Rollators

If you have difficulty walking, e.g. due to weak leg muscles, leg or back pain, impaired balance or dizziness, a rollator may be a relevant assistive product for you. It can give you greater confidence when you move about inside and outside the home. It will enable you to walk longer distances and, e.g. do your shopping or get around in the garden.

The importance of choosing the right assistive product

It is important that the assistive product you choose gives you precisely the support you need to get through the day as best as possible. You may choose a rollator if you have impaired balanced or experience pain in your feet, legs, hips, or back when you walk. The rollator can help give you greater confidence and thus give you the courage to get around more both inside and outside your home. The increased level of activity will strengthen your muscles and joints, so you can manage more tasks inside and outside your home. However, you should not choose a rollator if you can actually manage with, e.g. an elbow crutch. If the rollator gives you too much support, or if you use it in situations, where you don’t really need it, your ability to walk may deteriorate because you are not getting the right training or challenge. For instance, a rollator prevents the normal swinging of the arms and hence the back movements.

If, on the other hand, you have very limited walking ability, or if you cannot support yourself on the rollator with your hands, you may need an assistive product that gives you more support, e.g. a walking table, an activity chair or a wheelchair.

If you are unsure whether a rollator is the right assistive product for you, you can contact an expert, e.g. the assistive product department in your municipality, for professional guidance. Even if you do not apply to the municipality to get the rollator granted, they can guide you in choosing a rollator or other assistive products that support you best possible in managing everyday life.

The properties of the rollator must match your needs. You should consider whether the rollator is mainly to be used indoors or outdoors, whether it is to be used for shopping, whether you need to be able to take the rollator with you in the car, or whether you have limitations in your hands, arms, or shoulders that could affect your choice of rollator.

Indoors

If the space in your home is limited, it may be a good idea to choose a rollator with small wheels. Some rollators have a basket or a tray, so that it is easier to carry things around the home. If you only need to use the rollator occasionally, it can be an advantage to choose a rollator that can “stand on its own” when folded.

Outdoor

When using the rollator outdoors, it must have large wheels to handle various obstacles, such as curbs, grass, and gravel. If the rollator is to be used both indoors and outdoors, you must choose something in between. It may be a good idea to choose a rollator with a resting seat, so that it is possible to sit down on the way.

3 or 4 wheels

Most rollators are rollators with 4 wheels to be pushed, but there are also rollators with 4 wheels to be pulled,which are most often used indoors by people who cannot lean forward and grasp the handles. When the rollator is behind the person, it is also easier to get at, e.g. a table. Rollators that are pushed cannot be used like that.

Delta shaped rollators, Rollators with 3 wheels, can be an alternative to rollators with 4 wheels, to be pushed. These take up a little less space and get around corners more easily.

Rollators in the car

If you want to take the rollator in the car, you or an assistant must be able to manage getting it in and out of the trunk. Some rollators have a small strap or locking mechanism that can hold it together when folded, making it easier to lift it into the car. You must be aware of how it is folded and how a basket, a bag, or other attachments are removed and attached.

Problems with hands, arms, or shoulders

If you have such severe problems with your arms, hands, or shoulders that you cannot support yourself on the rollator, you may consider a rollator with forearm support. However, you must be aware that a rollator with forearm support is larger than a regular rollator. Sometimes it is possible to choose more comfortable handles than those provided. If you can only use one hand for support, you must choose a rollator that is specially designed/suitable for one hand operation.

There is also a difference in how much you have to to open your hand to grasp the brake lever, and there is also a difference in how much force you have to use to activate the brake. Try different models so you are sure you can use the brakes and manoeuvre the rollator.

Always remember to read the user manual before using your rollator. It may be a good idea to practice folding it and removing and attaching any basket or tray.

Here are some good advice to get started with your new rollator:

Adjustment

If you have received your rollator from the municipality, it is likely that it is assembled and possibly adjusted to fit you when you receive it. If you have acquired it yourself, in some cases it will be delivered unassembled, and you must then make sure that it will be assembled according to the instructions and set up correctly for you.

A rollator must be adjusted to the correct height before use. This is important both to avoid unnecessary pain and to achieve the best posture when walking. You should adjust it while wearing the footwear you will most often use with the rollator. A rule of thumb for the height setting is that when you stand up straight with your arms hanging loosely down your sides, the top edge of the rollator’s handle should reach your wrist. There may of course be individual considerations forcing you to choose a different setting. If the rollator has air-filled wheels, they must be inflated according to the instructions, as flat wheels give an incorrect height.

If there is a resting seat on the rollator and you intend to use it, the height of the seat must suit you. When sitting on the seat, you must be able to reach the ground with your feet. If the seat does not fit in height, it will be risky to sit down and stand up from it. It is important that you lock the rollator brakes when you sit on the seat and only unlock it when you have risen to your feet again.

Walk as upright as you can with the rollator. You should aim to walk “inside” the rollator (not behind the rear wheels). On some of the rollators, the seat can be tilted up without folding the rollator. In this way, you will have more space to walk “inside” it. You can have another person check if you are walking upright.

Brakes

It is essential that you can operate the brakes, both to slow down the rollator while walking and to park it when you need to sit down on it.

Folding and unfolding

You should familiarize yourself with how to fold and unfold the rollator. Some rollators have a small strap that can keep it together when folded. This makes it easier to handle when storing it or, for instance, placing it in a car trunk. Some rollators need to “click” into place with a locking mechanism when they are unfolded, and it is important to do this correctly every time so the rollator doesn’t suddenly fold while you are using it.

Basket

Often, the basket or tray needs to be removed when folding the rollator. Therefore, it is important that you know how to do this. Additionally, be aware that manoeuvring the rollator is different when the basket is loaded. Please note that for most rollators, it is recommended not to have more than 5 kg of items in the basket.

Try out

You should try out the rollator in your home environment or in similar surroundings. It may take some practice to navigate tight spaces, go up and down curbs, and travel on uneven or sloped surfaces (most pavements have a slight incline)

In the initial period after you start using the rollator, you should expect to become tired or experience discomfort in your hands, arms, or shoulders. This is from now placing a new kind of strain on your body, and it is likely to ware off after a short time.

Indoors

If you need to use the rollator indoors, you must make sure that it functions well in your home. If thresholds make your mobility with the rollator difficult in your home, you can even out the thresholds with small threshold ramps or remove them. It is a good idea to remove or secure loose carpets that the rollator might get caught in. Additionally, having ample space between furniture will make it easier for you to move about in your home. Make sure there is space to park the rollator so that you have it within reach when sitting or lying down.

Outdoors

If the rollator is intended for use both indoors and outdoors, the outer door must have an opening large enough for you to pass through with the rollator. Alternatively, you may consider whether you would prefer to have two rollators: one for indoor use and one for outdoor use. If you don’t use your rollator indoors, it may be convenient to park it outdoors under cover. You can find covers for rollators under under other accessories for assistive products for walking.

First and foremost, it is important to read the user manual to understand how to maintain your specific rollator. There may be variations in the cleaning and lubrication products that can be used for the different rollators.

A rollator, like a bike, must be tightened regularly, as it can become loose and unstable over time. It is particularly important to inspect the brakes regularly.

The wheels of a rollator can attract a lot of dust, dirt, and hair from the floor, which can impair its driving properties.

It is also important to make sure that the treads on the wheels are in good condition, and that the tyres have the correct air pressure, especially on rollators where the brakes work by pressing on the tyres. If the treads are worn or the tyres are flat, the rollator will not brake effectively. For many rollators, you can purchase new wheels as spare parts.

Depending on how much you use your rollator, the handgrips will gradually wear out over time, potentially affecting both comfort and hygiene. Many handgrips have a “closed” surface that is resistant to dirt and sweat, but this surface can become damaged due to wear or impact.

The handles may become loose. In some cases, they can be tightened again, in other cases, you may need to replace them.

If you are unsure about how to maintain your rollator or if you need spare parts, you can contact the assistive products department in your municipality.

The rollator should be the right size for you, properly adjusted, and its features should suit your needs (please see the section “Getting started with a rollator”).

The rollator must be maintained according to the instructions in the user manual.

Your should contact the assistive products department at the municipality if you feel insecure with your rollator or if you feel that your rollator is not functioning optimally.

Safety in use

You must not sit on the rollator while pushing yourself around with your feet or have someone else push you, unless it is clearly stated in the user manual that the rollator is intended for that use.

You should be aware not to put more load in the rollator basket than it is intended for (typically 5 kg). If the basket is overloaded, the rollator may tip over when you are going up and down curbs or steps.

If you can only use one hand to brake, it is important to choose a rollator with brakes designed for one-handed operation.

Most rollators, especially those designed for outdoor use, have a resting seat. Before sitting down or getting up from the seat, ensure that the rollator is locked with the parking brakes on both sides. When sitting on the seat, it is important that your feet can touch the ground.

When unfolding the rollator, make sure that the frame’s locking mechanism is engaged to prevent it from folding while you are walking with it.

Marking and Testing

When evaluating the quality of a rollator, you can, among other things, check whether the rollator is CE marked as medical equipment and whether it has been tested according to relevant standards for rollators. The CE marking looks the same for different directive areas, but it should be specified in the user manual that the rollator is indeed CE marked as medical equipment.

In AssistData, you can filter the product lists to see only products that, according to the manufacturer’s information, are CE marked and/or tested according to relevant standards.

Please read more about safety and quality in the user manual of the rollator.