Introduce the walker

When hemiplegia, paraplegia, post amputation or other lower limb muscle strength is weakened and cannot support weight, walking aids are indispensable rehabilitation aids. At present, there are many kinds of walking aids in the market. Only choosing the right walking aids can bring the greatest convenience to the user's life. In medicine, walking aids is a kind of tool to support the body weight, keep balance and walk. According to its structure and function, it can be divided into three types: non power walking aid, functional electric stimulation walking aid and power walking aid. Here we will introduce the types and correct selection methods of Walker:

（1） Types and usage of crutch

1. According to the structure and usage of the staff, it can be divided into four categories: walking stick, forearm stick, armpit stick and platform stick.

(1) Stick: e68a847a686964616f313332643237 is a kind of walking aid with one hand: ① single foot stick: made of wood or aluminum alloy. It is suitable for those with good grip and strong upper limb support, such as the healthy side of hemiplegic patients and the elderly. ② A walking stick with three or four legs. Because of its wide supporting surface and good stability, it is often used for patients with poor balance ability and unsafe use of one foot walking stick.

(2) Forearm: also known as lofstrand crutch. The position of the handle and the length of the strut can be adjusted. The arm sleeve used to clamp the forearm is usually in the form of folding leaves. There are two kinds of openings: front opening and side opening. This crutch can be used either alone or in two ways. It is suitable for those who have poor grip, weak forearm but do not need to use armpit crutch. The utility model has the advantages of being light and beautiful, and the hand can still move freely when using the crutch; for example, when using the hand to open the door, the hand can turn the door handle away from the handle without worrying about the crutch falling out, because the arm sleeve still fixes the crutch on the forearm. The disadvantage of this crutch is that its stability is not as good as that of armpit crutch.

(3) Axillary crutch: the axillary crutch is reliable and stable, which is used for patients with paraplegia or severe trauma. Including fixed and adjustable.

(4) Platform crutch: also known as rheumatoid crutch, it has a fixed belt, which can fix the forearm on the platform forearm bracket, and there is a handle in front of the forearm bracket. It can be used for rheumatoid patients with severe hand joint damage or for those with severe hand trauma and pathological changes who are not suitable for weight bearing to change from the forearm, and the handle plays the role of mastering the direction.

2. Choosing the right length of staff is the key to ensure the safety of patients and maximize the function of staff.

(1) Length of armpit staff: the easiest way to determine the length of armpit staff is to subtract the length of 41cm from the length of the armpit staff. When standing, the height of the big rotor is the position of the handle. The patient should stand in the shoes that he often wears during the measurement. If the patient's lower limbs or upper limbs are short and deformed, the patient can put on shoes or lower limb orthosis to lie on his back, and gently press the armpit stick close to the armpit. The most appropriate length of the armpit staff is 15cm in front of the little toe and at the level of the sole of the foot

(2) Stick length: let the patient put on shoes or lower limb orthosis to stand. The length of the walking stick is 150 degrees elbow flexion, wrist dorsiflexion, 15 cm from the anterolateral side of the little toe to the palmar extension of the back.

Walker

Walker, also known as walking frame, is another common walker. It is generally made of aluminum alloy material, which is a kind of metal frame with three sides (front and left and right sides). It is very light and can protect the patient in it. Some of them also have casters. The walking device can support weight for standing or walking, and its supporting area is large, so its stability is good. There are mainly the following types:

（1） . types of walkers

1. Fixed type is often used to reduce the load of one side of the lower limb, for example, when the lower limb injury or fracture is not allowed to bear the load, at this time, both hands lift the handrails on both sides at the same time and put them forward on the ground instead of one foot, and then step on the healthy leg.

2. Interactive type has small volume, no wheel foot and adjustable height. When using, first move one side forward, then move the remaining side forward, so as to move back and forth alternately. The utility model is suitable for patients with poor standing balance and lower limb muscle strength or the elderly, and the advantage is that it is convenient to go to the toilet.

3. The front wheel type is used for the upper limb with poor muscle strength. If it is difficult to lift the walker on one side or on the whole, the front wheel will land at this time, and the back foot of the walker can be pushed forward to walk.

4. Compared with the above three kinds of walking cars, the old people's walking car has four wheels, which is easy to move; instead of being controlled by hand, they put their forearms on the washers to move forward. This car is suitable for the old people who walk unsteadily, but when using it, you should pay attention to keeping the body perpendicular to the ground, otherwise it is easy to slip.

5. The armpit supported walker is supported by two armpits for weight walking. It has four casters with the largest volume, and is used for those with poor upper limb muscle strength.

6. The unilateral walking device is very stable, which is suitable for hemiplegic patients or patients whose four foot walking stick is not stable enough. Its disadvantage is that it is heavier than four foot walking stick. Use of Walker if you are prone to fall down, or disabled, the doctor will recommend the walker to you. In order to balance your walking, the walker provides a more powerful support. But how can you choose from so many walking aids? A proper walker can keep your body straight and more convenient when you walk. On the contrary, it is very difficult to use an inappropriate walker, which will cause back pain and even make people more prone to fall. So pay attention to and learn the differences between the two common walking aids described below, and how to adjust and use your walking aids. These basic knowledge will be shown in the following pictures