Thursday, 1 June 2017

Staying Active With An All Terrain Walker

By Raymond Cole


Anyone who experiences an injury knows how difficult it can be to regain their prior level of fitness. It is often up to the family to keep their loved one active during this time, and this poses a great responsibility for them to keep them safe while being active. Using an all terrain walker can help them accomplish their fitness goals.

As we age, it becomes even more vital that we continue the basic activity of walking. When we become less active, the ability to engage in normal daily routines is impaired, and this can result in one actually giving up on things they once enjoyed. The fear factor can prevent the patient from pursuing physical therapy, especially if the injury was sustained during their normal routine.

For older patients, healing can take longer and be more difficult to achieve. If they injured themselves while on a walk, getting them out walking again can be nearly impossible. However, without that basic activity, they risk experiencing a continued decline in their overall health and well being.

Depression can cause a patient to avoid physical activity, even without the presence of an injury. Having the support of friends and family is key to encouraging the individual to push themselves in a positive direction. Once a patient has established a daily habit of physical activity, they are more likely to continue being active and pursuing activities on their own that promote a sense of well being.

With these modern walkers, patients may be more likely to follow the advice of their physical therapist. With the ability to travel in various environments, the areas available for walking are expanded to beaches and nature preserves. In fact, even a daily stroll through the back yard is more likely to occur when the patient is provided with the best equipment available.

When the lower back is supported, taking pressure off knees and ankles, it is easier for an injured or elderly individual to be mobile. Once improvement is noted, however, the patient may want to ditch the support for short trips. It is vital to the healing process that they be able to walk at a normal stride as soon as possible, so their prior level of activity can be resumed.

It is this hope for improvement that makes walkers a better option to motorized chairs. For patients who are not expected to be able to walk again, motorized assistance is necessary. However, for a patient who suffers mere obesity, or for anyone who has the potential to regain their prior level of physical activity, dependence on a chair can have a detrimental effect to their potential for regaining a healthy level of activity.

Improving mobility and returning to an active lifestyle is the goal for most any patient. A walker that folds down easily to fit in the trunk or back seat of their vehicle allows continued independence as they recuperate. A patient may even be able to continue to work, so long as they are able to get from their car to their job with relative ease and safety.




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