Mobility Aids and Assistive Devices

Mobility aids and assistive devices are self-help devices that substitute for, support or compensate for lost function so that a person can move about and carry out daily activities. They range from walking aids such as canes, crutches and walkers to a broad family of adaptive equipment that makes tasks of daily living achievable.

Definition

Devices, methods and equipment designed to help people with disability perform tasks of mobility and daily living more easily and safely — including walking aids and other adaptive (self-help) equipment that substitute for or compensate for impaired function.

Scope

The entry covers the main categories of walking and mobility aids and the wider class of self-help devices, the functions they serve (stability, offloading, reach, and task adaptation), and how device selection relates to a person's impairment, environment and goals. It is a reference topic describing these device classes and their purposes, not a guide to selecting or setting up a device for any individual.

Core questions

• What categories of mobility and self-help device exist, and what does each do?
• How does a walking aid improve stability and offload a limb or joint?
• How does device choice relate to impairment, environment and personal goals?
• Where do mobility aids sit relative to orthoses, prostheses and wheelchairs?

Key concepts

• Walking aids (cane, crutch, walker)
• Base of support and stability
• Weight-bearing offloading
• Adaptive equipment for daily living
• Assistive technology and participation
• Device-person-environment fit

Mechanisms

Walking aids work mechanically: by giving an additional point of contact with the ground they widen the base of support, improve balance and let load be transferred through the arms, offloading a painful or weak leg. Other self-help devices substitute for lost reach, grip or coordination so that dressing, feeding and other daily tasks become possible. In each case the device compensates for a specific impairment, and its usefulness depends on matching the device to the person's abilities, goals and environment (WHO, 2016).

Clinical relevance

Mobility aids and self-help devices are among the most frequently used interventions across rehabilitation populations, from stroke and amputation to ageing and chronic disease, and rehabilitation guidelines incorporate them within broader functional programmes (Winstein et al., 2016). This entry is descriptive and educational and does not recommend a particular device, size or set-up for any individual.

Epidemiology

The need for assistive products is large and rising. Global health bodies estimate that over a billion people need at least one assistive product, a figure projected to grow with population ageing (WHO, 2016), and conditions that increase the need for mobility aids — including limb loss — are themselves projected to rise (Ziegler-Graham et al., 2008).

History

Simple walking aids such as staffs and crutches are ancient, but the systematic study and prescription of mobility aids and adaptive equipment is a product of modern rehabilitation, occupational therapy and the assistive-technology movement, which framed devices as tools for activity and participation rather than mere supports, and which global initiatives have since sought to make widely available (WHO, 2016).

Seminal works

• winstein-2016
• ziegler-graham-2008

Frequently asked questions

How does a cane or walker actually help someone walk?

It adds one or more points of contact with the ground, which widens the base of support and lets the person transfer load through the arms, improving balance and offloading a weak or painful leg.

Are self-help devices only about walking?

No. The category also includes adaptive equipment that compensates for impaired reach, grip or coordination so that everyday tasks such as dressing, feeding and grooming become achievable.