Best Tools For Maintaining Mobility As You Age (2024)

Mobility—the ability to walk or move freely in one’s environment—becomes increasingly important as you age. Being able to enjoy your favorite activities and navigate daily tasks is a critical part of maintaining independence, as well as your physical and emotional well-being.

While some reduction of mobility with age is normal, there are steps you can take to keep moving comfortably throughout your life.

Why Is Mobility Important As You Age?

Mobility is a key component of physical health that can affect your social and emotional well-being. Limited mobility and the inability to take part in activities that bring you joy can lead to isolation and feelings of embarrassment. In fact, research suggests elderly people with decreased mobility are more likely to have less resilience, social support and attachment to purpose.

“Maintaining mobility is important to prevent falls, which could result in hip fractures or prolonged hospitalization,” says Sarah Starkey, an occupational therapist in New York City. “It’s also important for maintaining independence, strength and quality of life.”

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Tools That Can Help You Maintain Mobility

Lifestyle habits and tools that assist with mobility can provide base support, help stabilize balance, build and maintain strength, and assist with daily activities. It’s important to find the best mobility aid for you, though. Speak with your healthcare provider or physical therapist to determine which mobility tool you should use for the most effective support.

Walking Sticks

Sometimes referred to as trekking poles, walking sticks are often used for temporary assistance while on walks or hikes. They aren’t typically considered mobility aids, but rather accessories for maintaining balance and adding a bit of support while active. Many adults use walking sticks on uneven surfaces or terrain, such as outdoor paths, because they help distribute the weight of the load they’re carrying on an additional touchpoint with the ground. Walking sticks don’t usually have handles, but some do offer comfortable grips for users who suffer from arthritis in their hands.

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Canes

Canes, often used after injuries that lead to strength deterioration or impairment, help improve stability by providing an additional point of contact with the ground during movement. Canes are designed to be comfortable and height-adjustable, and they feature different types of handles and varied weight-bearing abilities. The most common types of canes include standard canes, offset canes and quad canes.

Standard canes, also known as single point canes, consist of one leg and support balance and stability. They’re usually made of wood or aluminum. Aluminum standard canes are typically adjustable, and some fold for easy storing. Standard canes aren’t ideal for people who require assistance with weight-bearing.

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Offset canes are similar to standard canes but allow for occasional weight-bearing support. These canes have a curvature toward the handle to offset the weight of the person and can help with pain in the lower body. Offset canes are frequently recommended for people with arthritis in the hip or knee.

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Quad canes have four feet at the base to assist with weight distribution, providing extra stability and support for the user. These canes sometimes come with three legs instead of four, and they offer the most weight-bearing capabilities of all cane types.

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Walkers

Usually made of metal, walkers feature four legs, sometimes with wheels or glides, and provide balance assistance for people who may have weakness in one or both of their lower extremities. Some walkers have two-wheeled legs in the front and padded legs in back to keep the walker from rolling unintentionally.

Some walkers called pick-up walkers have no wheels at all—they aren’t recommended for users with congestive heart failure or conditions that cause fatigue easily, as they take more effort to pick up and move as you walk.

The amount of stability assistance a person needs should guide the number of wheels on their walker. Walkers are typically height adjustable, but for the best fit, work with your physician or physical therapist to find one with the most appropriate and safe fit for your height. Walkers also exist in petite and tall sizes for people with smaller or taller frames.

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Rollators

“A rollator has four (sometimes three) wheels, a seat and brakes,” says Starkey. “It’s easier to use—but less stable—than a walker with two (or no) wheels. A rollator is also very helpful if you have difficulty walking long distances because you can sit and rest. You can use the seat to hold items as well.”

A rollator is not meant to be leaned on heavily, but it can support a person’s independence by assisting with mobility. If balance is your main concern, you have limited upper body strength, you have difficulty walking long distances or you struggle with standing for prolonged periods of time due to a heart or lung condition, a rollator can encourage a normal walking pattern.

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Additional Methods

While mobility aids are beneficial, there are a few important lifestyle factors to consider as well when looking to maintain mobility as you age.

A Healthy Diet

To nourish your muscles and joints, eat foods with anti-inflammatory properties, as inflammation can lead to stiffness and pain. Consuming foods like spinach, berries, fatty fish like salmon, nuts and olive oil can help prevent inflammation. Meanwhile, sugary food and drinks, fried foods and red meat can trigger inflammation.

As you age, your muscles and bones can weaken. To preserve bone mass and density, research supports the consumption of daily amounts of calcium, magnesium, and vitamins D and K recommended by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)[1]Price CT, Langford JR, Liporace FA. Essential Nutrients for Bone Health and a Review of their Availability in the Average North American Diet . Open Orthop J. 2012;6:143–149. . Before taking any dietary supplement, speak with your physician or pharmacist to avoid potentially harmful interactions with other medications and to ensure you’re consuming the amount of each nutrient you need.

Exercise

Staying active—even with simple, low-impact movement like walking for 30 minutes a day five times a week—is an effective way to maintain mobility with age, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Without activity, your muscles can weaken, leading to a decrease in balance and coordination and a greater risk of falls.

Following an exercise routine at the gym isn’t necessary—any activity that keeps you moving, from swimming to tai chi, can be beneficial. Swimming is often recommended because water makes movement easier on joints and provides full-body support. Meanwhile, evidence suggests tai chi can be a beneficial low-impact activity for maintaining balance, improving stability, reducing joint pain and more.

With that said, the CDC does recommend strength conditioning when possible.

Stretching

Stretching is recommended by physical therapists—regardless of whether you’re exercising. Setting aside 10 minutes a day to stretch can help release muscle tension, improve flexibility and keep muscles strong as you age.

Best Tools For Maintaining Mobility As You Age (2024)
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