Walking Frames and Zimmer Frames
Walking frames for steady, lift-and-step walking. The Aspire aluminium side folding frame folds slim for the car, and ski and wheel kits change how it moves as you get stronger.
Not sure if you need a frame or a rollator? The guide below explains the difference. We'll fit your frame free in the Picton showroom. Call 1300 216 888.
Walking frame, two-wheel walker or rollator?
A walking frame stands on four rubber tips and you lift it forward with each step. A rollator rolls on four wheels with hand brakes and a seat, so you push it instead of lifting it.
The frame is the steadier of the two. It's what most people come home from hospital with, and what an OT prescribes when balance is poor. We stock the Aspire Side Folding Frame ($159.99). A $49.99 kit of wheels and skis turns it into a two-wheel walker when you're ready.
Who each one suits
A pick-up frame suits the first weeks after a hip or knee replacement. It also suits anyone who needs to lean hard on something that won't move. All four tips are on the floor whenever you put weight through it. You lift it, place it, then step, and that gets tiring on a long hallway.
A two-wheel walker is the same frame with wheels on the front legs. You push it along the floor and it only stops when you press down on it. This suits weak balance where lifting a frame throws you off, and it's the usual next step as strength comes back.
A rollator is for someone who walks reasonably well but tires, or wants a seat on a trip to the shops. It won't hold you up if you stumble, because it rolls. If you need to put real weight through your arms, a forearm walker does that better than either. And if you only need a touch of steadying on one side, a walking stick may be all it takes.
Setting the handle height
Aspire's own instructions are the ones we use in the showroom. Stand upright next to the rear legs in your usual shoes. Let your arms hang loose and bend your wrists forward as if holding the handles. Press the pins and move the legs until the handles line up with the crease of your wrist.
When you then grip the handles, your elbows should have a slight bend. Too high and your shoulders hunch, too low and you stoop. The Aspire adjusts from 760mm to 940mm, which covers most adults, and every leg pin should click fully home before you take a step.
What's in the range
| Setup | Handle height | Max user weight | Frame weight | Folds | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aspire frame, rubber tips (pick-up frame) | 760 to 940mm | 136kg | 2.6kg | Yes, at the side | $159.99 |
| Aspire frame with front wheels (two-wheel walker) | 760 to 940mm | 136kg | 2.6kg plus wheels | Yes, at the side | $159.99 plus $49.99 kit |
| Aspire frame with front wheels and rear skis | 760 to 940mm | 136kg | 2.6kg plus kit | Yes, at the side | $159.99 plus $49.99 kit |
| Wheels and skis kit on its own | n/a | n/a | not published | n/a | $49.99 |
| Frame, wheels and skis bought together | 760 to 940mm | 136kg | 2.6kg plus kit | Yes, at the side | $209.98 |
| Scooter walking frame holder | n/a | n/a | not published | n/a | $129.95 |
Aspire doesn't publish the frame's width or depth. Ask us and we'll measure one before you order. The frame carries a 1 year warranty.
Doorways, folding and weight
Measure the narrowest doorway the frame has to pass through, usually the toilet or the ensuite. If the frame won't fit, it gets left outside the door, right when you most need it.
The Aspire folds at the side rather than flat, so it goes into a car boot or stands against a wall in a hallway. At 2.6kg you can lift it one-handed. A heavy frame is a frame that gets left behind.
The safe working load is 136kg. Treat that as a hard limit, not a target. A frame used near its limit flexes under a stumble, and that's when it has to do its job. If you're over 136kg, call us and we'll find a frame rated for you.
Tips, wheels and skis
The rubber tips are what stop the frame sliding on tiles. Check them every month. Once the tread goes smooth or splits at the edge, replace them, and we can get spares for anything we sell.
Skis clip onto the rear legs so they glide instead of catching on carpet edges and door tracks. Wheels on the front with skis on the back is the smoothest setup indoors on hard floors. On thick carpet the skis can drag, so try it in the room where you'll use it most.
How a carer helps
Stand beside and slightly behind, on the weaker side. Keep a hand near the hip or the back of a belt, not on the frame. If you pull on the frame you pull it off its tips and the whole thing tips with it.
Getting up from a chair, the frame goes in front first. Push up on the chair arms, stand, then reach for the handles. At night, keep the frame where a hand can find it from the bed, and clear the path to the toilet of mats and cords.
NDIS and walking frames
A walking frame is low cost assistive technology under $1,500. Participants can buy it from the core budget with no quote or OT report, as long as it relates to the plan. The NDIA explains the bands on its assistive technology page.
We're NDIS registered (4050144759). Plan and agency managed participants order through us and we invoice direct. Self managed participants pay and claim. Our NDIS walking aids guide covers sticks, frames and rollators in one place.
Common questions
Frame or rollator for someone after a hip replacement?
Usually the frame first. It doesn't move when you lean on it. Most people move to a two-wheel walker, then a rollator, as the physio clears them. Our walking aids guide walks through the progression.
Can I fit the wheels myself?
Yes. The wheels and skis push onto the legs in place of the rubber tips. Bring the frame into the Picton showroom and we'll fit them and reset the height while you wait.
Will it go through my toilet door?
Aspire doesn't publish the width, so measure your door and call us. We'll put a tape on a frame and tell you straight.
Is the fitting really free?
Yes. Sticks, frames and walkers are fitted free in the Picton showroom. Call before you drive out and we'll tell you what's set up.
How do I carry it on a scooter?
The scooter walking frame holder ($129.95) hooks onto the framework of a rear scooter bag. It won't attach to a scooter without one, so check the bag first.
Can I return it?
Yes, within 14 days. Our refund policy has the conditions.
When should we move on from the frame?
We won't pretend there's a date. When lifting it feels like a nuisance rather than a help, that's the sign. Ask the physio, or bring it in and we'll watch you walk with it.
If you're not sure which one, call Nadim on 1300 216 888 with the doorway width and your height. Most of the time the $159.99 frame is the right first buy. We'll say so if it isn't.