The essential guide to mobility aids

A walking stick can help to offer you greater stability while you're out and about, useful if you have an injury or condition that makes balancing difficult. 

People tend to only use one walking stick at a time (there are exceptions to this) and if you find that you may need to use one for each hand, you may wish to consider using a rollator or walking frame instead for extra stability.

Curious about the different types of walking stick available or looking to find out how to successfully measure yourself for a walking stick? Read our essential guide below to get the complete lowdown on this useful mobility aid and how it could help you.

Anyone who has an illness, disability or injury to their legs may find crutches useful. Crutches are fully weight-bearing and can be used to help you walk by helping to keep the weight off your bad leg or to compensate for a missing leg.

If you need help getting around and you have the necessary upper body strength to support yourself, you may find crutches a useful mobility aid to consider.

Do you have a friend or loved one who may find crutches helpful? If you want to help them out but aren't sure where to start, read our guide to learn more about crutches, including how to use crutches, the different types of crutches, and how to get the right size for your loved one.

If you need help and support in standing upright and walking, then you may find a walking frame useful as they can help you keep your balance when walking. The majority of walking frames are suitable for indoor use and there are narrower frames available if you have tight spaces to manoeuvre round at home. If you're planning on using it outdoors as well be sure to check the product description as not all of them may be designed for use outside. 

Read our guide to walking frames to learn how to use a walking frame, the safety considerations you need to keep in mind, how to choose the right walking frame to meet your needs and more. This comprehensive guide is on hand to help you decide if a walking frame is right for you and what some of your options are when it comes to choosing the right one.

Anyone who doesn't have severe balance issues but needs support while walking could find a rollator useful. They're also a handy mobility aid to try if you find that lifting a walking frame is too difficult as rollators are wheeled, so you can push them around. Not only this but many rollators come with seats, which means you can take breaks when you need to if you find it tricky to walk without pausing to rest every so often.

There's a huge variety in design and style of rollator and it's easy to get overwhelmed by choice. Read our buying guide to learn about some of the major differences between rollators, how to measure yourself for one correctly, and what things you should consider and take into account before choosing one.

Considering buying a rollator for a loved one but aren't sure where to start? Read our guide to find out everything you need to know about rollators, including a deeper look at some of the different accessories and features that are available with certain types of rollator. 

Anyone can use a wheelchair, but the type of wheelchair you may need will depend on a variety of factors, including whether your time in a wheelchair will be temporary or long term, if you want to be able to self-propel or if you'll need a wheelchair to be attendant-propelled (pushed by someone else), and ultimately what the wheelchair will be used for. It's important to think carefully about what you want from a wheelchair before purchasing one, to make sure you get the right one for your needs.

Specialist wheelchairs could be manual or powered wheelchairs that can usually be customised to suit the person using it. This type of wheelchair tends to have a variety of features aimed at those who will be permanently in need of a wheelchair but can range from power chairs for everyday use through to active wheelchairs designed for people wanting to keep up with a sportier lifestyle.

This type of wheelchair requires a home assessment. You can find out more about our free home assessments and book yours by clicking on the link below.

If you already own a manual wheelchair but would like the option of powered one, then a powered wheelchair add-on may be what you're looking for. These add-ons are designed to fix to your existing chair - especially useful if you have an existing custom chair you're not interested in giving up yet. Read our article to learn more about our top 5 must-have power add-ons.

If you choose a powered wheelchair, you'll need to learn how to take care of the battery so that it doesn't let you down at a crucial moment. We've put together a series of tips and recommendations to help you keep your battery in tip-top condition for as long as possible.

Ideally, to use a mobility scooter you need to be able to transfer on and off it on your own. Government guidance also advises that you can only use a mobility scooter if you find it difficult to walk due to injury, disability or medical condition.

The good news is that even for Class 3 mobility scooters that can go on the road, you don't need a drivers licence to operate one. 

If someone you care for is living with mobility issues and you think of mobility scooter could help, this guide is on hand to answer all your questions about them. From the different types of mobility scooter available to the batteries and accessories on offer, this guide will help you decide if a mobility scooter might be suitable for your loved one.