The invention of the walker

How to use the material

You can use this post in social media to tell the story of of how Aina Wifalk invented the walker, or rollator.

Please make sure to include the name of the photographer when using the photos.

Images

A woman uses a walking aid on her forest stroll.
Download images from Image Bank Sweden

Images of people using walkers

Captions

💡 Today we’d like to pay tribute to Aina Wifalk, the Swede behind an innovation that has truly helped improve the everyday lives of people across the world – the rollator, or walker.

In 1978, Wifalk (1928–1983), who worked as a curator at an orthopedic clinic in Västerås, designed the prototype to what is also known as the ‘four-wheeled walker’.

Her invention would provide enhanced stability and independence for users with mobility impairments, allowing them to move more freely and safely. 🚶

Wifalk, who herself struggled with mobility after contracting polio in her twenties, wanted the walker to be accessible to as many people as possible – so she never patented it.

She did get royalties from the sales, though – money that Wifalk donated to the Nordic Church Association on Spanish Costa del Sol, where she spent some time every year. ☀️

#Swedishinvention #Innovation

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