Cane, Walker or Rollator: Which Walking Aid Fits?
A cane, a standard walker and a rollator all give you something to hold when you walk, but they take different amounts of weight and balance. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons' OrthoInfo page on crutches, canes and walkers gives fitting and safety rules for the first two, and the CDC says more than 1 in 4 older adults falls each year. Here is what each aid is and how the rules apply.
What Each Aid Is
OrthoInfo's page describes canes and walkers and does not name rollators, so its fit rule is for the first two. The wrist crease check applies to any handle you lean on.
How to Fit Them
OrthoInfo's rule is the same for a cane and a walker: when you stand up straight, the top should reach the crease in your wrist, and your elbow should be slightly bent when you hold the handgrip. Stand in the shoes you wear and let your arm hang when you measure. Our cane and walker height checker compares your number with the height ranges of the products in our guides.
Rules That Apply to All of Them
- Cane hand. Hold the cane in the hand opposite the side that needs support. If your right knee is sore, use your left hand.
- Stairs. OrthoInfo says never to climb stairs or use an escalator with a walker. For a cane, it says to hold the handrail with one hand and the cane with the other, stepping up with the good leg first and down with the cane first.
- Standing up. Do not pull on or tilt a walker to help you stand. Push up with your arms from the chair, then take hold of the handgrips.
- Tips. Check the rubber tips regularly and replace them if they are uneven or worn.
- Brakes. On a rollator, lock the brakes before you sit or stand. Drive says its brake is pushed down to lock the rollator in place.
Using a Walker, Step by Step
OrthoInfo gives the steps for a standard walker, and they are a useful guide for any frame you push or lift. Position the walker about one step ahead of you, making sure all four legs are on even ground. Move the sore leg into the middle of the walker, then bring the good leg up even with it. Take small steps when you turn, and do not step all the way to the front of the walker.
To sit, back up until your legs touch the chair, feel for the seat and lower yourself slowly. To stand, push up with your arms and take hold of the handgrips. OrthoInfo says not to pull on or tilt the walker to help you stand up, because the frame can tip toward you.
How to Choose
We found no clinical source that sorts the three by condition, so the choice is practical and a therapist should confirm it. A cane suits someone who needs a little support and can walk steadily. A standard walker takes more weight and gives a wider base. A rollator suits someone who can walk but tires, because it lets you sit, though a seat on wheels brings its own risks, so lock the brakes first.
If you are not sure, ask a physical therapist to watch you walk. They can fit the aid to your height and show you how to use it on stairs and curbs.
Where to Look Next
Our cane guide compares five canes, with a folding model backed by a maker's tested weight. Our rollator guide compares five rollators by weight limit, wheels and handle height.
Shopping for One?
CanesBest Walking Canes for Seniors: Offset, Quad and Folding Canes ComparedFive walking canes from HurryCane, KINGGEAR, DMI, Medline and HONEYBULL compared on height range, weight limit, base and folding, with how to fit one and what OrthoInfo says.
Walkers & RollatorsBest Rollator Walkers with Seats: Five Compared on Weight, Wheels and FitFive rollator walkers from Drive Medical, Medline, VOCIC and HOMLAND compared on weight limit, wheel size, seat and handle height, with how to fit one and what OrthoInfo says.