Type 1 Walkers

A Type 1 walker is a walking frame: four legs, no seat, and either no wheels at all or two small wheels at the front. It is the aid for someone who needs to take real weight through their arms while walking.

Why a frame rather than a rollator

The distinction matters more than most people realise. A walking frame stays put when you push down on it, which is what makes it safe to lean on. A rollator rolls, and leaning on a rollator that is not braked is how people fall.

So the choice is not about how mobile you feel. It is about whether you need something to bear your weight or something to steady you over distance. If you are recovering from surgery, have significant weakness, or your balance is genuinely poor, a frame is the safer answer even though it is slower.

Wheels or no wheels

A frame with no wheels has to be lifted and placed with each step. That is the most stable option and it suits someone with good arm strength who needs maximum support.

Two front wheels let you push the frame forward instead of lifting it, with the rear legs on glides that grip when you put weight down. That is much less tiring, and it is what most people are given.

Getting the height right

The handgrip should sit at the crease of your wrist when you stand upright with your arms relaxed at your sides. Too high and your shoulders hunch; too low and you stoop, which puts you further off balance rather than steadier. It takes two minutes to set and a great many people are using one set wrongly.

Funding

Whether a particular walker is fundable through the Assistive Devices Program depends on the device and on clinical criteria, and the assessor determines the category. Contact us or come into the showroom and we will fit one properly and talk you through the options.