Mobility Aid Spotlight: Cool Crutches

For today’s post, I’m delighted to have the opportunity to interview Amelia Peckham, the co-founder of Cool Crutches. This is part of a new series that I’m running where I interview disabled people who do awesome things, so you’ll have the opportunity to learn more about Cool Crutches, but also how Amelia makes it work as a disabled entrepreneur.

I’ve been using crutches since I had my first serious knee dislocation at 11, and never found a pair that I loved the look of and were comfortable. Granted, I never found a pair that were comfortable until recently, but I did end up with a some that at least had some colour to them, even though they didn’t fit me at all. I actually stopped using crutches quite a while before I got my chair because I ended up experiencing more pain and fatigue than I did when I didn’t use them, which isn’t really ideal for a mobility aid.

I first learned about Cool Crutches on Instagram, and I was immediately drawn to them and their story, and I just had to learn more. Amelia very kindly loaned me a pair of black with white polka dot crutches to test out, and I’ll share my experiences with them at the bottom of this interview.

What is your background and why did you decide to start your business?

In 2005 when I was 19 years old and studying History at Edinburgh University, I had a quad bike accident. My adult life had hardly started and it was flipped upside down in a split second. 

Whilst away for a weekend in remote Scotland with friends, we decided to take a quad bike into the countryside. It seemed like a good idea at the time and as only a 19-year-old could, I thought it would be fun to drive the quad bike (having never driven one before). Deranged? Yes, but never in a million years did I think about the risk of an accident. We were on a track with a long drop on one side which went down into a river & when we hit a pothole, I lost control of the bike and we set off down the hill. I hit the ground first, rolled at speed and my hips halted on a rock as my top half continued to roll, something which my consultant later described as looking like someone had taken a hammer to a meringue.

Despite the dramatic launch from the track, we were incredibly lucky that I was the only one who was seriously injured (sadly one friend broke her finger and another suffered concussion but both recovered fully). I immediately lost all feeling from my waist down and was airlifted to Dumfries hospital. This was the beginning of the last 14 years.

It was a life changing injury. Within days it was confirmed it would take at least a year to recover and even then, I would be permanently reliant on walking aids. After two months in a specialist spinal unit in the Southern General Hospital in Glasgow, I was airlifted to Stoke Mandeville for further operations and spinal rehabilitation. Five months after the accident, my journey with crutches began.

The NHS crutches I used were very uncomfortable on my hands and unstable; they clicked so everyone could hear me coming, and most importantly, made me look and feel disabled. At a time when my mental health as well as my physical health was at its most fragile, my crutches were seemingly offering more hindrance than support.

Using information my mother & I gathered from incredible patients and friends, we researched, designed and sourced the first pair of Cool Crutches. Our crutches offer a high quality, safe alternative to NHS crutches.

As time progressed, I slowly regained neurological, mental and physical strength. By 2018 (13 years after my accident) I felt, on a good day, I was nearly strong enough to use a walking stick. Again, we faced a problem – the majority of walking sticks on the market were not supportive enough, comfortable or fun.

If I was going to start relying on a walking stick, it needed to be robust enough to support me and again, not cause any impediments to my hand. At this point we decided launching a Cool Walking Stick could be just the ticket and so in August 2019, we did just that!

What makes your products different? 

Cool Crutches are lightweight, moulded to a left and right hand, solid, silent and most importantly robust enough to safely support a long-term injury or condition. They are also colourful and customisable to aid those reliant on them, by cheering them up!  You can create ANY design you would like on either crutches or walking sticks.

As with Cool Crutches, the Cool Walking Stick’s main priority is safety. It is moulded to a left and right hand and designed to be sturdy enough to support someone who relies on a walking stick, without compromising style.

The handle is wider than a standard walking stick, so the surface area is larger and the weight that is pushed through the handle, distributed better. It holds the same clips as our crutches to ensure it is silent when used and the ferrule is the same to ensure it is cushioned when walking but grips well too.

Can you walk me through the process of sourcing and creating your first product?

Essentially, we started by trying to source a pair of comfortable, safe crutches I could put all my weight through without suffering from pain as a result. 

I tried so many different crutches, I was lucky that the people I was in hospital with had a variety of different ones so between us we could hone in on elements of different crutches we liked, in order to create the ultimate design. 

We then sourced a European manufacturer who created the first Cool Crutch in plain black.  With the physical product sorted we then started to source printing options to allow us to colour the crutches which now allows us to create a range of colourful options but also to design bespoke crutches and walking sticks in absolutely any design you could think of!

Our crutches are now printed in the UK and shipped internationally.

Why do you think design is so important when it comes to mobility aids?

Not only does the comfort and safety factor directly impact a user’s confidence but the option to have colours, patterns and personalised elements gives those using mobility aids a huge opportunity to inject personality into their aid. 

In the same way choosing a pair of shoes or a handbag is personal and reflective of personal style, it seems almost archaic that mobility aids don’t seem to offer the same variety. For me it’s to do with confidence, confidence within the product to feel comfortable that I’m safe when using Cool Crutches & Walking Sticks but also confidence that my stick reflects me and not my injury / disability. 

Does your disability impact how you work now?

Yes definitely, I am lucky that my husband also works from home so we have a space we use as an office as I would struggle to go into an office every day. I also run the back end of the business primarily whilst my mum takes care of the operations/leg work! I am a firm believer in playing to your strengths, I know what my physical limitations are and have always prioritised those to ensure the business grows as a result. Having said this, I am aware there has been a serious element of luck that my husband also works from home and my mum is incredibly fit and active so can travel to meetings/the warehouse/printers/carry sticks and crutches etc. if needs be.

What has been the biggest challenge of running a business with a disability?

It took a long time to understand I could create exactly the environment I need in order to work efficiently – I spent 10 years working in London and supporting my mum with Cool Crutches at the same time. Ironically I felt London and an office job was what I should be doing, climbing the career ladder like all my friends despite living a completely different physical life to them all.

I found London incredibly stressful, my work was physically draining and despite having a more secure income I felt dreadful most of the time. Leaving London and the work which came with it was the best decision I ever made. 

I now live in rural Yorkshire and have never been more efficient in my work nor happier doing it. Working in the Mobility sector certainly helps as there is definitely a wider understanding of disabilities but at the same time I make a conscious effort to prioritise what I CAN do and work around that.

Do you have anything specifically set up to help you balance your disability with your work?

A home office is GOLD!

How do you navigate deadlines and expectations from the customers and suppliers you work with when you’re not feeling too great?

This is always a struggle but with my mum as my business partner she is always there to step in if needs be.

I very very rarely cancel anything but when I do people understand, I always believe if you are honest and manage your time carefully (i.e. don’t book twenty meetings in one week) then nothing is unmanageable.

I also have regular check ups with my doctors to ensure I am on top of my health and making the relevant tweaks to build strength/protect myself as much as I can do long term.

Do you have plans in place for unexpected flare ups?

I have had 14 years to get to grips with my disability and am now pretty good at knowing what triggers a flare up so I can manage it accordingly. Exercise is a huge factor for me and if I want to avoid flare ups I have to exercise regularly. If I miss a day or a week I will adjust my diary accordingly to ensure I don’t risk overdoing it. 

How do you you balance your job and your life whilst also looking after your health? Are you able to switch off?

I have a 2 year old son as well as running a business from home so it’s a massive juggling act!

At the moment my son goes to nursery two days a week which is a total life saver – this gives me guaranteed time to focus on the business for a minimum of two days which is brilliant. At the same time, no I actually am not sure I do ever switch off (eek) – our business is so reliant on fast customer service & the majority of those customers have either suffered an injury or have a disability so are often in need of a response/information/delivery quickly. 

I weirdly don’t feel like it’s work when it’s helping someone so don’t mind being on call/my phone 24/7. When we do take time away as a family, my mum is incredible and mans the fort and I do the same when she needs a break so it certainly helps to have a business partner who understands your disability/is a relative!

What advice would you give to someone with a disability who is looking to start their own business? 

1. Write down everything that you worry about right now on a daily/weekly/monthly basis and then write up a business plan ensuring these concerns are all addressed within it. Costs often drive decisions and that’s fine but it is imperative you have your health at the forefront of your mind when making decisions – at the end of the day a few hours hammering out the details at the start could protect you further down the line. Also worth reviewing this every year (or even 6 months if you think things are changing) because I know when things are great I don’t really take much notice but when they’re not it can really impact me but also everyone around me. Fundamentally you need to feel well and healthy in order to function so ensuring you have a plan to protect your health as much as possible will be invaluable.

2. Find a business partner you can trust – it’s likely you will need support from day 1 and finding the right person is key. Running a business on your own is hardcore, having someone to bounce ideas off as well as give you a fresh perspective and share physical & financial side of things will really help to ease the sometimes stressful elements of having your own business. 

3.  Keep a diary, with social media the way it is now the more info about your journey the better – I have next to no notes or photographs of me in hospital / recovering or the early days of our business and whilst I understand exactly why I didn’t document that time of my life I SO wish I had done. When you aren’t sure if you’ll ever get better it’s clearly not a priority, but when you are building a business, logging what happens/what works/doesn’t is so key to your growth. 

4.  Don’t be afraid or shy! You will come across a number of hurdles along the way and inevitably people who make them easier but also people who make them harder. Have confidence in yourself, your product/service and stick to your guns!! 

Do you feel you have received much support as a disabled business owner? If not, what would have been helpful for you? 

I haven’t to be honest but I haven’t exactly looked for it. We use an incredible accountant firm who are brilliant at supporting us with relevant opportunities and as a result I tend to lean on them. A mentor is an excellent source of support & likewise social media – individuals such as yourself work relentlessly to provide relevant and supportive information which is not only free but available immediately from your phone!

What are your plans for the future?

International shipping is currently our biggest hurdle from a cost point of view, we receive many enquiries and orders to various countries outside of the UK and currently charge what we are charged to ship them.  It’s fine but it’s not ideal for those shopping from abroad.  The dream would be to have a warehouse in the US and another in Europe in order to allow us to reduce the cost for customers.  It would also be incredible to expand our product range – this will inevitably come with time and we are SO excited to grow so watch this space!

Let’s talk about the crutches

As I mentioned at the start of this post, Amelia very kindly loaned me a pair of Cool Crutches to test out.

I’ll be upfront here and say that I tested these indoors (although have done a lot) since these are on loan, and either way, I’m not able to walk long-distances, having only recently starting to use crutches again. I think it’s important to remember that what my body needs from a pair of crutches may be very different from yours, so I’m just going to give my initial impressions and share some information that will hopefully help you make an informed decision as to whether these may be right for you.

They came very well packaged (safety first) and when I took them out of the box, I was delighted by how different they looked to the medicalised and metallic crutches I saw so often growing up. I mean, that shouldn’t really be a surprise given the name, but they definitely give the impression of something more thoughtfully designed without being too in your face (the design I chose, anyway!)

Cool Crutches offers a variety of designs on their website, including things like solid colours, florals, leopard print, and sparkly silver.

Prices range from £65-£80 (but that’s including VAT so if you’re disabled, you will be eligible for VAT relief, which makes them cheaper).

They also offer a customisable option – where you can design your perfect crutches – which runs to £175 (or £145.83) with VAT relief for a pair. You can also get an individual left or right side crutch if you use one.

I saw a pair on their Instagram which had a stunning Matryoshka pattern on them, and I loved that level of detail. I can absolutely appreciate the mental health benefits of having a mobility aid that feels like it’s just right for you – and is something that I would have loved when I was younger.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bv3JUqAAGz-/

These aren’t actually the lightest crutches that I own – my old crutches (whilst incredibly uncomfortable for me) are lighter, and I also have another pair of crutches that I’ll be reviewing in the future that are lighter too, but they’re substantially more expensive than Cool Crutches. The weight did take a little getting used to. However, they are still more comfortable than many pairs of crutches I’ve used in the past.

One thing I was asked about a fair amount when I posted a picture of the crutches on Instagram Stories was the handle – which is moulded to the left and right hand – and reminded me of my grandma’s moulded walking sticks that she had when I was a child.

I was honestly expecting to find this less comfortable than I actually did, finding that it helped me to grip less tightly (something I’m still working on) and didn’t cause me the severe pain I often get through my hands and wrists much more quickly with my old crutches.

Cool Crutches do also provide neoprene grips, which are soft, removable and washable, and add extra cushioning to help make the handle more comfortable. These are made specifically to fit these, and can’t be used on NHS crutches.

One thing I really liked about the crutches is that they come with some ways to ‘customise’ beyond just the design and the height. The elbow rest is adjustable, which helps ensure a more comfortable fit, and it also comes with a flexible and detachable arm cuff.

The cuff helps add extra support and security around the forearm, which as someone who is extremely prone to dropping crutches when trying to open doors, getting something out of my bag etc, I really appreciated this.

One thing I will say on this is that whilst it’s not a tight or even really that snug of a fit on me, I have very slim forearms. When wearing my thick winter coat, I kinda had to stuff my arm through and it was a very tight squeeze, and on my boyfriend, they’re too tight. The cuff is removable, but as a clumsy person, I’d like to be able to use it in the winter too.

The crutches are adjustable using clips, which also have the added benefit of preventing them from making that kinda shaky, metallic sound that announces that you’re coming even from a distance. The company says that the crutches are suitable for people between 152cm and 193cm, although on their FAQ they mention being 5 foot and over. As someone who is 4 foot 9 and therefore at the very end of that scale, I do agree that height-wise these crutches did go down enough to fit me and are a very similar height to crutches that have been customised for me.

I appreciated the shock absorption on these crutches (those rubbery things at the bottom, it turns out, are called ferrules!). The ferrules are well cushioned, which helps with the level of impact experienced and plays a big role (for me) in how much pain crutches can exacerbate.

Overall, I have to say that I was impressed with Cool Crutches. I found them significantly more comfortable than the standard crutches I used growing up, and I believe they offer good value for money, especially on the standard pre-designed crutches.

They don’t offer a try before you buy service, but they do have a 7 day return policy if the crutches remain in the same condition they’re delivered in.

I also looked through all their Trust Pilot reviews, and as a whole, they’re excellent. I obviously can’t speak to customer service levels as I was dealing with Amelia directly for this blog post, but the reviews say that they received a fantastic level of customer service, and many people loved both the designs that they ordered but also the level of comfort.

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A huge thank you again to Amelia for these amazing answers! You can find out more by visiting Cool Crutches on their website and following them on Instagram!

I’m really excited about this series, and I hope you are too. If you’d like to support me and my work (aka help prevent over-reliance on Instagram and its bloody algorithm), all I ask is that you subscribe to my newsletter. Please click here!