Walker Tips / Rubber Tips for Walkers

What is a Walker Tip?

Walker tips are little rubber pieces that are placed over the bottom of each walker leg. A walker tip is basically a protective cover for the bottom of each walker leg; preventing it from becoming corroded. Replacement walker tips are made from medical-grade materials, and are designed to completely replace the tips that come with a person’s walker. Having these tips provides stability and security for numerous reasons. By being made of rubber, the design can provide a non-slip grip on surfaces.

Types of Walker Tips

Believe it or not, different styles of walker tips may accommodate different applications and uses. Some of these tips may help to add resistance to the ground to improve slipping protection, while others are designed to improve the user’s mobility. Some walker tip types include the following:

Hard Rubber Tips

Hard rubber walker tips are made as glide caps to help users easily glide their walkers on smooth surfaces instead of having to constantly lift and then bang down the walker onto the ground. This repeated motion can cause the original walker tips to wear down very thin, at a much faster rate than is normal. Thanks to walker glide caps, this repetitive motion is eliminated, resulting in a lower impact experience. This improves the user’s level of mobility by scooting forward.

Since users don’t have to lift up their walkers constantly, they can eliminate some fatigue that is commonly associated with the more traditional ways of operating a walker. These models are also built to be super tough and long-lasting for operation in both indoor and outdoor settings. Hard rubber tips do still maintain some shock absorption associated with operating a walker. This adds yet another benefit for the user.

Hard Plastic Tips

Hard tips that are made of plastic can serve the same purpose as ski glides without the hassle of having to take off the original walker glide. They are able to snap on your walker’s rear feet so you can glide across floors more seamlessly. Harder plastic tips are more durable and are known to last much longer than rubber. On the downside, these hard tips are only meant to glide along the surface, so make sure that this functionality is exactly what you are looking for. Lifting and placing slippery glides on very slick surfaces may result in slipping if a user isn’t careful.

Soft Flat Tips

Soft rubber tips may vary in style, but share the same purpose; of being able to glide on smooth floors while providing traction. These rubber tips are very useful on multiple surfaces and often are ribbed at the bottom and wider than small plastic tips that are used as glides. They provide a bit more stability and safety than traditional plastic walker tips, and they are known to last a while. Unfortunately, they’re not quite as durable as hard plastic glides, and they may wear faster.Generally, walker tips of a walker that is frequently used last about six months. Tips last longer if the walker is only utilized indoors, and shorter if the walker is often used outside.

Walker Skis

Walker skis represent a new innovation on the market right along with tennis balls. They are often made of very hard rubber or plastic and have the same beneficial durability that rubber tips have. However, these have the shape of a ski in order to help walkers glide and pivot easier on the ground. Skis are the new way to get around and the makers who patented the design originally were trying to replace the usage of tennis balls on walkers. While they didn’t eliminate this (manufacturers simply started making pre-made tennis balls to compete with them), they do provide numerous benefits for users who are needing a high-quality walker glider and don’t want to replace them often. Ski glides are also very affordable.

How to Choose the Right Walker

One thing is for certain: there are things that people need to know when they’re ready to choose the right walker glide or replacement tips. We care about every user’s safety and want to inform them of everything they need to know regarding this, so everyone needs to consider the following when shopping for walker tips:

• Walking location frequency: to ensure they are going to get the most out of their walker tips.
• Diameter of walker legs: walker feet need to be able to fit snugly and securely over the end of the walker leg, but also need to be wide enough that they can fit. Always measure the diameter of a walker leg in order to choose the right sized tip.
• Strength of user: ensure that the walker tip they choose can withstand the user’s weight just the same as the walkers themselves.
• Walker type: if the user’s walker has wheels, they may want sneaker-style fashion glides or plastic skis to ensure a bit more safety and mobility.

One must never sacrifice safety and stability for mobility. Just as 2-wheeled walkers and rollators can improve mobility, but decrease stability, so can walker tips if they are smoother or made of hard plastic. Senior citizens make up the majority of people around the world who die every year from a fall. The facts are that many times, having the right tools at their disposal and using them correctly would prevent such regrettable events. Getting a walker tip replacement, so that the walker has sufficient traction, is just one proactive measure to take.

Here at AvaCare Medical, we have affordable walker tips and want to ensure that you get the right kind. If you have any issues with navigating our site or determining the correct tip measurements for your walker, don’t hesitate to give us a call at 1-877-813-7799. You can also send us an email anytime, and someone will respond to your message as promptly as possible!.