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Before you can choose a specific model, you will first need to make a decision in a broader sense on whether a walker or a rollator is more suitable for you. Only then will you be able to narrow down your options. For additional reading, please take a look at our page on “All About Walkers and Rollators.”
1. Can be used either indoors or outdoors, and must meet certain stability requirements
In what areas do you believe you could benefit the most from some assistance? The type of walker or rollator that is best suited to fulfil your demands will be determined, in large part, by your requirements.
Utilizing a conventional walker that does not come equipped with wheels will provide you with the most amount of support as well as stability. When using it, walking is significantly slowed down, and constantly repositioning the walker can be tiresome; as a result, it is recommended that it be used only indoors or for short distances. Two-wheel walkers allow for a more natural stride, in spite of the fact that they provide less support and stability than standard walkers do. Rollators, on the other hand, are less effective and less stable than two-wheel walkers. Two-wheel walkers provide far more support and stability than standard walkers do. They are also superior alternatives that might be utilised outside in natural settings.
If you want to use the rollator indoors the majority of the time and are considering purchasing one of these devices, you should go for a kind of rollator that has smaller wheels. When assessing whether or not the rollator will fit through the entrances in your home, it is important to take the proportions of those doorways into consideration. It is possible that you will lose an additional two inches from the entryway if the door hinges. When looking for a rollator, you should make sure that it can be manoeuvred easily down the hallways and into the individual rooms. When shopping for a rollator to use outside, look for one that has wheels with a diameter of at least 8 inches. Wheels that have a greater diameter are better suited to handle terrain that is uneven. Rollators that only have three wheels are easier to steer and steer in tight spaces than those that have four wheels, but they are less stable. If you need more support while walking long distances or if you need to stop and rest frequently while you are out and about, a four-wheeled rollator may be the ideal option for you. If this describes your situation, read on.
2. If necessary, modifications to the wheelchair, walker, or rollator
Before you make the purchase, you must ensure that a walker or rollator can support your height as well as your weight in order to know for certain that it will fulfil your requirements. In order for you to be successful in this endeavour, you will need to take precise measurements. You are able to verify the weight capacity of things online to make certain that they can support your weight in the suitable manner and that they are able to do so appropriately. You can measure yourself at home, or you can go to a dealer’s showroom where they can measure you and allow you try on a range of various models. Measuring yourself at home is one option, but going to a dealer’s showroom is another.
To measure the height of the handle, do the following:
I always try to keep a healthy posture by standing up straight and letting my arms dangle by my sides. I hope this helps!
ii) Have a second person measure your height from the ground all the way up to the crease that is seen on the inside of your wrist. Your shoulders and arms should be in a relaxed position while you are holding on to the grips of the walker, and your elbows should be bent at an angle of 15 degrees.
It is crucial to take measures of the seat’s height and width before acquiring a rollator with a seat to ensure that you will be able to sit in comfort once you have the seat in your possession.
3. Grips
If you want to make using a walker or a rollator more pleasurable for yourself, one of the most important things you can do is check to see if the device has grips that are sized appropriately for your hands. This is true regardless of which equipment you decide to use. The most majority of them come with grips made of plastic; but, if you have hands that sweat a lot, you might find that a grip made of a softer material is more comfortable for you to use. People who suffer from arthritis or any other condition that inhibits their ability to grasp may benefit from utilising broader grips. This is also true for people who suffer from conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome. When you’re using rollators, your hands need to be able to comfortably grip the grips, but they also need to be able to easily activate the brakes without exerting too much force.
Drive a medical rollator with this control handle.
Talk to an occupational therapist about the grips that you could use that would be the most comfortable for you to use, or test them out in the showroom of a dealer to get a better idea of how they would feel in your hands.
4. Portability in addition to being able to be stowed away
If you have a restricted amount of space in your home or if you frequently travel by car, investing in a walker or rollator that can be folded up quickly and simply may prove to be more useful for you. Even people with less dexterity in their hands won’t have any trouble utilising the one-button, two-button, paddle, or trigger folding systems that are available on some walkers. These systems can be found on different types of walkers. If you don’t hear or feel a “click” when you unfurl the walker, you should give it a quick test to make sure that it is locked in place. If it is, you can proceed with unfolding the walker. If you don’t hear or feel the component “click” into place, you should give it a quick test to make sure it is secured. In order to put the walker in the trunk of a car, you will need to have the ability to fold it up and to be able to lift it.
Rollators that have three wheels usually weigh less and can be folded into a more compact form when they are not in use. A rollator or walker that can be folded up could be more easy to store in homes or apartments with limited space when it is not being used because it takes up less room.
