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Upright Rollator For Upright Posture and Walking Longer Before Tiring

Posted by LongLumbarFusion @jbesr1230, Jun 24 6:20pm

I have a posture condition, Camptocormia, which causes me to bend forward at the waist. I am thinking an upright rollator might assist in achieving a more upright posture and enable me to walk longer distances before experiencing fatigue. I would appreciate hearing from others with experience or thoughts about this. More detailed discussion below,

Over the past two years, I have observed a notable change in a forward bend when walking. I spend a lot of my walk looking at my feet.

In 2020, after 4 years of PT, shots at the L1 level, pain pills- Gabapentin, Tramadol, I had an L5-S1 ALIF for lumbar stenosis, sciatic pain, and a left foot drop. This procedure immediately and significantly reduced my sciatic pain; however, it did not improve my left-foot drop. I spent one day in the hospital and walked outside, not far, 5 days later. An excellent outcome.

Now, when I go out for my 30-minute walk, I wear an AFO brace on my left foot, an LSO brace for my back, and use walking sticks. I am very bent forward, which is new. I do not use the braces indoors, and I do not have radicular or myelopathic symptoms at present.

I often use my hands and available furniture when ambulating to keep from stumbling and/or to straighten up my posture. I cannot maintain an upright posture without assistance for more than a few moments. I can straighten up, somewhat, by placing my hands on my hips and pushing back & down, or holding my arms straight, and behind my back, raised high, and clasping my hands together. My most comfortable position is pushing a grocery store cart. I am asymptomatic at rest - I can lie flat on my back and stomach without pain or difficulty. I have had many tests and imaging to find the cause of my symptoms. Recently, I was referred to a neurologist who is evaluating me for Parkinson's Disease ( I do not have), Muscular Dystrophy; the panel came back negative, but there are more tests yet to be completed. I am undergoing tests specifically for camptocormia, also known as Bent Back Syndrome.
The tests will likely find no abnormalities, and I will be advised once again that I have a serious illness/disease/symptom for which there is currently no treatment available.

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Mariette R. | @marietter | Sep 5 10:17am
In reply to @sueinmn "@jbesr1230 I hope someone will see your post who has first-hand experience, because mine is second-hand,..." + (show)
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@jbesr1230
I hope someone will see your post who has first-hand experience, because mine is second-hand, based on several conversations with friends who use rollators.
Here are some of their observations:
Couple in their 80's - one with severe mobility issues due to severe hip injury, the other with progressive disabilities from several falls and surgeries while farming - they chose rollators to maintain upright bearing and to limit stress on hands and wrists from traditional walkers (which they still use indoors) They are able to navigate long walks with much less fatigue, even taking a daily one mile walk on flat but unpaved terrain most days. Walking with a traditional walker or canes was less than 1/4 mile. Has allowed us to participate in activities that were previously out of reach. The biggest downside is the size and weight for transporting, but if you have the means, there is a lighter weight folding one available.
Female friend over 90 with severe kyphosis - able to move well enough to leave apartment with upright walker for short walks, otherwise confined to a scooter.
Male friend in his 70's with neuropathy and a bad knee - being able to put weight on forearms and be upright allows walking without fear of falls that happened with walker.

Like I said - these are observational, but if I should need a walker, I will look at an upright one because I have arthritis and cannot grip a traditional walker.

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I bought an Elenker upright walker. The only part I did not care for was that I had to lean forward a bit from my lower lumbar spine in order to be able to place my arms on the arm wrests and grab the hand brakes. Since I have lumbar stenosis, this ended up creating pain for me. I'm better off with walking poles.

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comeback | @comeback | Sep 5 12:32pm
In reply to @comeback "I have idiopathic camptocormia/bent-spine syndrome and also hyperkyphosis due to DISH (diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis) in..." + (show)
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I have idiopathic camptocormia/bent-spine syndrome and also hyperkyphosis due to DISH (diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis) in my upper thoracic and cervical spine. So I, too, am looking at the floor or ground when I'm standing or walking.

In my house, I am using a U-Step platform (upright) walker. It allows me to regain the sensation of standing and walking almost upright, and my weight is borne by my forearms and not my hands or wrists. It's very large, tall, heavy, and bulky, so totally unrealistic for me to use out of the house. I believe this is it:
https://www.ustep.com/platform-u-step-2/ .
My Medicare plan paid 80% of the cost.

I needed to find a lightweight assistive device which I could load into a small car and use away from home. I'm no longer strong, plus I'd had surgery on both wrists likely due to using canes and sticks before (in an attempt to pull myself upright).
Like Dennymt who commented before me, I decided to get a byACRE Carbon Ultralight.
https://shop.byacre.com/us/carbon-ultralight-rollator.html
It wasn't cheap, but I've found it worth the expense, which I bore myself.

However, the handles aren't meant for someone who needs a true platform walker, so I still have to lean forward. But it's much easier on this person with camptocormia than walking unassisted is. It also gives me a way of pulling myself momentarily more erect, should someone address me and I need to respond as a quasi-upright human being looking someone in the face.

byACRE also has a couple of other rollator models which you might want to consider.

Best of luck! I wish there were a true lightweight platform rollator which would look classy and allow us to walk outside looking like members of the human species (and, speaking for myself, not like some strange heretofore unknown species of quadriped). If you find such a walker/rollator, please do let us know.

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I should mention that I adjusted the byACRE's handles all the way up, and put padding on them so I can use them as armrests. I can grab them with my hands if I need to use the brakes, etc.

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