Push or lift your walker a few inches, or a few centimeters, or an arm's length in front of you. Make sure all 4 tips or wheels of your walker are touching the ground before taking a step. Step forward with your weak leg first. If you had surgery on both legs, start with the leg that feels weaker.
To walk with a walker, hold the handgrips, and move the walker forward a short distance. This is usually about 6-12 inches or the distance of a step or arm's length. Using the walker for support, take a step to the middle area of the walker. If you have a weak or injured leg, step with that leg first.
To walk with a walker, have the patient advance the walker 15 to 25 centimeters (or 6 to 8 inches). Instruct the patient to step forward with either foot, and then bring the second foot even with the first.
Place the walker in front of you with the open side facing you. Make sure all 4 tips or wheels of your walker are touching the ground. Lean slightly forward and use your arms to help you stand up. Do not pull on or tilt the walker to help you stand up.
Your elbows should bend at a comfortable angle of about 15 degrees. Check your wrist height. Stand inside the walker and relax your arms at your sides. The top of the walker grip should line up with the crease on the inside of your wrist.
Proper Use
As you step forward, push down on the walker to avoid sliding. You should also practice standing up. Never use a walker to pull yourself up from a seated position. Use a stable chair to avoid the device tilting and potentially losing your balance.
Standard walkers are 32″ to 40″ high and great for people between 5'5″ – 6'6″. They are typically 25″-29″ wide so take the width into consideration if you have narrow doorways or halls.
You need to stand as erect as possible and grip your walker easily and comfortably. Adjust the height of the walker by adjusting all four legs equally so the walker is level. If you are using two wheels on the front of your walker, ensure that the back of the walker is level with the front.
How do I know if I would benefit from using a cane or walker? If you have pain or weakness on one side of your body that makes it hard to walk or balance, a cane may be helpful. If you have poor balance or feel unsteady on your feet, a walker may give you more support.
The performance of a rollator or walker relies heavily on the size of the wheels. The bigger the wheel, the easier it is to pass obstacles and uneven ground, and the comfort level also increases with the wheel size.
Too-short walkers can cause a person to stumble, but too-tall walkers are equally dangerous. The user may find it difficult to hold the walker properly if the walker is too tall. Attempting to maintain a grip while walking may cause them to strain their arms and shoulders.
The bottom line is that rollators are not for everyone – especially those with balance issues! If you have issues with balance, weakness while standing, or need a firm immobile support to help you walk, you should not use a rollator and you should use a walker instead, see Figure 2.
Assisting with Walking
Stand on the client's weaker side and a little behind. Keep one hand ready by the client's waist. Use your other arm to hold the client's upper arm that is closest to you. If the client begins to fall, you are in a good position to support the client and ease them to the floor.
The upright walker supports the patient's weight on the forearms instead of the wrists and hands. This reduces pressure and pain in the lower back, neck, arms, and wrists, which are commonly associated with using a standard or rolling walker.