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It might feel like it was just a short few years ago when your parents had to care for you. Now, the roles are reversed, and you find that your beloved parent needs a walker to get around. Well, you’re about to find out that the key to finding the perfect walker is fit.
Walkers need to be fitted. There are crucial size criteria that you need to consider when picking the walker for an aging parent: user height, weight, and strength. A walker must be properly fitted to be effective and safe for use. Some walkers are adjustable, while others are custom-made.
Are you on the market for the perfect walker for your parents? This article will help you understand why the right fit of a walker is vital and how you can ensure your parents get the walker they deserve. Keep reading to learn more.
Why You Need To Have a Walker Fitted
The fit of a walker is vital. The wrong fit could further impair mobility or even lead to the user’s injury. The size criteria for choosing the perfect walker for your parent are:
- User height
- Weight
- Strength
How Height Affects Walker Fit
The height of the walker is critical. Even the tiniest differences in height could impact the user. A walker not well-fitted to the user’s height could cause them to hunch over when gripping the walker frame. This can lead to postural problems and chronic pain issues that could impair healing if the user is being rehabilitated for an injury.
Mobility can become uncomfortable because of pain caused by an ill-fitting walker. This affects compliance in users who are encouraged to ambulate as part of their rehabilitation program. A walker that is too tall or too short is a fall hazard. The primary purpose of a walker is to stabilize its user while walking. If the height is off, this purpose is defeated, putting the user at risk.
How Weight Affects Walker Fit
Some walkers are specialized to support the frame of specific user types. For example, the bariatric walker is designed for obese users. As you can imagine, even the best walkers have a weight limit. So, a user on the heavy side would need a heavy-duty walker that can carry their weight.
Size also matters when the walker has a built-in seat. The seat should be wide enough to support the user’s frame when seated. Weight limits are also crucial here, as sitting on a walker chair that collapses under the user’s weight could cause substantial skeletal injury that could exacerbate pre-existing conditions.
How Strength Affects Walker Fit
The user’s strength should also be factored in when choosing a walker. Users with difficulty lifting and pushing should have walkers built from lightweight material that can support their weight without being heavy. Wheeled walkers with gliding casters can also reduce the need for lifting, making it easier for the user to move around.
How To Ensure a Walker Is the Perfect Fit
Making sure your parent’s walker is the perfect fit isn’t complicated. If you don’t feel confident doing it, you can ask that the adjustments be made at the practitioner’s office.
Here is how you can ensure you get a walker that was made for your parent:
- Bring the user along for fittings. The user of the walker should be present to “fit” or try out the walker. They can have the walker adjusted to their specific size criteria while getting a feel for the walker. For this reason, be wary of buying walkers online.
- Check your elbow bend. The elbows should be bent at an angle of 15 degrees with the shoulders relaxed while the hands rest on the grips.
- Check your wrist height. While standing inside the walker frame with arms at your sides, the top of the grips should line up with the crease of your wrists.
- Attach rollers before testing. Remember, the elbow bend and wrist height should be checked with the rollers already attached if you are getting a wheeled walker or else the fit can be altered if the rollers are attached later on.
- Test the other accessories. Walkers that have seats should also be tested for the right fit and stability.
How a Walker Works
A walker is an assistive device commonly used by the elderly or persons with lower extremity impairment. They can be utilized temporarily while the user is being rehabilitated after an injury or permanently if the user’s impairment is progressive or irreversible.
A walker has four points of contact with the ground, providing a broader base and thus more stability than a cane or walking stick. Its primary function is stabilizing the user with poor balance or mobility issues.
Walkers are sometimes referred to as walking frames and can have varying configurations. Some walkers have two wheels at the front, while others have felted casters in the back that can glide along with the front wheels.
Walkers are also specialized for the specific build of their users. For example, some specific walkers are:
- Standard walkers: Most commonly used.
- Pediatric walkers: For young children.
- Bariatric walkers: For obese users.
- Rollator walkers: Walkers with wheels.
How To Use a Walker
A walker frames the front and sides of the user. The top of the frame provides grips for the user to lean their weight on. To move forward with the walker, the user has to follow the following steps:
- Hold the walker out a little under arm’s length.
- Walk towards the walker while gripping the top of the walker frame.
- Push or pick up the walker and place it at the same distance described in the first step.
- Transfer your weight onto the walker and move closer to the frame.
- Then repeat the process.
I’ve written a complete guide on back pain caused by a walker. Click on the link to learn more. You’ll find out how walkers impact the user’s back and how to choose the right walker. Can Using a Walker Cause Someone Back Pain?
Final Thoughts
Walkers must be fitted to meet the user’s specific size criteria: height, weight, and strength. The fit of the walker matters as an ill-fitting walker could cause discomfort, pain, deformity, or even injury. If unsure how to adjust a walker, seek the help of your practitioner.
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