When Using a Medical Walker, You Want One That Supports Your Weight and is Easy to Use. The Best Quality Medical Equipment Walkers, Also Called a Rolling Walker, Must Be Stable and Lightweight.

Most walkers, or rolling walkers, are rollators without wheels attached to the bottom of the legs. However, some medical walkers do have smaller wheels on the front to aid in pushing them on a semi-smooth surface. Rolling Walkers are basically frames that are about waist high and are designed to provide you with some support and stability while walking, together with comfort and convenience. You simply hold onto the frame with your hands and push it along in front of you as you walk. The walker frame helps to support the body weight. Additionally allowing you to keep your sense of balance and posture, plus they take some of the pressure off of your legs.

When using medical equipment walkers, keep in mind that they are intended to help with the best quality mobility and stability, which makes it easier for seniors, disabled persons or recovering patients to get around. Four legged medical walkers with no wheels are essentially the most stable of the home medical devices. They require an individual to pick up the device and move it forward, step forward with both feet (one after the other of course), then pick up and move the rolling walker forward again. This can be a slower method to maneuver around but the most stabile requiring the person to keep both hands on the unit and supplying support on two sides (the individual moves within the frame of the walker). The walker is stationary when the individual pushes down on the unit for support causing the back legs (without wheels) to plant and prevent the walker from moving. They don't require brakes which can be a benefit for individuals that have little hand strength. Medical walkers for bariatric people need to be made out of steel rather than aluminum. Most units usually do not offer a seat accessory due to the fact the frame is not designed to hold weight in that manner. Because walkers do not have seats they are not ideal for individuals that fatigue easily.

Things to consider when using a medical walker include the person’s weight, height, mobility needs and stability. Most important is to make certain to fit the unit to the person’s correct weight. The majority of units come with variable height features but be sure to check for this. If a person is very active and mobile they may prefer a rollator over a walker, however stability must also be considered. Medical walkers that allow the person to walk within the frame are more stable than models that are pushed only. Keep in mind the most stable home medical walkers are ones with two or no wheels.

As a convenience many people find it easier to have a medical walker for each floor of the home or one for indoor and one for outdoor use. It is not uncommon for people to have either a combination or multiple rollators and walkers.