Walkers and rollators

A rollator is a walking aid that takes the form of a four legged frame with wheels or casters at the base of its legs. These frames make it possible to walk whilst having some of the body weight taken by the frame and by getting the balancing advantage that holding onto a support offers.

Rollators can have wheels on the front legs, or on all four legs and they have a braking mechanism (much like a push bike) that enables them to be stopped at the squeeze of a handle.

Walking frames without wheels are also available, however these frames need to be lifted forwards between steps.

Bariatric rollators

As with many bariatric aids the big difference between the standard rollator model and the bariatric one is an increase in strengthening, rigidity and support. This means that a bariatric rollator looks almost identical to a standard rollator, however it has a larger (wider) and stronger frame made from larger section components.

The wheels of bariatric roller frames are also larger and stronger than their standard counterparts and this results in a stronger and more durable rollator.

A further difference is in the braking system which uses higher performance braking components to take account of the larger person weight.

Other features

Rollators can come in a basic “no frills” form, or with the addition of some extra features, most of which are very useful and can be selected as options on many roller frames.

The first feature offered on most rollators is the addition of a storage basket. This is usually attached to the frame and it makes it possible to carry anything from a bag to a few items of shopping on board the rollator. These baskets are often available in different sizes and the larger ones sit near the base of the rollator frame so that they do not affect the frame’s center of gravity. Smaller baskets can feature on the front of frames.

A second very useful rollator feature is a seat (and possibly a back support). The seat adds to the rigidity of the frame and it means that the person using the rollator can stop and sit down at any time simply by applying the brake and sitting on the integral seat. These seats are padded and, in the case of a bariatric rollator, they are wider than a normal roller frame seat. A back rail and sometimes a back rest add to the comfort level.

Some of the more expensive rollators have adjustable features for handlebar height and seat height and some seats are demountable and can be removed or folded up vertically when not in use. When in the horizontal position many seats act as a lid and protector for the storage basket beneath them.

Price

Rollators vary in cost significantly with the basic (two wheeler) models being “quite cheap”. Bariatric rollators are at the top end of the price spectrum, but they are also at the top end of the quality spectrum with high quality components and a robust and harder wearing build standard.

To find out more about the different walking frame and rollator models that are currently available you can refer to any of the pages below.

Walking frames and rollators - a general introduction.
Different types of walkers and rollators - further information covering rollator models.
Two wheel walkers (front wheels with casters) - not normally suited for bariatric needs.
Four wheeled rollators - strong and stable rollators often with designs and weight bearing capacities suitable for the larger person.
Three wheel rollator - easily manoeuvrable roller frames, but less stable than a four wheel rollator and not always suitable for the larger person if they have balance problems.