Ask The Expert: Walking Aid Advice

Q&A: Navigating Mobility Challenges

Welcome to our Ask the Expert column, where we connect you with professional insights on everyday  wellness and lifestyle needs. This month, we’re addressing a common concern about finding the right mobility aid for both indoor safety and outdoor confidence.

Read on as Natasha Bruce-Jones, Occupational Therapist, offers advice to a reader struggling with their current walker on uneven outdoor surfaces.

Question:

I just received CareCo Life magazine and wonder if you can offer guidance. Following some falls at home earlier this year, I had a spell in hospital, resulting in weakness in my legs in addition to a lack of balance.

I ordered from CareCo the 3-wheeler Vestar Tri-Walker. While this has been helpful getting around the flat, especially to the loo at night, it was not as sturdy as I hoped outdoors, where it doesn’t cope so well with curbs, blind bumps at crossings, or raised surfaces. So, I am now looking at the Traxion Outdoor Rollator with pneumatic tyres. Will this help? Would be grateful for your advice.

 - Monica

Answer:

Although a three wheeled walker has good manoeuvrability and can help manage your mobility in tight spaces, its smaller base of support and central wheel can make it more of a challenge to  balance than other styles.

The Traxion Outdoor Rollator is a great rollator for parks and trails, but it may be more than you need. I recommend that you visit a showroom and try our 4-wheeled walkers. Make sure to take them outdoors and try on the pavements too!

If you regularly have to navigate uneven pavements, trial some 4-wheeled walkers that have suspension and bigger tyres with better grip. The larger wheels cope easier with surface level changes, and the suspension can help reduce some of the jolting you may feel through your hands.

If you have balance issues, CareCo staff will show you how to set the walker to the right height for you, optimising your posture and stability and helping you feel more confident with every stride at home or out and about.

 - Natasha

We hope Natasha’s advice helps Monica and anyone else considering a change in their mobility aid!
If you have a question about health, home modifications, assistive technology, or any other lifestyle
challenge you’d like our panel of experts to address, send us an email today life@careco.co.uk