Disclosed herein is an orthopedic device and methods to aid in reducing weight or pressure on a portion of a subject's knee while maintaining stability and normal gait patterns following injury or surgery. Certain embodiments include a main shaft for use in an orthopedic device, wherein the main shaft includes a curved portion. In embodiments, the curved portion cures outwardly in the walking direction. The curvature can comprise a curvature that is consistent with the maximum knee flexion angle that is observed during the loading phase of the normal gait cycle. In embodiments, the device further comprises a handle portion and a foot, wherein the main shaft is disposed between the handle portion and the foot. Additional aspects include a method of promoting the healing or recovery in a subject following injury or surgery of the knee using any one or more of the orthopedic devices disclosed herein.

A multi-functional walking cane includes an elongated rectilinear shaft having a centrally registered longitudinal axis, a handle adjustably coupled to the shaft, and a portable controller removably coupled to the shaft and spaced subjacent to the handle. Advantageously, the controller includes a programmable navigation determining mechanism, and an object-detecting mechanism in communication with the programmable navigation determining mechanism. In this manner, the controller cooperates with the programmable navigation determining mechanism and the object-detecting mechanism to thereby generate and emit output signals that facilitate directional travel for the blind user while preventing undesirable contact with hazardous obstacles during the directional travel. Notably, a portable earpiece is in wireless communication with the controller. Such an earpiece has a speaker for audibly emitting the output signals to the blind user.

A multi-functional walking cane includes an elongated rectilinear shaft having a centrally registered longitudinal axis, a handle adjustably coupled to the shaft, and a portable controller removably coupled to the shaft and spaced subjacent to the handle. Advantageously, the controller includes a programmable navigation determining mechanism, and an object-detecting mechanism in communication with the programmable navigation determining mechanism. In this manner, the controller cooperates with the programmable navigation determining mechanism and the object-detecting mechanism to thereby generate and emit output signals that facilitate directional travel for the blind user while preventing undesirable contact with hazardous obstacles during the directional travel. Notably, a portable earpiece is in wireless communication with the controller. Such an earpiece has a speaker for audibly emitting the output signals to the blind user.