Apparatus for enhancing pushability and minimizing kinking of a catheter is provided, wherein a catheter comprises inner (44) and outer (42) tubes, and preferably a balloon (55) that is proximally affixed to the outer tube and distally affixed to the inner tube. The catheter of the present invention further comprises a load-sharing member (100) imposed on the inner tube which is configured to form a reversible mechanical linkage between inner tube and outer tube while an axially compressive load is applied to the catheter tip.
