Effect of Rollator Assistance on Sit-to-Stand Balance in Older Adults

Although rollators are often given to older adults, the quality of support has yet to be quantified. This paper evaluates static and dynamic balance during STS in older and younger adults during 3 conditions: unassisted, with a normal rollator, and with a low-handled rollator. We found that older adults get up faster while maintaining both static and dynamic balance less conservatively with the support of a rollator. As such, the assistance reduced the difference in balance that was previously noted between older and younger adults during unassisted STS, and even slightly more so with the low-handled rollator. These results seem to indicate that rollator assistance compensated for reduced physical ability or confidence rather than impaired balance control in these participants. Such insight into the effect of rollator support is necessary to further development of individualized smart robotic rollators.