A rollator is a modern mobility aid and one of the latest innovations on the market with accessories and devices specially tailored for people with mobility disabilities and difficulties.
It has many benefits compared to the standard old, but gold mobility aids like the walker, the wheelchair, and the cane, but the perfect stability it brings is the most fundamental one.
On the other side, it’s essential to mention that the rollator is a great alternative for outdoor usage.
Apart from its great advantages in domestic usage, it brings better speed and a sense of flexibility in your everyday activities outdoors.
When it comes to choosing the best rollator for outdoor use, it’s essential to have in mind lots of factors, be familiar with the latest brands, the top reliable manufacturers, and the right way of using such a device.
However, what is also important is to know when a rollator is the best mobility aid to choose from the best options you’ve got, as well as what exactly the rollator is.
What is a rollator?
A rollator is a typical mobility aid.
It’s one of the latest devices for mobility issues on the market.
The device comprises a walking frame and several wheels (models with three but 4-wheeled rollators, too).
The rollators are amazing and convenient for those who wish to maintain their independence on the go.
These days most of the rollators have hand lever brakes, allowing for maximum control.
In almost all cases, a rollator can be folded away for transportation and ease of storage. Rollators are not recommended for those with balance problems.
When it’s recommended to use a rollator for outdoor use or indoor movements?
A rollator might be modern and flexible, but it’s not recommended in all medical cases involving mobility problems.
Usually, the doctors and physicians advise their patients to use a rollator in these cases:
1, Old age, respectively reduced mobility due to maturity with no specific orthopedic or chronic health problems in a senior patient.
2, Arthritis as the rollator can provide extra support to carry on with the ordinary daily tasks during those moments of severe pain due to joint or bone inflammation.
3, Gout on the feet – specifically, a rollator with a seat gives an amazing comfort outdoors.
4, Spina bifida – in case of paralysis or a high rate of weakness in the zone of the lower limb, the rollator provides excellent support and protects the patient from falls and other incidents.
5, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease– if having this rare diagnose, any patient knows that the muscles in legs eventually weaken, which is why having a rollator the outdoors during a busy day might save the patient’s life.
6, Chronic fatigue syndrome – the rollator will help the patient lose balance and by offering a seat in a sudden cause of reassurance in movements.
7, Motor neuron disease – especially in an early stage requires very precise and careful treatment that usually includes tough medications, but still a tip to continue your everyday life. The rollator helps the patient out to deal with them.
8, Any fracture or trauma – incidents like broken legs, ankles, hip replacement, etc., require at least three weeks of recovery.
During the rehabilitation process, the patient might lose the motivation to continue their everyday life, so a rollator is a great alternative to prevent such depression.
What types of rollators do we know?
The rollator is not a single innovation in the sphere of mobility aids.
A long time ago, the device was introduced to the world, so nowadays we meet many types of rollator.
Depending on some specific criteria, we recognize the following groups of rollators:
1, We can meet a 3- or 4-wheel rollator depending on the number of wheels they have.
2, Depending on their weight, we know lightweight and heavy-duty rollators.
3, Depending on their specific features, we recognize a rollator of a wheelchair, 2 in 1 rollator and a transit chair.
4, Depending on the area they are used, we recognize an indoor and an outdoor rollator.
Is there any difference between the indoor and the outdoor rollator?
An indoor rollator can help by giving the user a sturdy frame to lean on while moving around, with optional extras such as trays or brakes, making a rollator an ideal mobility aid for the home.
If you’re choosing a rollator to use indoors, measure doorways to ensure that the rollator will fit through!
Outdoor rollators differ from standard rollators as some have heavy-duty wheels, smooth ride technology, and a hand brake system.
Most outdoor rollators can also be fitted with a seat or bag, ideal for shopping.
How to choose the best rollator for outdoor use?
Below you can find our tips regarding the best practice for searching for the best rollator specially designed and made to be used in the outdoors:
1, Start with the right side of the rollator for outdoor use.
Note that it is essential for the height of the handles to be correct so you can use the rollator safely and comfortably.
It’s also important to check that you are within the maximum user weight for a rollator to ensure that it will offer you sufficient support.
2, When it comes to outdoor use, the availability of a seat is not so mandatory as you will move along the streets.
However, if you believe you cannot support your body weight on your own and you feel too weak, better opt for a rollator model with an in-built seat.
3, The rollator for outdoor use should be better added with two specific features.
First of all, it should be foldable and second of all, and it should be better ergonomic and convenient enough.
4, Make sure the quality corresponds to your requirements, but don’t go into the trap of the conception that everything expensive is premium and qualitative.
Balance the quality with the rate when choosing a rollator for outdoor use.
