It sounds so simple. It is basically a small piece of strong plastic about 3 inches high. It is wedge shape and goes down to nothing at one side. It is just under 3 feet wide, The same width as a door and it has made a huge difference in my life.

What am I talking about?

A threshold ramp.

Before I got one, getting out of the house was a huge hurdle. The lip on the door was only 3 inches high, but it could have been 1 inch or 17 inches – any lip stopped me from getting out of the door in my wheelchair. Even a matchstick on the floor feels like a tree stump when I roll over it. I had no chance with the door. I would come to a grinding halt. Well, that is not exactly true – I would come to a split second stop.

The threshold ramp solves my problems in getting out of the house.

• It is not too steep to be able to get up it on my own.
• It is extremely light and portable (made of fibreglass) so it can go in the car in case it is needed to help me when I am out.
• It is bright yellow – so I always know if it in position or not.
• It has raised bumps on it – so there is no slipping even if my wheels are wet or muddy.
• It is strong enough to feel secure going up and down it everyday.

If you are need to get somewhere that hasn’t installed a disabled access ramp; then your own portable threshold ramp can often be the way to get in! I have used my ramp to get into friends houses more easily.

I never realised quite how useful my ramp would be.

More on ramps…

Height

• Threshold ramps come in different heights depending on the height of the threshold lip and the width of the doorway.

Weight

• Threshold ramps are able to carry different weights.
• Some are suitable for manual wheelchairs, others electric wheelchairs and mobility scooters.

Folding threshold ramps.

• These go up one side of the door, over the threshold then down the other side. This is great for getting from one room to another where there is a door with a lip in the way. My conservatory is like this. Now I can get to all the rooms in my house, which gives me the freedom I want and need.

You can get ramps that help you to get into vehicles, with your wheelchair or scooter.

Ramps can be fixed and permanent, or lightweight and portable. Depending on the location and use.

Have a look at our article  Information on choosing a ramp for more about ramps.

I use a wheelchair most of the time, but can walk a little and standing up is really good exercise for my legs and back. So I bought a standard walking frame. I thought this would help assist me walking and standing as both of these are very difficult to do without help.

My frame is:

• lightweight and weighsunder 3kg
• made from aluminium tubing
• Very rigid and strong

I have outlined below what I think are my walking frame’s good and bad points:

Good Points

Height adjustable

It is great that the frame’s height is adjustable. Having it at just the right height for me is so important. I don’t have to stoop, or stand in an unnatural position – I just changed the height of each leg in turn.

I am 5′ 10″ and use don’t use the frame on it’s maximum height. I think the frame would be suitable for people much shorter or taller than me. It’s height dimensions are 88-99 cms or 32-39 inches

No wheels
Some walking frames have wheels on 2 of the legs. I personally don’t like this. It probably makes it easier to push along, but they make me feel wobbly.

Sturdy
I like the sturdy and strong feel of my frame. Once standing up using it, I feel very safe and secure. It is quite wide (56cms/22.5inches) which I think helps it be very sturdy.

Hand grips
The hand grips are comfortable and in the right place. They are made of rubber, so do not get really cold to touch.

Rubber supports (ferrules) on the feet
These make it secure when using it on a laminate, tiled or vinyl floors.

Folds up
It folds up easily and I store it down the side of the wardrobe.

User weight
When I look at the specifications of the frame, it can be used by people up to 180 kg or 28 stone.

Bad Point

I have found only one bad point to do with my walking frame. It is difficult to walk with it as you have to lift the frame up and move it before each step. It makes you walk in a very stop/start manner. For me, it’s not a natural walking aid, due to having no wheels.

Overall
For me it is a really good frame for standing up with but not for walking with. I have tried and used many different kinds of mobilty equipment and I must say that my walking frame is one that I use everyday.

I have foot drop in my right foot, which makes it difficult to walk. For those who don’t know foot drop, it means my foot doesn’t turn up properly when I walk. I have to lift my leg higher with each step so my foot doesn’t drag along the floor and trip me up. It makes my balance unsteady, and I have a gait when I walk.

Using walking sticks is often a great way of steadying you if you have foot drop. It certainly works for me.

My walking stick easily folds up  into 4 pieces and fits into my bag.  It snaps open into a very sturdy stick.

I was really pleased with the handle on my stick. It is really comfy and feels very secure when I am walking with the stick. Mine is suitable for using in the right or left hand, but some are specifically for use in one hand or the other.

This is an interesting point actually. It is my right foot that I have problems with, so I held my walking stick in my right hand. I thought that this was the best way to do it. That is until my physiotherapist advised me to actually hold it in my left hand. She said this was the correct way if my right foot was bad. It took some getting used to, especially as I am right handed. In the end I think she was right, it works much better using the stick on the opposite side to the problem foot.

The other things worth mentioning about my stick are the wrist strap and the rubber foot.

The wrist strap is good when I want to hold or reach for something. I don’t have to hold my stick as well, and I can let it dangle from my wrist. I find this very useful when getting on the bus. I can climb on using the handrails, and just let my stick dangle from my wrist. It doesn’t get in the way and I am safe holding onto the handrails.

You can get replacement rubber feet (often called ferrules) if the one on the stick wears out or you want a different type. Mine acts like a shock absorber and makes using the stick more comfy.

It is also worth mentioning that you can get stick holders to fit onto other mobility equipment, like scooters, wheelchairs, or rollators. You can also get stick clips. These enable you to attach your stick to a desk, table or work surface. I used one on my desk at work and it was really useful.

Pride Revo 4 mobility scooter

I’ve not had this scooter long, but I must say, it has been the best buy that I could imagine.

I tried a friend’s scooter, and this one is much much better.

It goes at 4 mph which is plenty for me. I use it to go to the shops, which are not very far away. I would need a bigger model if they were, as it would take me ages!

I chose this one as it had 4 wheels. It felt sturdier than the 3 wheel one, I’m not sure if this was just how I felt but I wanted to feel secure on it.

My husband helped me take it apart, and it was quite easy, but to be honest I don’t really need to do this. I just drive to where ever I want to go.

I prefered the blue one as to me it is much more stylish thean the red one, but I suppose they are equally good.

I can’t walk very far on my own, so having the scooter has made a huge diffference. You can use it in supermarkets really easily. Some smaller shops are harder, but I just leave it outside if am not going to be long.

Overall, I am really pleased that I bought this scooter.