All walking frames can be folded for storage or transportation and all have some kind of brake. They also all have fixed wheels at the back and swivelling wheels (castors) at the front, like a supermarket trolley.
Three and four-wheeled walking frames
There are two basic varieties of wheeled walking frame – three-wheeled and four-wheeled.
Some people prefer three-wheeled walking frames because they look smaller and less obtrusive. They can also be a bit lighter and easier to manoeuvre than some four-wheeled models.
However, many professionals advise against three-wheelers because they are less stable. It is also easier to use them without unfolding them all the way, which can be even more risky.
Some three-wheelers have a safety feature that makes it harder to use them without unfolding them properly.
Features
Folding
All walking frames can be folded.
Three-wheelers fold like a book.
Four-wheelers fold in one of two ways: in ‘A’-type walking frames, you fold the front wheels and back wheels together and in ‘X’-type walking frames you fold the two sides together.
Folding can be difficult on some models, so you need to make sure that you know how it works, and that you can do it safely.
Things to watch out for:
On some models it is possible to unfold the walking frame without it clicking securely into place. Obviously this can be dangerous. Some walking frames have a catch that shows clearly if it is in place or not.
Some models need two hands to fold them. If the frame is not stable when folded, this might make you lose your balance.
Most walking frames still stand up when they are folded, but some of the A-folding models do not. This may make them harder for you to use.
Make sure you don’t catch your fingers when folding or unfolding the walking frame. Some are better for this than others.
Some walking frames have a clip or catch that secures them in the folded position. This may make them easier for you to use.
Wheels
The size and shape of the wheels can make a big difference to how easy the walking frame is to use. Larger wheels are easier to push on uneven or bumpy surfaces.
There are four main kinds of wheels – balloon, double, solid and rubberised. All the balloon, solid and rubberised wheels are around 200mm (8 inches) across; double wheels are 90mm (3 1/2 inches) across.
Hard, shiny tyres can be slippy on some surfaces, even carpets. Even the brakes can slip, especially if they are not properly adjusted.
• balloon
Most three-wheelers have ‘balloon’ wheels. These are large wheels with fat, quite hard, plastic tyres. The brakes hold quite well on these tyres.
• double
These are pairs of smaller, plastic wheels, like on a push chair. The brakes do hold quite well on these wheels. Some of the people in our tests found them a bit rattly.
• solid
Some of the four-wheelers have solid tyres. These are large wheels with slimmer hard plastic tyres. Some of them were quite slippy in the tests. Some have ridges to give them better grip.
• rubberised
Some of the four-wheelers have rubberised tyres (right). These are large plastic wheels with low profile rubber tyres. They were the grippiest tyers in the tests, though they did still slip on some surfaces.
Holding on
Handles and hand grips are important because they take your weight and you will be holding them for a long time. It’s important to make sure they are in the right position so you are going to be comfortable. Usually you can adjust the height of the hand grips, and on some models the angle as well.
Mostly you hold and steer the walking frame with both hands, holding on to the frame or holding special handles, but if your hands are stiff or painful you can have forearm supports on some models.
It is also possible to adapt some walking frames to be used with just one hand. This is done either by fitting a bar or grip that you can hold in the middle of the walking frame, or simply by connecting both brake cables to the same lever. Be aware that if you are putting all your weight on just one side of the walking frame you might risk overbalancing.
There’s a variety of different hand grips. The simplest are covered with padded tape, like on a bicycle, or have soft foam grips.
Some walking frames have specially shaped hand grips (sometimes called ergonomic or anatomic grips) that are supposed to fit more comfortably in your hand. These can be more comfortable, but if the moulding doesn’t fit your hand, they may become uncomfortable to hold.
Other walking frames have simple plastic hand grips.
Brakes
All walking frames have brakes of one kind or another.
Pressure brakes go on when you push them down. As you push down the wheels spring up so that the frame stands on its rubber feet. They are easy to use because it is easy to use your weight to press down. They only stay on while you are pushing, so you cannot lock the brakes on if you want to stay put for a while. Make sure they are properly adjusted; otherwise they might come on by themselves when you are not expecting it.
Lever brakes work by squeezing a lever, like on a bicycle. They can be used to slow you down as you are going along and can be locked on to keep the frame steady while you sit down, or put things on the tray or basket.
Strap brakes Some walking frames have a strap brake, that works like a lever brake except that you squeeze a loop of the strap instead of a lever. These are quite comfortable to use, but you sometimes have to squeeze quite hard. They can be locked on.
If you are choosing a walking frame with lever or strap brakes, check you can stretch your fingers far enough to reach and squeeze with enough force and that you can comfortably apply the brakes. You also need to be able to push the lever or strap down to lock the brakes on. Some brake levers are shaped to make them easier to use.
Brakes should not need much maintenance if they have been set up properly. Strap and lever brakes may need to be adjusted to allow for wear. Make sure you or someone who may help you knows how to do this. It’s easy, but with some types you will need two spanners (not supplied).
Seats and backrests
All four-wheeled frames have seats. Very few three-wheelers do. Seats can be useful, especially on longer trips. They are meant for short rests, not sitting in for a long time. They are made of fabric, wood or plastic, and may be rigid or flexible. Some are padded and some have backrests.
Try them out to find out which suits you, and take enough time doing so. Check that the seat is the right height for you to sit comfortably, and high enough to let you sit down and get up easily. Some are adjustable and some frames come in a range of sizes. If you need back support check it is at the right height to support you comfortably. A few backrests are adjustable.
Bags, baskets and trays
Many frames come with a bag or basket for carrying things. Some frames can be folded without taking the (empty) bag off, but solid metal baskets must be removed before folding. This means that if you go by car to the shops you have to take all your shopping out before you can get the frame into the car. If you put a shopping bag into the frame’s bag first, you can lift everything out in one go.
Some baskets sit at the front of the frame. If you are worried about bag snatchers look for one where the basket or bag can be closed, or is harder to get at.
Many frames have a tray – useful for carrying things from room to room at home. Check that you can reach it easily (some are very low down) and they are firm enough (some shake around a bit).
Other features
There are many other features that come with some walking frames as standard or as optional extras. These include walking stick holders, drink holders, oxygen cylinder holders and parasols.
Some walking frames have ‘kerb climbers’. These are small pedals attached to the rear wheels that are meant to make it easier to get up kerbs. We found they were quite hard to use.
Some walking frames also have slow-down brakes that can be tightened up on one of the wheels to stop the walking frame running away with you.
Models
We asked a group of experts (an ergonomist, three occupational therapists, two physiotherapists, three people who use walking frames and a mechanical engineer, who carried out a mechanical safety inspection) to look at eighteen walking frames. They looked at the various features that are available and evaluated the walking frames on eleven different points.
In this section, we discuss each model in turn highlighting the good and bad points of each one.
Volaris S7
The Volaris S7 is an X-folding four-wheeled walking frame.
It has rubberised tyres, straight hand grips and lever brakes and a solid plastic seat with a strap backrest.
You can adjust the height of the hand grips (10 positions) and the seat (5 positions). Adjustment is very easy.
It has a removable wire basket and a tray.
Handling was easy.
The hand grips were good.
Brakes were easy to operate and very effective.
Folding was easy, though the two sides didn’t go very close together. The Volaris S7 does stand when folded.
Unfolding was easy and it clicks right into place.
The seat and backrest were comfortable.
The basket is nice and large, but the tray is very low, which makes it hard to use.
Evaluation summary:
• Handling: ok
• Brakes:
• operation: good
• effectiveness: very good
• Folding:
• secure when unfolded: yes
• secure when folded: yes
• stands when folded: yes
• operation: good
• Seat: good
Mechanical safety:
• Frame: 5
• Finger traps: 5
• Stability: 5
• Overall: 5
(1 – considered dangerous, 2 – considered potentially dangerous, 3 – some concerns for safe use, 4 – minor criticisms but still considered safe, 5 – no safety concerns)
Volaris S3
The Volaris S3 is an X-folding four-wheeled walking frame.
It has rubberised tyres, straight hand grips and lever brakes and a solid plastic seat with a strap backrest.
You can easily adjust the height of the hand grips. You can also adjust the angle of the hand grips, though the range is not very great.
It has a removable wire basket and a tray.
Handling was easy.
The hand grips were good.
Brakes were very easy to operate and very effective.
Folding was easy. The Volaris S3 does stand when folded and has a velcro-fastening strap to keep the two sides together.
Unfolding was easy and it clicks right into place.
The seat and backrest were comfortable.
The basket is nice and large, but the tray is very low, which makes it hard to use.
Evaluation summary:
• Handling: good
• Brakes:
• operation: very good
• effectiveness: very good
• Folding:
• secure when unfolded: yes
• secure when folded: yes
• stands when folded: yes
• operation: ok
• Seat: good
Mechanical safety:
• Frame: 5
• Finger traps: 4
• Stability: 5
• Overall: 4
(1 – considered dangerous, 2 – considered potentially dangerous, 3 – some concerns for safe use, 4 – minor criticisms but still considered safe, 5 – no safety concerns)
Exert of report produced by Ricability 2009
Cheryl Weisz | 
01 21st, 2012| 
