A while back, I was injured and had to use a walker for a few weeks. I bought a used one at a second hand store. It came with tennis balls on the legs. I was just putting it away and noticed there are rubber "cups" on the legs beneath the tennis balls. This makes me wonder why they put the cut-open tennis balls on the legs. And I see this on almost every walker used by people.....
Do the tennis balls provide a better grip than the rubber, or is there another reason?
They allow it to be slid...the rubber does not.
Here I thought, if you fell down, it would be balls up.
That's cool. That's one of the advantages of buying things used.
And they always have crutches at thrift stores. Maybe walkers too.
I think they provide less grip.
But I've never used one.
I think those were originally designed for skiing with a walker but have been used indoors recently.
That is ironic considering the number of people who use walkers because of skiing.
That eliminates my theory that the men in Nursing Homes installed the tennis balls, so they could show off their balls to the women in the Nursing Home. :)
Seriously, I never really noticed the "slid" part, because I mostly used it on carpetting, or outdoors on the patio blocks. Because the injury consisted of torn muscles in my leg, I mostly just needed the walker to help me stand up. Once I was up, I could walk without it on a flat surface, as long as I kept the leg relatively straight. Steps were the biggest problems, but the railing on the stairway was then used. Getting off a chair or out of bed was the worst problem, which required the walker. I was really glad when I no longer needed it, but it sure helped when I did. At my age, I figure I may as well keep it around, but hope it can stay in the closet for a long time.
***First of all original rubber were it self out kind quickly Replacement are $36.00 set and are pain in bottom to put them on, while tennis ball slit it and pushed on and lot chipper, save time and money. A another thing is that balls move over the carpet easer and don't grab for every little thing or crack.
That eliminates my theory that the men in Nursing Homes installed the tennis balls, so they could show off their balls to the women in the Nursing Home. :)
Seriously, I never really noticed the "slid" part, because I mostly used it on carpetting, or outdoors on the patio blocks. Because the injury consisted of torn muscles in my leg, I mostly just needed the walker to help me stand up. Once I was up, I could walk without it on a flat surface, as long as I kept the leg relatively straight. Steps were the biggest problems, but the railing on the stairway was then used. Getting off a chair or out of bed was the worst problem, which required the walker. I was really glad when I no longer needed it, but it sure helped when I did. At my age, I figure I may as well keep it around, but hope it can stay in the closet for a long time.
Good point.
As an aside, at the downtown outdoor skating rink in Baltimore, they have things that look like walkers for beginning ice skaters to use, to not fall down. Maybe they have those everywhere, I don't know.
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