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Stepping out - a guide to wheeled walking frames
This guide looks at walking sticks and crutches, walking frames, scooters and wheelchairs. It will help you decide what kind of walking aid is right for you.
If a wheeled walking frame would be a good choice, this guide will help you choose a suitable model.
We asked a group of ten professionals and two walking frame users to assess eighteen walking frames. They checked out the various features they had and assessed them for ease of use.
Contents
Getting about safely
A run down of the range of aids that are available to help with mobility and preventing falls, with advice about how you decide which type is for you
Choosing a wheeled walking frame
Information about the different types of walking frame and what to look out for; details of the 18 frames we have assessed.
Choosing a wheeled walking frame
Useful organisations
Where to buy equipment, organisations that help with information and advice and where to go for financial help towards mobility equipment.
Download guide as pdf
Acknowledgements
We are grateful to the Department of Health for funding this series of guides. Others in the series are:
- Take your medicine - a guide to pill boxes, dispensers and memory aids.
- Are you sitting comfortably? - a guide to riser recliner chairs.
We are grateful to the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in the Community and the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Occupational Health and Ergonomics (both interest groups of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy) and to the College of Occupational Therapists for help and advice.
We are also grateful to UK Mobility Services Ltd, Bluewater Shopping Centre, Greenhithe, Kent DA9 9SJ for use of their premises during photography.
A number of suppliers helped with this study by providing samples for testing:
- DoAbility
- Homecraft Rolyan
- Nordic Care Services
- Trulife
- Uniscan
- Z-Tec
Expert assessments were carried out by: Peggy Frost, Sue Henchley, Marie Hendry, Di Hewetson, Karen Rix and Janet Stoneham. Lab testing was carried out at Intertek, Milton Keynes.
Research: Dr Jasper Holmes
Photography: Robin Beckham; John Trenholm