For many seniors, ambulatory aids such as medical walkers have become a vital part of their daily lives.
Medical walkers are mobility aids for seniors who have problems with maintaining their balance as they walk or stand.
There are many reasons why during old age there exists a problem with remaining steady or balanced when walking or standing.
Having chronic arthritis, osteoporosis, weakening of muscles, and/or injuries are just some of the causes of ambulatory problems in the elderly.
Many seniors who can still walk despite these afflictions will not want to rely on wheelchairs for moving around because that would mean giving up their freedom of movement hence the use of walkers for seniors.
Kinds of Walkers Roughly there are 2 general kinds of walkers: the standard medical walkers and the walkers for seniors with wheels.
The former is just a frame with four legs that has two handles on both sides to which the user holds on to for balance.
These handles are connected across by two horizontal bars which can serve as a backrest if the standard walker is equipped with a seat.
They are perfect for beginners to get used to.
For walkers that have wheels there are three kinds: 2 wheel walkers, 3 wheel walkers, and 4 wheels walkers.
The first type has 2 front legs that have wheels and two back legs that have rubber stoppers to keep the item from rolling by itself.
The 3 wheel walkers are perfect for negotiating the narrow spaces of your home because of the single wheel in front and two back wheels however the problem with this type of mobility aid is that it's pretty hard to balance using this.
The 4 wheel walker is the best among the three because it's balanced due to the 4 legs with wheels.
How To Use Walkers To be able to use a standard walker involves lifting the device and then putting it in front, the user then takes a step lifts the walker and repeats the entire process for as long as he can.
The rolling walkers or those with wheels are a better choice because instead of lifting, pushing is done which is easier on the part of the senior user plus with the addition of brakes, the user is assured that the product does not roll where it's not supposed to on any surface.
Accessories Available The great thing about medical walkers these days is that they have evolved from the simple design when it was first conceived as a mobility aid for seniors into something that has accessories to make the product more useful and more beneficial.
Aside from the seats and back rests which have become a staple in most rollators, available accessories are baskets where you can put your stuff so you don't have to hold on to it, there are zippered bags, and even mug holders.
Another great benefit to these mobility aids is that safety and ergonomics is built into the design and some parts can be upgraded such as the brakes and the handles.
How To Choose Now before users buy their very first medical walkers, they should first consult their physical therapist or their physician because they are the best persons who can tell them what type of walker they will highly benefit from.
Other than that the user should take note that the walker he has his eye on will support his size and that they are lightweight.
Medical walkers are mobility aids for seniors who have problems with maintaining their balance as they walk or stand.
There are many reasons why during old age there exists a problem with remaining steady or balanced when walking or standing.
Having chronic arthritis, osteoporosis, weakening of muscles, and/or injuries are just some of the causes of ambulatory problems in the elderly.
Many seniors who can still walk despite these afflictions will not want to rely on wheelchairs for moving around because that would mean giving up their freedom of movement hence the use of walkers for seniors.
Kinds of Walkers Roughly there are 2 general kinds of walkers: the standard medical walkers and the walkers for seniors with wheels.
The former is just a frame with four legs that has two handles on both sides to which the user holds on to for balance.
These handles are connected across by two horizontal bars which can serve as a backrest if the standard walker is equipped with a seat.
They are perfect for beginners to get used to.
For walkers that have wheels there are three kinds: 2 wheel walkers, 3 wheel walkers, and 4 wheels walkers.
The first type has 2 front legs that have wheels and two back legs that have rubber stoppers to keep the item from rolling by itself.
The 3 wheel walkers are perfect for negotiating the narrow spaces of your home because of the single wheel in front and two back wheels however the problem with this type of mobility aid is that it's pretty hard to balance using this.
The 4 wheel walker is the best among the three because it's balanced due to the 4 legs with wheels.
How To Use Walkers To be able to use a standard walker involves lifting the device and then putting it in front, the user then takes a step lifts the walker and repeats the entire process for as long as he can.
The rolling walkers or those with wheels are a better choice because instead of lifting, pushing is done which is easier on the part of the senior user plus with the addition of brakes, the user is assured that the product does not roll where it's not supposed to on any surface.
Accessories Available The great thing about medical walkers these days is that they have evolved from the simple design when it was first conceived as a mobility aid for seniors into something that has accessories to make the product more useful and more beneficial.
Aside from the seats and back rests which have become a staple in most rollators, available accessories are baskets where you can put your stuff so you don't have to hold on to it, there are zippered bags, and even mug holders.
Another great benefit to these mobility aids is that safety and ergonomics is built into the design and some parts can be upgraded such as the brakes and the handles.
How To Choose Now before users buy their very first medical walkers, they should first consult their physical therapist or their physician because they are the best persons who can tell them what type of walker they will highly benefit from.
Other than that the user should take note that the walker he has his eye on will support his size and that they are lightweight.
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