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Summary
Mobility aids help you walk or move from place to place if you have a disability or an injury. They include:
- Crutches
- Canes
- Walkers
- Wheelchairs
- Motorized scooters
You may need a walker or cane if you are at risk of falling. If you need to keep your body weight off your foot, ankle or knee, you may need crutches. You may need a wheelchair or a scooter if an injury or disease has left you unable to walk.
Choosing these devices takes time and research. You should be fitted for crutches, canes and walkers. If they fit, these devices give you support, but if they don't fit, they can be uncomfortable and unsafe.
Related Issues
- Gardening from a Wheelchair (Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation Paralysis Resource Center)
- Home Improvement Assistance (Administration for Community Living)
-
Rehabilitation Engineering: What is Rehabilitation Engineering?
(National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering)
Also in Spanish
Specifics
- Crutch Use (American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons)
- Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Coverage (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)
- Wheelchairs (Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation Paralysis Resource Center)
Clinical Trials
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Self-Help Devices
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
Find an Expert
- National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (Administration for Community Living)
Older Adults
- Eldercare at Home: Mobility Problems (AGS Health in Aging Foundation)
The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health.