Measuring up for the Best Walking Aid for You

1. Measuring up for the Best Walking AidforYou WhoNeedsaWalkingAid? Each and every one of us can develop a mobility difficulty at some stage in our lives, whetherit be by accident,illness, old age, orsome other event orhappening. Mobilityhe • lps us achieve and maintain independence and so, when mobility is affected, finding a walkingaid which will helpyou retain that independence isa must. • Retainingalevelofindependencealsohelpsmaintainconfidenceand self-esteem. • Be aware that one walking aid doesn’t fit all. Getting the right one for you means looking at your lifestyle, your mobility situation and also your body balance and strength, to weigh up whichwalking aid will best serve you. • Walkingaidscantakemanyshapesandforms: • Walking sticks • Walking canes • Crutches • Walkingframes(nowheels) • Walkingframeswithwheels.

2. WalkingSticks A walking stick is a temporary accessory for giving balance and stability when walking on uneventerrain e.g.walking uphill, climbinggentle hills,or walking alonga ruggedlane. Walking sticksgive minorsupport andshould notbebought asa mobilityaid. WalkingCanes A walking cane is a mobility aid which helps reduce weight and pressure on an injury over a periodof rehabilitation time. By transferring the body weight to the upper body, arm and wrist, an injury such as damage to the knee, or a foot injury, can be given respite, whilst still allowing the person to go about someof their normal duties. Walking caneswith one prong touching the ground are much easier to use and manoeuvre thanwalking canes that have four prongs. Some walking canes have four prongs touching the ground, allowing the user to distribute theirweight evenly over the sturdy device. A walking cane which suits a man may not suit a woman. Differences in design can incorporate wide or smaller handles, slender of wider canes and some which are lighter in weightthan others. Walking canes need to be height-adjustable, to support the user in standing comfortably upright,rather than standing on tiptoesor stooping. Crutches Crutches reach into the user’s armpits and so the shoulders take the body’s weight, giving damagedparts of the body a chance to repair. In order to be effective, the crutch height must exactly match the user’s underarm height andframe. Crutches allow the user to walk on one leg, by swinging the body forward when the crutches arein place a little forward from the user. Crutches take all of the pressure off an injured lowerlimb. WalkingFrames

3. Astandardwalkingframestandsinfrontoftheuserandallowstheusertomakesmall steps forward, with the sturdy walking frame taking on board their weight and also steadying theirbalance. This special aid can be used both inside the house and for short journeys outdoors e.g. spendingtime in the garden. This mobility aid may be used by people who have a temporary mobility difficulty, or by someonewho needs a littleextra support when walking. A zimmer frame is also a walking frame but simply known by its own brand name (Zimmer), justlike we sometimes say hoover (Hoover is also a brand name) forvacuum cleaner. When walking more slowly (e.g. strolling, or moving about the house), a walking frame is a goodchoice. The user must lift the light-weight frame forwards a few inches, place it securely on even groundand then step towardsit, continuing this action toarrive at the desiredpoint. A walking frame allows the user to transfer sixty four percent of his/her body weight onto theirshoulders, arms and wrists, giving respite to jointsand muscles in the body. The user of a walker without wheels will need a degree of upper body strength, so as to lift theframe forwards for each step taken. Walking frames come as both three- and four-legged support frames. The right one dependson how much assistancethe user needs in walking. For manoeuvrability,athree-legged walkerwill moveeasier intight spacese.g. in thehome. Some standard walkers sport two legs and two wheels. Lifting the back of the walker rather than the whole item may seem more comfortable but having only the wheels touching the floorcould lead to the walker running away fromthe user and result in a fall. Rubber ferrules are attached to the base of each leg, to give more grip and to keep the walkingaid steady. WalkingFrameswithWheels Walking frames with wheelsallow the user to move by pushing the walker, rather than liftingit forward, as is the casewith the standard walking frame. Walkers with wheels should not be bought for the purpose of supporting the user’s body weight,as too much pressurecan cause the wheeledwalker to slip outfrom under them. If balance isn’t an issue for the individual, a wheeled walker is an excellent choice, as it allowsthe user to travel quicker overdistance.

4. A walker with wheels requires less arm strength, with the wheels doing the moving forward, asopposed to lifting a walker whichhas no wheels. It gives some support to the user and requires less upper body strength than the walker withoutwheels. Walking frames with wheels have hand-operated brakes on each of the wheels, allowing the usertobefullyinchargeofhowfarthewalkingaidtravelsforwardandtobeabletolockit inposition, when standing stationary. WalkingFrames withThree Wheels(Tri-Walkers) The tri-walker has one wheel at the front and two at the back, which allows for greater manoeuvrabilityand much easier turning. Whilst a tri-walker is lighter in weight and easier to pack, the space between the three wheelsprovides a smallplatform to carrya bag butdoesn’t provide seating. Walking FrameswithFourWheels(Rollators) Also known as rollators, four -wheeled walkers have larger tyres and have better grip and manoeuvrabilitythan standard walkerswith smaller mouldedwheels. The walking frame with four wheels also houses a seat, giving respite to the user when needed. Four wheel models canprove more difficult tomanoeuvre, making turningdifficult in tight spaces. A four wheel model is safer outdoors than the three wheel model, as it provides better stability,moving over bumps on pavements and uneven turf more safely. HowtoUseaWalkingFramewithWheels Awalking frame with wheels must be adjusted to suitthe height of its user. Handles at an inappropriateheight could lead to instabilityand falls. Togauge the correct height for thehandles for safe use, the user mustplace his / her straight arms at an angled and forward downward position (similar to that when walking a dog on a lead). Handle height should equal the distance then measured between wrist and floor. Before sitting on the wheeled walker seat, be sure that the brakes are on and that the seat islocated up against a wall orsome other fixture, to prevent it slidingaway from you.

5. When sitting on the seat of a four-wheeled walker with wheels, the user’s feet must be flat onthe ground, to give stability. Whenwalking, the walker should be close to the user’sbody, so as to support an upright frame. Allowingtoo much distance between body and walker, or leaning into the walker, can lead toloss of control and stumbling. When folding a wheeled walker for storing, always set the brakes before folding, so that it doesn’trun away from you. When getting a folded wheeled walker ready for use, make sure that the bar under the seat haslocked into position. When using the brakes, squeeze upwards to brake and press down to permanently lock into positione.g. for sitting, or for folding the walker. Whenusing a four wheelwalker, you will needa wider turning circleto make a u-turn. Do not lean onto the walker to stand up straight, as this could cause the walker to tilt and theuser to fall. Overloading a walker, either overfilling the basket or hanging shopping bags from the walker frame,willaddtotheweightofthewalkerandmakeitmoredifficulttopushand manoeuvre. When using a walker with wheels in the home, beware of items which could cause the walkerto come to a sudden halt (e.g.a rug) and the user to fall. Summary When choosing the right walking aid, real thought must be put into the pending user’s upper bodystrength, balance and current walkingability. A larger or heavier walking aid will prove to be more stable than a smaller or lighter one, as itheightens stability. Smaller walkers (triangular frames) are more suitable for indoor use, where turning space maybe prove too restrictedfor four-legged / four-wheeledframes. Before using a walking aid, be sure that any height adjustments to meet your requirements havebeen applied, asan un-adjusted aidwill prove moredangerous that purposeful. Source:https://www.essentialaids.com/blog/measuring-up-best-walking-aid-for-you.html