Mobility aids are devices for people finding it difficult to move around. It makes for freedom and enhances independence. Mobility aids have several benefits, from reduced pain to higher self-esteem and confidence.
Many mobility aids, including canes, wheelchairs, rollators, and crutches, are available.
Types of Mobility Aids
- Canes
Canes support the body’s weight and transfer your weight from your legs to your upper body. Assistive canes benefit people with balancing problems and those at a high risk of falling. Several types of canes are available. They may be foldable or adjustable. Common types of cane include:
- White canes
These canes are specifically for assisting visually-impaired people. They are thinner and longer than the traditional canes, allowing the user to detect obstructions. White canes also inform other people that the user is visually impaired or blind.
- Forearm canes
These canes provide extra forearm support, allowing the user to distribute the weight from the wrist to the arm.
- Quad canes
Quad canes have four tips at the bottom to provide a wider base for more stability.
- Crutches
Crutches can help you stand upright following permanent disability or short-term injury. Crutches also allow you to transfer your body weight from your legs to your upper body. You can get a single crutch, but it is also available in pairs.
The common types of crutches include:
- Axillary or underarm crutches
People using axillary crutches place a part of it against their ribcage, under the armpit, and then hold the handgrip. They are best for people healing from short-term injury
- Lofstrand or forearm crutches
This crutch requires placing the arm in a plastic or metal cuff and holding the handgrip. Forearm crutches are better suited for people with movement issues for an extended period.
- Platform crutches
People who use the platform crutches hold the grip while resting the forearm on a horizontal platform. These crutches are not common, but patients with a weak hand grip resulting from conditions such as cerebral palsy or arthritis can use these crutches.
- Walkers
Walkers, sometimes called Zimmer frames, consist of metal frames and four legs to provide support and stability to the user. Some have glides or wheels at the base to make movement easier for those with limited strength in their arm. The basic walker has a 3-sided frame to support the user.
Other less common walkers include:
- Walker-cane hybrids
These offer a balance between a walker and a cane. They have two legs instead of a full-frame, and you can use both hands, providing more support.
- Rollators
Rollators have the same features as the standard walkers but with a seat to rest and hand breaks for more safety.
- Knee walkers
They are similar to rollators and allow the user to rest the knee on a padded cushion while moving the walker with the stronger leg.
- Wheelchairs
Wheelchairs are for people unable to walk or who do not want to transfer weight to the lower limbs. Wheelchairs are better suited for people with severe disabilities than walkers. A wheelchair can be manually moved, electrically powered, or pushed by someone.
- Mobility Scooters
Scooters are similar to wheelchairs. They are beneficial to people with limited upper body strength or less flexibility to operate a manual wheelchair. Scooters are usually battery-powered and have three, four, or five wheels.