Last updated: July 2026 | Written by Joel Smith, inventor of the Freedom Leg and founder of Forward Mobility
The Freedom Leg (hands-free crutch) is a hands-free, FDA-registered mobility device that transfers your body weight to the thigh instead of the knee or armpits — so you can stay non-weight-bearing without crutches or a knee scooter. Over the last month, six patients recovering from foot, ankle, and knee surgery told us the same thing in different words: the device didn't just help them heal, it let them keep living — through Greece, through New York City, up 500 steps, through their own front stairs.
I read every review that comes in. I invented the Freedom Leg because I spent 15 years watching patients get handed two sticks and told "good luck with the stairs." So when the reviews cluster around one idea — not "it worked," but "I got my life back for eight weeks" — I pay attention. Here are six of them, in their own words.
"This device saved my trip to Greece"
Genese B., 56, was three weeks out from a long-planned trip when a serious foot injury left her completely non-weight-bearing. She went anyway.
"I climbed the steps at the Ancient Agora in Athens and stood at the Temple of Hephaestus. There were sections of that site I simply could not have reached any other way."
She used the Freedom Leg through Athens, Naxos, and island ports across the Cyclades. She was honest about the work involved — she paired it with a cane on the roughest terrain and used wheelchair assist for long airport terminals. She also felt real thigh fatigue early on, which is worth knowing before you buy:
"I did experience thigh fatigue... But what I noticed was that my endurance genuinely improved the more I used it. By the end of the trip I was managing terrain that would have stopped me cold on day one."
Her verdict:
"This device did not just help me get around. It saved a trip that took a year to plan and gave me memories I will have for the rest of my life."
"Saved our trip" — 500 steps up Dragon mountain
Maria V.'s daughter had foot surgery after a Lisfranc injury and faced six weeks non-weight-bearing — right before a trip the family had planned eight months in advance.
"The freedom leg kept us from having to cancel plans. Here she is ascending the 500 steps of Dragon mountain."
That's the sentence I think about. Not a review of a product — a family that didn't have to cancel.
"NYC Approved!" — 3.5 miles a day, hands free
Michelle L. lives in New York City and started using her Freedom Leg a week after meniscus root repair surgery, non-weight-bearing for six weeks.
"If not for this brace, I would not be mobile in the city. Walk about 3.5 miles/day just commuting to work... I've... navigated the subway, busses, stairs and sidewalks - now independently with hands free to carry my bag and even a coffee!!"
She fitted the brace before surgery and practiced balancing, then built up from short blocks to full commutes. Her surgeon and physical therapist have seen her in it. What stayed with me was the last line:
"Can't tell you how much getting out independently means to me."
Eight months, three operations, one device
Not every story is a trip. Stephen H. is 6'8", had three operations, and used the Freedom Leg for eight months of non-weight-bearing recovery.
"At eight months I'm beginning to wear out the straps and the lower section. But I can't ask for more than that... The bottom line is I highly recommend this device."
He customized a third lower strap around his ankle to fit his height. Eight months of daily use is about the hardest durability test a mobility device gets — and it's the kind of honest, long-haul feedback I built the Freedom Leg to earn.
Independence at home, on the stairs
You don't have to fly anywhere for this to matter. Debra F. used the Freedom Leg to stay independent in a townhome full of steps after right foot surgery.
"The Freedom Leg gives me mobility and independence to navigate my townhome which has many steps... I am able to perform practically all of my normal activities of daily living because I have the Freedom Leg."
And Paul D. put it as plainly as anyone has:
"Freedom is the right name. I've been free to go upstairs, to go outside, shopping, movies, none of which I would be able to do simply with crutches."
Why "keep living" is the whole point
The Freedom Leg transfers your weight to the thigh, which frees both hands and lets you take stairs, carry things, and cover distance — the exact things crutches and knee scooters take away from you. It's FDA-registered, and it's typically covered by insurance for non-weight-bearing recovery. But the biomechanics were never the point. The point is Greece. The point is 500 steps. The point is a coffee carried across a subway platform with both hands free.
Recovery will still be work — Genese felt the fatigue, Stephen customized his fit, Michelle built up slowly. None of them pretended otherwise, and neither will I. Talk to your doctor about whether it's right for your injury. But if you're staring down weeks of non-weight-bearing recovery and grieving the life you think you're about to lose — I'd read these six stories again.
FAQ
Q: Can I travel or fly with the Freedom Leg? A: Yes. Patients have used it across international trips, through airports, and on uneven terrain. Many pair it with a cane on rough ground and use wheelchair assist for long terminals. Talk to your doctor first.
Q: Can I use the Freedom Leg on stairs? A: Yes — hands-free stair navigation is one of the most common reasons patients choose it over crutches. Reviewers describe stairs at home, on subways, and at historic sites.
Q: Is the Freedom Leg covered by insurance? A: The Freedom Leg is typically covered by insurance for non-weight-bearing recovery. Coverage depends on your plan — check with your provider.
Q: Does it get tiring to use? A: Some thigh fatigue early on is normal, because your thigh is doing new work. Reviewers consistently report their endurance improved with use over the first days and weeks.
If you're facing non-weight-bearing recovery and wondering whether you have to put your life on hold, see how the Freedom Leg works and whether it fits your recovery. Talk to your doctor, and reach out to us with questions — we read every message.
