutches will help sprained ankles heal faster. Sprained ankles usually occur when the ligaments in your ankle are strained.
Luckily sprained ankles don’t have a long recovery time and usually heal within one to three weeks.
ACL Injuries
Your anterior cruciate ligament is a specific band of tissue. This ligament connects your thigh bone (femur) to your shinbone (tibia). Do you have an ACL tear, either partial or complete? If so, it’s likely to be one of the most painful injuries you will experience.
With this injury, your knee will swell up and cause you to be unable to move. How long your ACL injury takes to heal will depend on how severe you tore it.
In most instances, if surgery is required, you will need to use crutches for six to nine months. Crutches will help the ACL injury heal completely.
Hip Dislocations
For most people, it will take a significant force for a hip to dislocate. Often a hip dislocation occurs in severe falls and car accidents. When a hip is dislocated, your femoral head is pushed either forward or backward out of the socket.
After you have suffered a hip dislocation injury, there are different treatment options. They could include surgery and the use of mobility aid like crutches.You will need to use these aids for two to three months while you recover.
Achilles Tendon Ruptures
An Achilles tendon injury occurs at the back of your heel and will cause you to walk flat-footed. This injury occurs if you have placed a sudden force on your foot or ankle. Depending on how badly you have ruptured the Achilles tendon in your foot, you may have to have surgery.
To promote healing, most doctors will advise you to use crutches. Achilles tendon ruptures can take between four months and a year to totally heal.
The Crutches that are avilable in the market do help to provide the customers with support and also enable them to locomate but thee major drawback would be regarding the longivity of the crutch itself,moreover the usage of these crutches over a longer duration leads to ear and tear of the crutch itself.
CUSTOMER REQUIREMENTS :
1.the cruthes handle should be hold for laonger periods of time
2.The durability of the crutches should be considerably good
3.Crutches should be available in all sizes suitable for heights of respective user
FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
1.Crutches should improve the posture of the patient
2.It shall ensure proper and equal weight distribution
PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS:
DESIGN REQUIREMENTS:
- Have a low deformation risk and high abrasion resistance
- Be made from a lightweight material
- The tips of the crutch should be durable, non-slip and replaceable
- Parts must be replaceable and made from materials that withstand the environment of use
TASK 3:
1.Based on the customer feedback for the crutches,The nature or the concerns of the customer were of baically type
a)Stability of the crutch:Most of the customer's main poin of concern is the stability of the crutch which means that they want a crutch which will be stable and hold strong at all surfaces so that they won't have any risk of falling
b)Grip of the crutch:Customer's were also concerned about the grip of the crutch,as it is through the grip that they'll hold the crutch,so the grip has to be strong as well as comfortable to hold for long hours
c))Adjustable Height:Since height of a person is a variable ,after interviewing and rtaking feedbacks from various customer,it is evident that they need a crutch which can used at different heights.
d)Durability:One of the most important customer needs is the durability of the crutch,since it is a medical device that has to be with the patient all the time,the wear and tear of the crutch is inevitable,so the aim is to make sure that theb crutch's lifespan is elongated or increased.
2.CONECPT ON OPERATION:
a)Stability:Stability of the crutch is mainly depended on the surfaces it is being used at,also it has to be made in such a way that it can be used in an sort of terain,whether it be a dry,we,rogh or smooth,there should be no or very less chances of the user slipping ,for this the tip of the crutch plays a hge role,all-terrain crutch bottom that is designed to provide a stable base on both wet and dry surfaces.
b)Grip of the crutch:The user is going to usng the crutch for his locomotion all the time,which means that the usage time of the crutch is going to be huge,the user comes in contact with crutch using the grip fitted on the crutch,hence it is paramount that the grip has to be comfortable ,moreover it also means that most of the body weight of the patient is going to be falling on the grip,hence the grip should also be strongly fixed to the Central Strut.
c)Adjustable Height of the Crutch:Here it is very essential to manufacture a crutch in which the height can be adjusted so that the patient's with different height can use the crutch.Here for the height adjustment,spring buttons will be added to the crutches to enable variable height
4.
For the following crutch design the product architecture is going to be modular,now there are several reasons why the product architecture was Modular Architecture.
1.Modular Architecture allows the the other parts of the crutch to be unaffected which means that each and every individual part of the crutch can be replaced.
2.Moreover,if there is fault in any one part of the crutch it will not effect any other parts of the crutch and also it won't affect the overall functioning of the crutch
3.Adding to this,modular architecture also enables the user to modify individua parts if neccessary and also increase the aesthetics of the crutch if the user wishes too
Mechanical Interface of the crutch:
The cruch has been divided into three sections while designinng:
1.The upper section of the crutch consist of Shaft,pad frame,Bolt,Handle,Hand Pin.
2.The middle section consist only of Binding Post
2.The Bottom section consist of Screw,Base Connection Assembly,Adjustment Shaft and tip
Now The Binding post is casted and the rest of the parts and eitheir welded together or are fixed together by nuts and bolts
TASK 4:
Crutch Roadmap
| Q1 2021 | Q2 2021 | Q3 2021 | Q4 2021 | Q1 2022 | Q2 2022 | |
| Handle | Normal Grip | Customized | ||||
| Hand Grip | Plastic | Rubber Grip | Silicon Grip | |||
| Shaft | Integral | Modular | ||||
| Foot Grip | Traditional | Foot Grip | Suction Foot | |||
Mission Statement
| Product Description |
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| Benefit Statement |
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| Buisness Objectives |
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| Core Market |
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| Stakeholders |
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Staffing Requirements: For this qork, the department would need the design workers to be working on the design as well as the mechanical engineers to work on the mechanics of the crutch. 100% of the staff would be needed in 50% for the Q2 release and 50% for Q4 release. This way if a new project comes up the engineers working on Q4 release can work on the new and urgent project.
Budget Requirements: Budgeting is something that will be decided after scouting the market. After the material is scouted from the market, budgeting will take place. How much of the material needs to be bought will be decided as soon as the design gets approved and the manufacturer is decided.
Product schedule: Since the first phase of foot design crutches will be released in Q2, thus the design and manufacturing should be completed atleast 15 days before the launch date. Initially about 10% of the decided pieces will be made to release in the market. Depending upon the response by the public, production of the crutches will go underway. For the design and manufacturing of the suction cup crutch, it should be completed by second month of the third quarter. Once the design is made, it needs to be approved by the design department. Once it gets the verification, a prototype will be made and the product needs to be validated. Once the validation is done for the prototype, validation for the manufacturer needs to be done. After both of them gets done, order goes through. By the last month of the third quarter, the marketing team should begin the campaign regarding the product. After that in 15 days the company will officially launch the product and in another 15 days it will be on sale.
Task 5
| Simplicity | The design of the crutch is not strayed much from the original design, thus bringing in a sense of familarity. Just a arm lock in which the person needs to slide the arm. |
| Immediate Intuition | The immediate intution of a crutch are two rods with a wooden piece stuck between them. |
| Approachable Innovation | The foot rubber be changed to a foot design with suction in it, the handle have some silicon in it so that the person using it does not get tired. |
| Aesthetics | The crutch should not look like a handcuff. |
| Egronomics | It should be comfortable to use and easy to move in. |
This is different from the initial concept as it would use a more foot like structure rather than a plain old rubber which sometimes finds ground and sometimes doesn't, thus accounting to injuries.
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