Stepping Up: Finding the best walkers for short people
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This is my review of the best walkers for short people in 2024.
It’s actually quite difficult to find walkers short enough, both in terms of handlebar height, and seat height. I’ve chosen ones that will suit a person under 5 foot tall.
I reviewed 16 short walkers and found that the Drive Nitro Hemi Height Rollator was the best overall walker for short people.
Best Overall walker for short people
- Easy to steer
- Good for narrow areas
- Comes fully assembled
Best budget walker for short people
- Great value
- Narrow for small areas
- Lightweight
Best narrow walker for short people
- Narrow width 22"
- Easy to assemble
- Easy to adjust height
Best bariatric walker for short people
- Supports up to 450 lbs
- Can lock when folded
- Turns easily
Best knee walker for short people
- Non weight bearing
- All terrain
- Folds into trunk
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As a Physiotherapist, I’ve often seen short people using walkers that are too tall for them – often because they have been unable to find anything short enough.
This can often lead to short people mobilizing unsafely, as their walker doesn’t support them properly.
I’ve written this review of short walkers so you can see which are the current best short walkers out there, and hopefully find the right walker for you.
I chose the Drive Nitro Hemi Height Rollator for best overall short walker because it scored the highest in all the categories – safety, maneuverability, adjustability and comfort.
But each of the short walkers I’ve selected are best for different scenarios. For example, you might be looking for a short walker with an extra low seat. Or a short walker that supports a heavier weight.
Find out more below:
Our best walkers for short people:
- Drive Medical Nitro Hemi Height Rollator (Best walker for short people overall)
- Medline Lower Height Folding Walker (Best budget walker for short people)
- Nova GetGo Petite Rollator (Best narrow walker for short people)
- Nova Heavy Duty Petite Rollator (Best bariatric walker for short people)
- Knee Rover Quad Junior (Best knee walker for short people)
- DMI Hemi Rollator (Best low seat walker for short people)
- Vive Health 3 Wheeled walker (Best 3 wheeled walker for short people)
Best for: Overall – best walker for short people 36/40
This Drive Medical Nitro Hemi Height Rollator is my top pick for the best walker for short people overall. It is solid and sturdy but lightweight, and scored very highly in all categories.
Benefits:
- It has bigger wheels for easy maneuvering outdoors.
- It is nice and narrow for getting around smaller spaces.
- It folds and unfolds easily and locks in place when folded
Things to consider:
- The seat isn’t very deep, but the back rest is adjustable so this may not matter.
- It has a nylon sling style seat rather than padded – still comfortable but maybe not for long periods.
- The seat may not be flat or stiff enough to transport plates/cups etc, if you’re used to doing that.
- Pros
- Easy to steer
- Good for narrow spaces
- Comes fully assembled
- Cons
- Smaller seat depth
- Non-padded seat
- Can't transport items on seat
Dimensions:
- Handle height: 28-31 inches. Measure your ‘floor to wrist crease’ distance.
- Height range (approx.): 4 ft 10 inches to 5 ft 2 inches
- Weight limit: 300 lbs
- Maximum width: 23 inches (Measure your doorways to make sure it will fit).
- Product weight: 17.5 lbs
- Seat dimensions: Seat to floor height 18 inches, width 18 inches, depth 8.5 inches. Measure what seat height you need.
- Wheel size: Front wheels 10 inches, back wheels 8 inches.
Best for: Best budget walker for short people 35/40
This Medline Lower Height Folding Walker is the best budget short walker – it’s your standard no frills type of walker used in healthcare settings. It’s great if you’re short and won’t need a seat to rest when walking.
Benefits:
- It is sturdy but lightweight and folds easily into a car.
- It comes partly assembled, just slide the legs on.
- It is easy to move around with in small spaces.
Things to consider:
You can get extra walker feet so you don’t scratch your wooden floors. But measure your walker legs to make sure you get the right size.
You can get foam pads for extra comfort, if foam handles wear down or hard pvc handles are uncomfortable.
- Pros
- Great value price
- Narrow for small areas
- Lightweight
- Cons
- No seat for resting
- Handles may be uncomfortable
- Walker feet may scratch wooden floors
Dimensions:
- Handle height: 25-32.5 inches. Measure your ‘floor to wrist crease’ distance.
- Height range (approx.): Product info states 4 ft 6 to 5 ft 5 inches (though reviews suggest could suit as low as 4 ft)
- Weight limit: 400 lbs
- Maximum width: 24 inches (Measure your doorways to make sure it will fit).
- Product weight: 7 lbs
- Wheel size: 5 inches.
Best for: Best narrow walker for short people 34/40
At 22 inches wide, the Nova GetGo Petite Rollator is the best narrow short walker available. It’s great if you’re short, weigh under 300 lbs and need a narrow walker for narrow doorways and small spaces.
Benefits:
- It is good at maneuvering through narrow, small spaces.
- It locks in a folded position to get it in and out of the car.
- It is sturdy and safe and the solid wheels roll well.
Things to consider:
- As it’s a narrow walker, it also has a narrow seat at 12″. It might be wise to sit in a chair and measure your width to make sure you will be able to fit in it.
- If you have significant arm weakness, it may be more difficult to fold the walker – WD40 or similar may help.
- Pros
- Narrow width 22"
- Easy to assemble
- Easy to adjust height
- Cons
- May be stiff / tricky to fold
- Narrower width seat
Dimensions:
- Handle height: 29 to 33.25 inches. Measure your ‘floor to wrist crease’ distance.
- Height range (approx.): 4 ft 10 to 5 ft 4 inches.
- Weight limit: 300 lbs
- Maximum width: 22 inches (Measure your doorways to make sure it will fit).
- Product weight: 13 lbs
- Seat dimensions: Seat to floor height 18.5 inches, width 12 inches, depth 12 inches. Measure what seat height you need.
- Wheel size: 6 inches.
Best for: Best bariatric walker for short people 33/40
The Nova Heavy Duty Petite Rollator is the best bariatric short walker. Just right if you’re shorter, heavier weight and need some more sturdier support and space.
Benefits:
- It safely supports up to 450 lbs in weight.
- It has an adjustable seat height (adjusts to 18, 19 and 20 inches).
- It has a larger, roomier padded seat.
Things to consider:
Check your doorway width if you are considering this walker as it’s maximum width is 27.5 inches.
This walker weighs 20 lbs so may be heavy to lift and move for someone with significant arm weakness.
- There have been some concerns regarding durability of parts – please consider paying a little more from an Amazon seller with good customer service and returns policy.
- Pros
- Supports up to 450 lbs
- Can lock when folded
- Turns easily
- Cons
- Abit wide for some doorways
- May be heavy to lift if weak
- May only last 2 years
Dimensions:
- Handle height: 29.5 to 33.25 inches. Measure your ‘floor to wrist crease’ distance.
- Height range (approx.): 4 ft 11 to 5 ft 5 inches.
- Weight limit: 450 lbs
- Maximum width: 27.5 inches. (Measure your doorways to make sure it will fit).
- Product weight: 20 lbs
- Seat dimensions: Seat to floor height 18, 19 and 20″ (adjustable), width 18.5 inches, depth 15 inches. Measure what seat height you need.
- Wheel size: 8 inches.
Best for: Best knee walker for short people 33/40
Knee walkers are designed to help people who are non weight bearing on one leg to get around indoors and outdoors. Otherwise you have to hop with a walking frame or crutches, which is very hard work. This Knee Rover Quad Junior is great for all surfaces and suits people from 3 ft 9 inches tall.
Benefits:
- Comfortable ride due to air filled tires.
- You can fold down the steering column to get it into the car.
- You can buy extra padding for the knee rest, if needed.
Things to consider:
- At 24.6 lbs, it is heavier to lift into a vehicle.
- It can’t make very tight turns – this is to stop it tipping over when turning. But not suitable for very small spaces.
- You will need a bike pump to pump up the tires.
- If you are less able, you may need some help with assembly.
- Pros
- Non weight bearing
- All terrain
- Folds into trunk
- Cons
- Heavy to lift into car
- Knee rest can get uncomfortable
- Hard to turn in small spaces
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Dimensions:
- Handle height: 31.5 to 41 inches. Measure your ‘floor to wrist crease’ distance.
- Height range (approx.): 3 ft 9 to 5 ft 9 inches.
- Weight limit: 250 lbs
- Maximum width: 21 inches (Measure your doorways to make sure it will fit).
- Product weight: 24.6 lbs
- Knee rest dimensions: Knee rest height range 14.5 to 20.5 inches. Width 7 inches, length 15 inches. How to measure the correct knee rest height.
- Wheel size: 9 inch air filled tires
Best for: Best low seat walker for short people 35/40
This DMI Hemi Rollator has the lowest seat on the market at 17 inches. Great if an extra low seat will really make a difference to you. It also scored highly in all categories.
Benefits:
- 17 inch seat height – better for safe sitting and standing.
- It is sturdy but lightweight, so easy to move around with.
- It has a comfy seat and curved padded backrest – which is more comfortable for the spine.
Things to consider:
- It is made from aluminium, not fiberglass as advertised. But at 15 lbs it is still a standard lightweight rollator.
- It does not lock when folded, so could be harder to get in and out of the car. You could use a bungee cord or something similar to secure it.
- Pros
- Wheels roll well
- Easy to use
- Lightweight but sturdy
- Cons
- Need to remove basket before folding
- Does not lock when folded
Dimensions:
- Handle height: 31.5 to 34.5 inches. Measure your ‘floor to wrist crease’ distance.
- Height range (approx.): 4 ft 11 to 5 ft 4 inches.
- Weight limit: 300 lbs
- Maximum width: 24 inches (Measure your doorways to make sure it will fit).
- Product weight: 15 lbs
- Seat dimensions: Seat to floor height 17 inches, width 14 inches, depth 15 inches. Measure what seat height you need.
- Wheel size: 6 inches.
Best for: Best 3 wheeled walker for short people 31/40
3 wheeled walkers are handy for those more able mobility wise, who are looking for a highly portable walker. The Vive Health 3 Wheeled Walker is a great option if you’re short, weigh under 250 lbs and have reasonable balance. And you’re not going to need to sit down frequently when out and about.
Benefits:
- At 24 inches wide, it’s great for moving around small, tight spaces.
- It is very portable, lightweight and folds easily.
Things to consider:
- 3 wheeled walkers are less stable than 4 wheeled walkers, so are not designed for heavy weight bearing or those with very poor balance.
- Pros
- Lightweight
- Good for small spaces
- Folds easily
- Cons
- No seat
- Not super sturdy
- Not for heavy weight bearing
Dimensions:
- Handle height: 31-38.5 inches. Measure your ‘floor to wrist crease’ distance.
- Height range (approx.): 4 ft 8 inches to 6 foot.
- Weight limit: 250 lbs
- Maximum width: 24 inches (Measure your doorways to make sure it will fit).
- Product weight: 11 lbs
- Wheel size: 8 inches.
What to look for when buying a short walker:
There are four main factors you need to consider when choosing a short walker – safety, maneuverability, adjustability and comfort. Following the criteria below will help you choose the right mobility aid for you:
1. Safety
Carefully consider seat height when choosing between short 4 wheel rollators, as this is not usually adjustable like the handle height.
If the seat is too high for you and your feet can’t reach the floor properly, you could slip onto the floor. Also, you could cut off circulation to the backs of your legs. Or have difficulty standing as your feet are not on the floor enough.
To get your correct seat height, measure your popliteal height (see below). This is the distance from the floor to the back of your knee, when you are sitting with your feet on the floor.
To give you an idea, my partner is 5 foot and 1/2 an inch tall (apparently the 1/2 an inch matters! 🙂 ). Her popliteal height is 16 inches. So ideally she should try to look for a walker with a seat height of approximately 16 inches or so.
However, 17 inches seems to be the lowest seat height available on walkers, so realistically you will need to go up an inch or two from your ideal seat height.
This is perfectly acceptable, just know that you may just have the balls of your feet or your toes on the floor, rather than your whole foot.
I have included the seat heights of all my recommended short walkers so you can take this into consideration when choosing.
2. Maneuverability
Things to consider when thinking about maneuverability:
- How wide is the walker at it’s maximum width? Will it get through your doorways?
- How much does the walker weigh? Would it be heavy to move it around and get it in and out of the car?
- What size are the wheels? Generally, the larger the wheels the easier it will be to move the walker smoothly on different surfaces.
3. Adjustability
What to think about for adjustability:
- What’s the height range? Will the handles go short enough for you? If the handles are too high for you, the walker won’t be able to support you as well as it should. Measure your ‘floor to wrist crease’ distance to get the right handle height for you.
- Does it fold easily to get it in and out of the car?
- Does it have a latch/catch to hold it closed once folded, so it doesn’t open whilst you are trying to lift it?
4. Comfort
When thinking about comfort, consider:
- The size and comfort of the seat (if there is one). Is it wide enough for you to sit on? Is the seat cushioned?
- The comfort of the handles e.g. PVC or foam (especially if you will be weight bearing heavily through your walker).
- Can you purchase extras/accessories to make it more comfortable? e.g. cushions, comfy handle grips.
Our Verdict:
Of the 16 short walkers reviewed, the Drive Nitro Hemi Height Rollator is my no. 1 choice for overall best walker for short people. It is solid and sturdy but lightweight, and scored very highly in all categories.
It’s large wheels help it maneuver easily and it’s narrow for getting into those small spaces. It also folds and latches easily for transportation and comes fully assembled.
If you’re of shorter stature and need an all-round strong, reliable walker with a seat, this could be a great choice for you.
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Discover which walker is best for you!
Not sure which walker is best for you? It really isn’t easy to choose one – it depends on many factors such as your height and weight, budget, home set-up, weight bearing status etc.
If you are unsure and want a little help, why not take our new walker quiz? You will be asked 5 questions and will then be provided with a personalized recommendation!
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Frequently asked questions about short walkers:
Here are some answers to the most frequently asked questions about short walkers.
The best way to know what handle height you need is to measure the distance from the floor to your wrist crease – see images below.
The proportions of every person’s limbs are different. For example, one person might have longer arms than another person of the same height. And the person with longer arms would have their walker handles set at a lower height than the other person with shorter arms.
This is why you don’t find a general ‘height chart for walkers’.
But just to give you an idea, my partner is 5 ft and 1/2 an inch tall and her floor-to-wrist-crease distance is 30 inches.
- With a two wheeled walker, you adjust the height of the legs by pushing the pins in and then making the legs shorter.
- With a four wheeled walker (or rollator), you usually lower the height of the handles by unscrewing and taking off the bolt and washer, pushing the handle down and then replacing the bolt and washer and screwing up again.
- But different walkers will have different ways of doing this – some may be easier. See how to adjust your walker for videos and instructions on this.
- When standing with your walker with your arm down by your side, the handle of the walker should be roughly level with your wrist.
- When holding onto the walker handles you should have a slight bend in your elbow and your shoulders should be relaxed down away from your ears.
- Watch these videos for a demonstration of this.
- This is possible but not very common. Usually the handles go shorter but the seat stays the same height.
- If you measure the right seat height for you and choose a walker with that height, then you shouldn’t really need an adjustable seat – unless you are sharing your walker with someone of a different height.
- But if you do need one, the Nova Heavy Duty Petite Rollator has a seat that adjusts between 18, 19 and 20 inches up from the ground.
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