tri walker walking aidWarmer weather is just around the corner. What better way is there to spend part of, what can be a long day, out in the fresh air and sunshine helping to make you feel happy and more healthy. 

Easy to say for someone who is mobile, but if you find it hard just walking from room to room at home then there are various types of walkers available to help. The walkers below will fit through standard doorways so can be used indoors, particularly the Tri Walker.

Tri Walker - A 3 wheeled folding walker with brakes but without a seat. These are either steel or aluminium. Steel walkers are slightly heavier, but more suitable for the larger person as the Tri walkers weight makes it more stable. They also generally have thicker tyres than the aluminium version.

Both types have cable brakes, which work by squeezing the brake levers up, to slow the walker down if you feel it is moving too fast. To lock the brakes on push both levers downward. The Tri Walker has moulded arthritic handgrips to make it more comfortable and easier to hold if your hands are affected by a condition such as Arthritis.

The Tri Walker has a swivel wheel on the front, which means it can ‘turn on a sixpence’. This walker may or may not include a black vinyl triangular bag, which fixes with press studs between the handlebars and the front fork.  A wire basket with a tray lid is also available for carrying a cup or plate.  This basket hangs on hooks above the bag. The Tri Walker can be folded by lifting the lever on the front and pushing the handlebars together.  It will then fit in the boot of any car.

Rollator - This is a 4 wheeled walker with brakes and a seat – there are a lot of different styles of these available but essentially the braking system is the same and operates in the same way as the Tri Walkers does. (Please note that before sitting both brakes should be locked on and not released until the user is standing after being seated). The Rollator also has a padded bar across the back of the seat so that when sitting the user has back support. 

Rollators adjust in height by handlebar alteration – but as well as this they can come in 3 different seat heights.  Some versions of the Rollator have a wire basket under the seat and some have a vinyl bag.  On the Rollator both front wheels swivel.This is the preferred walker if you suffer from balance issues

Whether a walker has 3 or 4 wheels it should be adjusted to the appropriate height (there should be slightly more than a 90 degree angle of the elbow, or hip bone height.  It is important it is the correct height.  If it is too low, the user will walk too far away from it and will be in the wrong place to put their weight on it for it to support or even steady them.
If it’s too high and the user was to trip, the walker would run away from them.

Also the person would find they couldn’t lean on it and wouldn’t feel it was supporting them, just the same as if it’s too low.

It may be worth getting some advice on what suits the user best as repeated use of a walker that is the wrong height can cause pain in the back, neck or arms. With the right product set at the correct height, these simple to use mobility aids really can make a big difference to someone’s quality of life - inside the house…. and also a big help to get out and enjoy the great outdoors.