Are walkers bad for posture?
Dec 20, 2021
Why Do People Develop Back Pain With A Walker
Walkers and Rollators are the two primary used walking aids by individuals. These walkers often times do not come sized to the person and it is up to the person to correctly adjust the arms of the walker / rollator to ensure proper posture when using the walking aid. When users put the arms of the rollator to high or too low it causes the user to lean. This leaning causes bad posture and from prolonged use can cause back pain on individuals.
Keys To Fixing Bad Posture With A Walker
Consider These Key Factors:
(The Picture On The Right Shows Correct Posture, Arm Positioning, and Correct Use While Walking.)
Posture
As simple as it may sound YOU have control over how you stand and ideally it is up to you to always try your best to maintain good posture. Depending on user conditions this may vary and be more challenging, but as a good train of thought it is always a good idea to keep remembering to maintain good posture when using the walking aid.
Positioning
Walkers & Rollators have height adjustments that make the device suitable for various sized users. Many times users may get these height adjustments wrong and as a result they are not positioned properly when using the walker. The question that arises is how I the user know what height is right for me? Although there is not really an exact answer as every user is different and has different needs, a general rule of thumb is if the user puts there hands stright down the handles of the walker or rollator should be right where the wrist bone is on the user. Again this is just a general rule so it may vary.
Use
Almost every person that uses a walker uses it incorrectly. Now I know it is crazy to make a statement like this, but it is true. If you look at a basic walker you will notice that in between the handles is an open area. The purpose of that open area is for users to walk INSIDE the walker and use it as a supporting frame. Almost everyone will walk OUTSIDE of the walker and this causes the walker to be too far away from the user causing bad posture.
