Flexyfoot – Walking Aid Ferrule

Item Description:
The Flexyfoot ferrule is a radical alternative to the standard solid rubber ferrules found on most walking sticks and crutches. They come in black or grey and have an orange spring section between the foot that touches the floor and the section that fits onto your stick. This sprung section is the key to the Flexyfoot‘s suspension and its ability to provide a stable grip on almost any surface. The spring cushions the stick each time it is placed on the ground, preventing the jolt which is often felt up the arm and into the shoulder when using a stick or crutches with a traditional solid rubbed ferrule, it also allows the bottom of the ferrule to tilt so that it forms a solid grip on any surface; even if the stick is placed at an angle to the ground, the base of the Flexyfoot ferrule will be flat on the ground and so will give the user a firm grip and support where a traditional ferrule might slide away or fail to grip altogether.

Source of Item:
Amazon UK

Diagnosis:
Hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (hEDS), Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (PoTS), Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH), Migraine, Chronic Urticaria & Autism

Personal Opinion:
When I first needed a walking stick I initially borrowed a standard NHS walking stick from a friend who had one from a previous operation, just to feel what it would be like walking with a stick, and I couldn’t believe the amount of force that was jolting my arm and shoulder each time I put it down on the ground and I knew I wasn’t going to be able to manage with a standard stick. So when looking for my very first walking stick, I went online looking for a stick with some form of built in suspension, similar to that found in walking poles and I discover Flexyfoot and purchased my first stick from them. My day to day stick is still a Flexyfoot but when I’m going to events where I want a more subtle, plain black stick I use the one pictured here, however it still has a Flexyfoot ferrule on it as I never want to be without the suspension which saves my joints and the added stability of having a foot that I know will grip the ground whatever angle I put my stick down at.