Rollator

A rollator is a walking aid for people who are unsteady on their feet. It is a type of small trolley that you walk behind and can lean on. It ensures that people can move safely indoors and outdoors.

Who is a rollator suitable for?

People who have difficulty walking often benefit a lot from a rollator. It gives them a bit of freedom of movement and independence back. In addition, it is safer to walk with a rollator, because the chance of falls decreases as a result. Older people use a rollator more often than young people.

There are different reasons to (start to) use a rollator:

• Balance problems that create a risk of falling.
• Poor eyesight that that overlooks obstacles on the ground.
• Reduced fitness, making walking without support too tiring.
• Operations or injuries to one or both legs that make walking more difficult.
• Nerve or muscle diseases that make the legs insufficiently strong.

What does a rollator look like?

A rollator has a number of fixed parts:

• A frame of steel, aluminium, or carbon.
• Usually 4 wheels, but 3 is also possible. The front wheels are caster wheels that make taking corners easy.
• Height-adjustable handles for people from 1.5 m to 2 m.
• 2 hand brakes that can also be locked (parking position).
• A seat to rest on.
• Often there is a rack or basket to store some items in.
• Most rollators are foldable to make them easier to store and transport.

In addition, there are all kinds of handy accessories available to mount on the rollator, such as a holder for a walking cane or oxygen cylinder.

What types of rollators are there?

Nowadays, there are many different types of rollators available. For example:

• Lightweight rollators.
• Rollators especially for outside and/or inside.
• Rollators with pneumatic tyres that absorb vibrations better.
• Extra compact rollators. These can be folded into a small package and are therefore handy for travelling.
• Rollators for visually impaired people. These have a white frame with red stripes.

How do you adjust a rollator correctly?

The correct adjustment of a rollator is necessary to be able to walk well and safely with it. A properly adjusted rollator provides the most support and reduces the chance of complaints due to poor posture. Adjusting is very easy. Pay attention to the following:

• Make sure both handles are at the right height and that their height is the same. You determine the correct height by letting the arms hang next to the body. The handles must then be adjusted at wrist height. Do not forget to lock the height adjustment properly.
• Check whether the brakes work properly and do not rub against the wheels. Also, check whether the parking position works.
• Check whether the rollator is properly unfolded and locked.

How do you use a rollator correctly?

It is important to walk as upright as possible between the handles. Some people tend to push it far ahead. As a result, they walk too far behind the rollator with a bent back and outstretched arms. In this way, you have less support and stability from the rollator. It already helps a lot if the rollator is adjusted correctly.

To go up a kerb, tilt the rollator back a little. The front wheels then come off the ground. Push the rollator a little forward until the front wheels are on the kerb. Then lift the rear wheels a little until they are on the kerb too. Then step up yourself and walk on.

Is it time to rest? Then first put the rollator on the parking brake before you sit down. You lock the brake by pushing the brake levers down. The rollator is now in the parking position.

Folding often goes very simply by tilting or lifting the seat. Ask someone else to do this and to put the rollator, for example, in the boot of the car or to be set aside.