NRS Healthcare reinvents the walking frame with introduction of new Walk Safe product
Community equipment provider NRS Healthcare has unveiled a new walking frame called the Walk Safe, giving older people, people post-surgery and other walking frame users a revolutionary, safer and more stable alternative to front-wheeled walking frames, or traditional Zimmer Frames.
Following a two-year research collaboration with the University of Salford which was also financially supported by Innovate UK, NRS Healthcare found that traditional walking frames do not provide users with sufficient stability when turning and crossing thresholds, potentially increasing the risk of falls.
To improve stability, NRS Healthcare designed the Walk Safe – a walking frame able to stay on the ground during activities where other frames need lifting. Swivel-front wheels incorporate magnets to help maintain straight-line stability, whilst allowing wheels to turn when required, so the frame does not need to be picked up during turning. Larger wheels and a rear glide make crossing thresholds much easier, whilst lower handles allow users to easily get up from a chair.
Susan Bevan, Clinical Excellence Technical Lead at NRS Healthcare, said: “Ubiquitous across the NHS and community healthcare settings, Zimmer Frames have been in use since the 1950s, with very little change in their design.
“For many users, typically frail, elderly and those recovering from surgery, these walking frames are a source of anxiety and frustration. We are so pleased that, after rigorous research and clinical testing, we can unveil the Walk Safe – a safer, more stable option for maintaining user independence.”
The Walk Safe was tested in a gait laboratory and in care homes in 2021-22, and the stability of a user during high-risk activities such as turning was more than double that of a traditional Zimmer frame. According to NRS Healthcare, the Walk Safe prototypes were reviewed and endorsed by five healthcare professionals.
An initial clinical trial has been completed in partnership with Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust in 2023. The report is pending publication in Autumn 2024.
Funding has been agreed for a second clinical trial in users’ homes, scheduled for October 2024, led by the University of Exeter and supported by University of Salford.
Additionally, NRS Healthcare have agreed to trial the Walk Safe with existing NHS partners Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust. This trial will begin in Autumn 2024.
