4-wheeled Walker adaptation
Our client was elderly and frail and had had a stroke which affected her right-hand grip on her 4-wheel walker. She also had hurt her ankle on a protruding brake fixing on the lower tubing of the walker. Her Occupational Therapist asked Remap if her walker could be adapted to enable her to walk more comfortably indoors.
The solution
Dave Chartres from the York panel devised the solution which was to replace the handlebar with gutter-style support for the client’s forearm and a vertical bar for her hand grip. The lower tubing was wrapped in foam to protect the client’s ankles. After a preliminary trial it was decided to adapt the left handlebar in the same way to help balance our client’s posture.
The gutter supports were made from two halves of a 200mm length of 100mm dia. uPVC pipe, lined with a 12mm layer of dense foam fixed with adhesive. The supporting bars were made from 22mm copper tubing and tees, strengthened with cores of a combination of wood dowel and epoxy resin. 22mm dia. pipe insulation was used to cushion the handlebars. The arm supports were mounted onto the tubing using pieces of 28mm thick oak shaped to cradle the uPVC and drilled to accommodate the tubing in a close fit. This assembly was joined and prevented from rotating by single bolts running through the tube centres.
Walker showing arm rests, cradles and tubing, together with ankle protection.
Walker being used by our client’s daughter who is her carer.
The benefit
The adaptations gave our client a much better support for walking within her home and with the help of her carers even for short walks outside.
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