Mar 11

There are many types of canes, walkers, and other assistive devices available in the market today. If you feel you need a cane or walker, talk to your physician and/or physical therapist to make sure you get the product that is best for you.

Canes provide balance and support, and may help some people avoid falls. You can support up to 25% of your weight with a cane. The typical reasons for using a cane are arthritis of the hips and knees, injuries to the foot or leg, and mild balance disorders.

Walkers, too, provide balance and support, and may help some people avoid falls. You can support up to 50% of your weight with a walker. The typical reasons for using a walker are arthritis of the hips and knees, generalized weakness of hips and legs, and moderately severe balance and gait disorders.

The correct length of a cane and walker is measured from the wrist to the floor. To measure for a cane and walker, wear your normal shoes and hold your arm with a 20- to 30-degree angle in the elbow. Ask someone else to measure the distance from your wrist to the floor. This measurement should be about equal to the distance from the point where your leg bone fits into the hip socket to the floor. If necessary, adjust the cane or walker to match your measurement.

Wood canes can be cut with a small saw. Remove the rubber tip, measure the cane from the top edge of the handle to the desired length, cut the cane, and replace the rubber tip.

Aluminium canes and walkers are adjusted by pushing the button in and sliding the tube to the new length until the button locks in place.

Unless instructed otherwise, use the cane on the opposite side of your injury or weakness. Put all of your weight on your unaffected leg, and then move the cane and your affected leg a comfortable distance forward. With your weight supported on your cane and your affected leg, step through with your unaffected leg.

Place your cane or walker firmly on the ground before you take a step. Do not place your cane or walker too far ahead of you, or it could slip from under you. Non-skid rubber tips help keep you from slipping. Check tips often and change them if they look worn. These tips are available through your local pharmacy or medical supply store. If your cane or walker does not feel right, ask your physician or physical therapist to check the fit.

Check out various canes and walkers that can suit your every need at DoAbility UK.

Jan 30

WHY CHOOSE A FOLDABLE ROLLATOR?
It is very useful if the rollator can fold so that it does not take up unnecessary space. You can put it in the back of your car or on public transport. The walking aid should help you get out and about or around the home as easily as possible.

Additionally, a walker that does not stand up when folded means that it will need to be picked up off the floor and unfolded. If you are already having difficulties walking, then this might make you more prone to falling over when you are trying to pick the rollator up and unfold it. Therefore, it is vital that you get a rollator that can stand up on its own even when folded.

ARE THEY ADJUSTABLE?
Yes. Since people come in different shapes and sizes, it is important that you get a walker, which will fit your size and height. Some walkers are very adjustable. The handles and seat can be adjusted to suit your height. This feature is to ensure that you can sit on the seat properly, comfortably, and safely.

FOUR-WHEEL VS. THREE-WHEEL ROLLATORS
Four-wheel rollators are generally more stable than three-wheel rollators for the same reason that you do not see many three-wheel cars around. They are a little more prone to tipping over than a four-wheel option.

LIGHT VS. HEAVY ROLLATORS
Weight can be an important factor for the ease of use particularly when the user is weak. A heavy walker will make it more difficult to move around, also making it harder to put into the back of a car, onto public transport, up a curb, or just over a bump.

LARGE WHEELS VS. SMALL WHEELS
The size of the wheels will determine to some degree how smooth the rollator is when going over an uneven surface. Larger wheels will be smoother because it will not fall into smaller holes as easily as larger wheels. You could expect a more rough/bumpy experience from a rollator with small wheels.

IMPORTANCE OF A ROLLATOR SEAT
A walking aid with a seat is useful if you have difficulty walking any distance. It allows you to stop as soon as you get tired to take a rest. This is important if you are feeling weak and need to stop quickly to catch your breath.

ARE THE BRAKES EASY TO APPLY?
Yes. If you have weak hands then the brakes need to be comfortable and easy to apply. The park brake is essential to hold the walking aid steady and stopping it from rolling away when you try to sit down, assuming that the walker has a seat. If you try to sit down with no parking brake on, then the walking aid may roll away and you could find yourself flat on your back.

CAN YOU CARRY THINGS ON YOUR ROLLATOR?
Yes. Being able to carry walking sticks, canes, drinks, oxygen cylinders, meal trays, baskets/ bags is useful when going outside or for use in the home. Some walkers come equipped with a range of accessories which will enable you to carry essential equipment you need for getting around safely.

Trying to personally modify the walker with your own equipment can be dangerous and make the walking aid unstable. If accessories are available, then these would be tested to ensure the safety of the walker is not compromised.

HAS THE ROLLATOR BEEN TESTED? IS IT SAFE?
Walkers should be developed in accordance with the applicable standard for walking aids, the most common standard being ISO 11199-2. Make sure that your rollator has passed these standards.

WHAT IS THE WEIGHT CAPACITY OF THE ROLLATOR?
It is important that the rollator is able to hold your weight should you be sitting on it. Bariatric walkers will be more suitable for heavier users because they will have a higher weight capacity, but also because the handles will be further apart. However, if the handles are further apart, you will need to check that the rollator will fit through normal doors.

DOES THE ROLLATOR HAVE WARRANTY?
It is worth checking the warranty to make sure you can return it if there are any problems.

CAN YOU GET SPARE PARTS EASILY?
Parts may sometimes break or are faulty. It is worth checking how easy it is to get spare parts so you do not have to purchase a new rollator to fix a minor problem.

HOW TO FIND THE RIGHT ADVICE?
The Disabled Living Foundation has a website which offer probably the most up to date and comprehensive list of products (see Living Made Easy). They aim to provide a similar service to Assist UK, a charity supported by professional therapists who provide free impartial advice to people looking for disability equipment in the UK.

Ricability is also a useful charity devoted to consumer testing products for older people and people with disabilities who are about to publish a guide on walking aids.

Enabled by Design is also a very good resource. They are a community of people passionate about well designed everyday products and provide independent reviews by their community members on the products they have tested.

From my experience, retailers need to be treated with some degree of caution. There are some very good retailers who are there to serve their customers’ needs. Still, there are others who are more interested in supplying the products which give them the highest mark up or they may be committed to purchasing particular types of walkers. It is worth doing an internet search to see what other products are available and come in armed with this information to the retailer. The problem is that there are so many products available in the marketplace that it is impossible for the retailers to stock and know about all products that are available, so it is worth doing some research for yourself on which product you think is most suitable for you.

DoAbility UK is the exclusive distributor of Volaris Rollators in the UK and Ireland. They have a extensive line of rollators that would definitely suit your needs.

Aug 29

Many people thinking about purchasing a walking aid mobility, think that walkers and rollators are the same thing, but actually they are two very different kinds of walking aids. Both use different means, even though their purpose, to aid in mobility issues with walking, is the same. This article will discuss what factors you should consider when deciding whether to purchase an adult walker or a rollator.

Adult Walker

Aluminum supports are used for building adult walkers. The main drawback is that as you walk with it, you have to lift it, move it forward, and then place it back down for it to function correctly. While it would appear to not move as smoothly as a rollator, consider that many models have wheels to make it move more like one. When compared side-by-side with a rollator, the walker gives better support and is less expensive, but does not move as smoothly.

Models

Adult walkers are available with wheels or without. With the wheel type, you get small ‘caster’ wheels at the bottom, and it makes the walker slide when the user operates it, making it ride more easily.

Bariatric

For folks whose weight is above the norm, Bariatric Products has a line of products built especially for them. Walkers normally won’t hold more than 250-350 lbs. Bariatric walkers are suitable for those who weigh too much for the standard walker. It’s bigger and can hold more weight, often up to 600 pounds.

Specialty

There are even specialty walkers available today. For those people who have difficulty walking with a regular walker, these are walkers that have posterior safety rollers and anterior rollers. The rollers are designed with the specific purpose of helping people with ailments or diseases that affect their ability to walk. These walkers aid in helping the walker maintain strong balance and keeps them walking in straight lines.

Rollator Types

A rollator is very much like a standard walker but it has the accessories that a regular walker does not have that can be useful in everyday living. The main thing to remember is that a rollator is easier to use than a walker. People using a rollator are able to slide along on the ground with a minimum of effort, since the device is ergonomically engineered to make the activity of walking easier. Furthermore, Rollators are available in a variety of fashionable colors.

3 Wheel Rollators

These are somewhat small in size and are better suited for moving in a tight space. In the opinion of some individuals, compared to 4 wheel rollators the 3 wheel variety looks better and appears more stylish. Personal items can be carried in a small pouch attached to front.

4 Wheel Rollators

The four wheel rollator is a larger model and as its name implies there are four wheels which allows for a more stable drive. The four wheel walker is particularly desirable in environments where extra stability would be beneficial, such as a rural area, farm, or an area with extensive grass and dirt. The rollator with 4 wheels usually has an attached seat as well as a basket, which gives you more carrying space.

Light Weight

If it is important to you how much something weighs, and you need to move it physically over a long distance, you might consider purchasing a ‘light weight’ rollator.  To reduce the weight, manufacturers use light weight steel alloys and miniaturize the parts of a rollator. A nice thing about these rollators is that they are 25% to 60% lighter than the competition. It is a fact that the lighter the load, the effort less effort you have to exert to move it or carry it. If you need a small and portable walker, or have trouble carrying much weight and get tired easily, then you should definitely consider a ‘light-weight’ rollator.

Bariatric

There are also bariatric varieties of the rollator. Just as is the case with the walker, bariatric rollators are more comfortable for those who weigh over 300 lbs.

Walker or Rollator: You Decide

When purchasing a walking aid it really is a matter of personal choice. If the Adult Walker suits your needs, then go for it. Adult Walkers are less expensive than rollators, and the wheeled model makes movement that much smoother. On the other hand, the rollator is the best option for you if you tire easily or have problems with strength.  It may also be the best choice if you want a walking aid that is stylish, if you need to carry many items at once, or if you want sit down and rest whenever and wherever you please. If you simply want the smoothest rolling walking aid, choose a rollator.