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A walker (
North American English North American English (NAmE, NAE) is the most generalized variety of the English language as spoken in the United States and Canada. Because of their related histories and cultures, plus the similarities between the pronunciations (accents), v ...
) or walking frame (
British English British English (BrE, en-GB, or BE) is, according to Lexico, Oxford Dictionaries, "English language, English as used in Great Britain, as distinct from that used elsewhere". More narrowly, it can refer specifically to the English language in ...
) is a device that gives support to maintain balance or stability while
walking Walking (also known as ambulation) is one of the main gaits of terrestrial locomotion among legged animals. Walking is typically slower than running and other gaits. Walking is defined by an 'inverted pendulum' gait in which the body vaults o ...
, most commonly due to age-related mobility disability, including frailty. Another common equivalent term for a walker is a Zimmer (frame), a
genericised trademark A generic trademark, also known as a genericized trademark or proprietary eponym, is a trademark or brand name that, because of its popularity or significance, has become the generic term for, or synonymous with, a general class of products or ...
from
Zimmer Biomet Zimmer Biomet is a publicly traded medical device company. It was founded in 1927 to produce aluminum splints. The firm is headquartered in Warsaw, Indiana, where it is part of the medical devices business cluster. In 2001, Zimmer was spun off f ...
, a major manufacturer of such devices and
joint replacement Replacement arthroplasty (from Greek ''arthron'', joint, limb, articulate, + ''plassein'', to form, mould, forge, feign, make an image of), or joint replacement surgery, is a procedure of orthopedic surgery in which an arthritic or dysfunctional ...
parts. Walking frames have two front wheels, and there are also wheeled walkers available having three or four wheels, also known as rollators. Walkers started appearing in the early 1950s. The first US patent was awarded in 1953 to William Cribbes Robb, of Stretford, UK, for a device called "walking aid", which had been filed with the British patent office in August 1949. Two variants with wheels were both awarded US patents in May 1957, and the first non-wheeled design that was called a "walker" was patented in 1965 by Elmer F. Ries of Cincinnati, Ohio. The first walker to resemble modern walkers was patented in 1970 by Alfred A. Smith of Van Nuys, California.


Design

The basic design consists of a lightweight frame that is about waist high, approximately 12 inches (30 cm) deep and slightly wider than the user. Walkers are also available in other sizes such as
pediatric Pediatrics ( also spelled ''paediatrics'' or ''pædiatrics'') is the branch of medicine that involves the medical care of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. In the United Kingdom, paediatrics covers many of their youth until the ...
(for children) or
bariatric Bariatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the causes, prevention, and treatment of obesity. Terminology The term ''bariatrics'' was coined around 1965,Dictionary.com, based on Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Random House (2006)R ...
(for obese persons). Modern walkers are height adjustable and should be set at a height that is comfortable for the user, but will allow the user to maintain a slight bend in their arms. This bend is needed to allow for proper blood circulation through the arms as the walker is used. The front two legs of the walker may or may not have wheels attached, depending on the strength and abilities of the person using it. It is also common to see
caster A caster (or castor) is an undriven wheel that is designed to be attached to the bottom of a larger object (the "vehicle") to enable that object to be moved. Casters are used in numerous applications, including shopping carts, office chairs, t ...
wheels or glides on the back legs of a walker with wheels on the front; additionally
felt Felt is a textile material that is produced by matting, condensing and pressing fibers together. Felt can be made of natural fibers such as wool or animal fur, or from synthetic fibers such as petroleum-based acrylic or acrylonitrile or wood ...
products adapted to glide with the legs such as adhesive feet, along with
tennis ball A tennis ball is a ball designed for the sport of tennis. Tennis balls are fluorescent yellow in organised competitions, but in recreational play can be virtually any color. Tennis balls are covered in a fibrous felt which modifies their aerodyna ...
s with holes cut into them to place them onto the legs are also utilized on surfaces such as hardwood, epoxy and linoleum flooring common to institutions.


Use

The person walks with the frame surrounding their front and sides and their hands provide additional support by holding on to the top of the sides of the frame. Traditionally, a walker is picked up and placed a short distance ahead of the user. The user then walks to it and repeats the process. With the use of wheels and glides, the user may push the walker ahead as opposed to picking it up. This makes for easier use of the walker, as it does not require the user to use their arms to lift the walker. This is beneficial for those with little arm strength. A walker is often used by those who are recuperating from leg or back injuries. It is also commonly used by persons having problems with walking or with mild balance problems. Also related is a hemi-walker, a walker about half the size of a traditional walker which is intended for use by persons whose dexterity is limited or non-existent in one hand or arm. These walkers are more stable than a quad cane (a cane with four points that touch the ground, as opposed to one), but are not recommended as highly as a traditional walker for those who can use it.


Walker cane hybrid

A walker cane hybridMulti-configuration Walking Apparatus – US Patent 8291924
Retrieved 2012-11-09.
was introduced in 2012 designed to bridge the gap between an
assistive cane An assistive cane is a walking stick used as a crutch or mobility aid. A cane can help redistribute weight from a lower leg that is weak or painful, improve stability by increasing the base of support, and provide tactile information about ...
and a walker. The hybrid has two legs which provide lateral (side-to-side) support which a cane does not. It can be used with two hands in front of the user, similar to a walker, and provides an increased level of support compared with a cane. It can be adjusted for use with either one or two hands, at the front and at the side, as well as a stair climbing assistant. The hybrid is not designed to replace a walker which normally has four legs and provides four-way support using both hands.


Rollators

A different approach to the walker is the rollator, also called wheeled walker, invented by the Swede
Aina Wifalk Aina Wifalk (21 March 1928 – 16 June 1983) was a Swedish social scientist and inventor of the modern walker. Life and work Wifalk was born in Lund, Sweden on 21 March 1928. In 1949, during her apprenticeship as a nurse, she fell ill with poli ...
in 1978. Wifalk had
polio Poliomyelitis, commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 70% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe s ...
.Rollator awarded reddot design award 2011
Linked 2012-03-03
Although originally a brand name, "rollator" has become a
genericized trademark A generic trademark, also known as a genericized trademark or proprietary eponym, is a trademark or brand name that, because of its popularity or significance, has become the generic term for, or synonymous with, a general class of products or ...
for wheeled walkers in many countries, and is also the most common type of walker in several European countries. The rollator consists of a frame with three or four large wheels, handlebars and a built-in seat, which allows the user to stop and rest when needed. Rollators are also often equipped with a shopping basket. Rollators are typically more sophisticated than conventional walkers with wheels. They are adjustable in height and are light-weight, yet sturdier than conventional walkers. The handlebars are equipped with hand brakes that can be lifted or pushed downward to instantly stop the rollator. The brakes can also be used in maneuvering the rollator; by braking one side while turning the rollator towards that side a much tighter turning radius can be achieved. A study in the 2000s found an increase in the use of rollators by young people "usually in their thirties who are setting a new standard for walking among young people". The researchers conclude that this might be helpful in alleviating the stigma that using a rollator currently carries. A Norwegian-made version of Wifalk's rollator won the 2011
Red Dot Design Award The Red Dot Design Award is a German international design prize awarded by Red Dot GmbH & Co. KG. There are prize categories for product design, brands and communication design, and design concept. Since 1955, designers and producers can appl ...
in the "Life science and medicine" class. The European norm for walking aids EN ISO 11199-2:2005 applies to rollators and walking frames. File:People getting around on the Ebertstraße sidewalk, Berlin.jpg File:Old Ladies.jpg Image:Rollator1.jpg, The original rollator, with hand brakes and a built-in seat, but without shopping basket Image:Rollator.jpg, A later variant of the rollator, where the seat also serves as lid for the shopping basket


Disabled dog walker

This type of walker provides support and stability to the dogs, while allowing them to rely partly on their hind legs and continue using them. It is suitable for dogs with mobility problems with hind legs (or unstable). It also helps them to exercise their back legs and can help maintaining any partial mobility they may have left or, in some cases, help to improve it.


Zimmer frame

The Zimmer frame was invented by Norman Metcalfe. It was aimed to help disabled people walk more easily. It is an improvement of the classic walking aids. Zimmer frames have two wheels in the front.


See also

*
Baby walker A baby walker is a device that can be used by infants who cannot walk on their own to move from one place to another. Modern baby walkers are also for toddlers. They have a base made of hard plastic sitting on top of wheels and a suspended fabri ...
*
Assistive technology Assistive technology (AT) is a term for assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative devices for people with disabilities and the elderly. Disabled people often have difficulty performing activities of daily living (ADLs) independently, or even with ...


References


External links


American Family Physician, August 15, 2011: Geriatric Assistive Devices
Retrieved 2012-03-03
Mayo Clinic - Slide show: Tips for choosing and using walkers
Retrieved 2012-03-03
Walker Facts - Canadian non-profit information website about walkers and rollators
Retrieved 2012-03-03
Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Vol 86, January 2005: Assistive Devices for Balance and Mobility
Retrieved 2012-03-03 {{DEFAULTSORT:Walker (Mobility) Mobility devices