4 Tennis Balls for Walkers (and 4 Alternatives)

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Key Points:

• People put tennis balls on walker legs to make them quieter, to protect floors, and to make it easier to push the walker along.
• There are pre cut tennis balls made specifically for walkers.
• You can cut a tennis ball for a walker using a serrated knife or by putting it in a vice and using a saw, but be careful!
• There are alternatives to walker tennis balls that include ski-shaped and sneaker-style footings.

Tennis balls for walkers? Those are for the tennis courts, right? Well, for anyone who has worked around older adults long enough, the sight of tennis balls attached to the legs of walkers is all too common.

Why Tennis Balls on Walkers?

Typically, when you purchase a walker, the rear feet are going to have rubber pads already installed on them. For many, this is fine, but there is a great majority of older adults using walkers who need something that will allow them to push their walker rather than pick it up with every step. Pushing the walker along is significantly easier for them than lifting it up with each step, and in places where most of their steps are inside, the tennis ball glides more easily across the floor.

To attempt to push a walker with rubber pads on the back legs is difficult and leads to the walker ‘shuttering’ as you move it. This is why so many people add tennis balls to the rear feet of their walkers. They aid in the pushing process, help keep one from scuffing floors, and make for a much smoother walk.

What’s more, these rubber pads wear out rather quickly, which can then lead to gouging floors or an exceptionally irritating clacking/dragging noise when a person pushes the walker across hard surfaces.

Does Everyone Agree?

It’s important to note, however, that not all people think tennis balls for walkers is a great idea. NOVA, a medical products company, even went so far as to launch a “Lose the Tennis Balls” campaign, arguing that the balls make walkers unsafe, unsanitary, and unattractive.

Based on my experience working in a nursing facility, however, I did not find any instances where walker tennis balls proved to be unsafe. Unsanitary? I suppose if the floors are dirty, but I’ve never seen any resident handling their tennis balls at the bottom of their walkers. They are also quite easy and inexpensive to replace whenever they look or seem dirty.

What makes me suspect of NOVA’s campaign, however, is that they pair it with a sales pitch of their walker “skis” as an alternative. So, they have a financial incentive in the campaign to end the use of tennis balls on walkers. I’ve featured these skis in the “Alternatives to Tennis Balls” section below, so you can see for yourself if you think they are a better fit for your walker, or not.

A more important safety issue, in my view, is making sure you have the right mobility aid for the individual’s needs. It’s easy to fall if you’re not using the right device, as this occupational therapist points out. It’s important to have the right tool for the job.

That said, assuming a walker is the right tool, and you’ve selected the best one, adding tennis balls to the walker might make sense. Following are some tennis balls designed specifically for that purpose.

Best Tennis Balls to Use for Walker Legs

Really, when it comes down to it, a tennis ball is a tennis ball. You can cut any tennis ball to use for a walker. In fact, if you know someone who plays tennis, they can be a great regular source of balls that have lost their tennis bounce and are ready to be repurposed.

Assuming that’s not the case, you can naturally buy new ones, or explore some of the options we recommend below. The main difference with what you’ll see here is in the design pattern and in the style of the cut where the leg is inserted. Of course, these can also save you the hassle of cutting the balls, which – if you’re not careful – can lead to injury.

1. RMS Walker Glide Balls

• WHAT’S INCLUDED: A set of 2 balls that come in multiple color options such as purple, grey, and blue to add more personality to your walker.
• READY TO USE: A pre-cut opening makes it easy to put these onto walkers. Just slide the walker balls on and go. No tools are required!

This is one of the most popular sets sold on Amazon and includes a straight slit that’s already been cut into each tennis ball for you. This is a great option if you’re worried about accidentally cutting yourself making your own walker balls. To install, just squeeze the tennis ball so that the “mouth” opens, and then install it on the walker.

The price of this pack of two tennis balls for walkers is below $10 and comes with excellent reviews.

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2. Startop Walker Ball

• IMPROVES WALKER GLIDE MOBILITY for any senior or movement-challenged person over time. Startop Walker Balls use real tennis balls with premium grade felt, which glides optimally over doorways, sidewalks, and even thick carpets.
• PRE-CUT STAR TOP OPENING for and UNIQUELY SECURE FIT – why risk injury or waste time cutting old balls? Our specially engineered cut pattern allows for a better and more secure fit.

If you don’t want anything fancy and are just looking for a classic tennis ball, but also want something pre-cut and easy to install, you’ll like this offering from StarTop.

Additionally, if you’re looking to add a little more flare and personality to your walker, these also come in fun patterns such as cheetah print, leopard print, and zebra print.

A ‘Y’ cut is already cut into the top of each tennis ball making this as simple of an installation as possible. No squeezing is necessary, just place the walker leg at the slit, and push.

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3. Penco American Flag Walkerballs

• Walker balls help increase mobility by allowing walkers with front wheels to glide effortlessly on most surfaces – and these universal precut glide balls are a great option.
• Specially designed hollow balls are pre-cut for easy installation on most walker legs, regardless of the diameter of the leg tubing.

Penco is the original when it comes to a commercially available walker ball, and if you’ve been searching for a way to show off your support for your country, you’ve found the perfect walker ball! These have an American flag design on them, making them perfect for veterans or any other proud American citizen.

Of course, they’re pre-cut as well.

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4. Magicorange Precut Walker Tennis Balls

• READY TO USE – just select your preferred color (these come in many color options), slip them on and go
• PROTECTS FLOORS & CARPETS with soft felt exterior that also helps to increase the traction of the walker

These are pre-cut with an ‘X’ incision, meaning these are easy to get on, and only cost $7.99 for two, making these an economically friendly way to add some pizzaz to your walker.

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How to Cut Tennis Balls for Walkers

Perhaps you already have some tennis balls lying around the house and don’t see the sense of buying any. If this is you, then you can make your own walker ball.

However, before ever beginning this process, just understand that tennis balls are notoriously “evasive” when it comes to being cut. If you try to just stab or hack at them, you’re liable to slash your finger. Make sure that you are staying safe if this is the option that you’re going for.

I have found that the easiest means of cutting a tennis ball is with a serrated blade and a sawing motion. Sticking a tennis ball in a vise and using a hacksaw works great for such a process.

4 Alternatives to Tennis Balls for Walkers

Not everybody enjoys the look, function, or durability of tennis balls for walkers. If you find yourself searching for something else, know that there are plenty of other options available on the market that are just as effective – if not more so – than tennis balls.

Here are a few of them:

Ski Glides

Ski glides are in essence like little water skis for your walker. They install where a tennis ball would install but have a much more discrete and low-profile appearance. For areas with lots of carpeting, such as many nursing homes, long-term care facilities, and church auditoriums, ski glides work great.

Here are a few that we recommend:

1. Walker Ski Glides

• These are the ideal folding walker glide option for indoor and outdoor surfaces. Safe for wood floors and easy to clean.
• ADDS STYLE, SAFETY & MOBILITY to your folding walker and easily glides over door jams and small barriers.
• This option comes in black or grey, has thousands of excellent reviews, and is priced at $13 for a two-pack.

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2. Vive Walker Ski Glides

• COMPATIBLE WITH ALL WALKERS: Allowing for smooth, easy mobility, the Vive walker ski glides are universally sized to easily attach to all walker styles. The curved ski glides securely slide into place, with a post diameter between 1″ – 1 1/8″. Navigate over carpet, tile, pavement, or concrete without dragging your walker.
• This set of two walker ski glides also includes two velour glide covers for indoor use.
• SUITABLE FOR INDOOR/OUTDOOR USE: Safely maneuver indoors and out with the smooth walker ski glides. Great for concrete sidewalks, pavement, and blacktop, the scratch-resistant walker glides provide additional stability on any surface.

Here you have traditional universal-fit walker ski glides, but in this case, there are little slippers you can put on your ski glides for ease of use in hardwood environments. This helps to ensure you don’t have to worry about scuffing the floors.

This isn’t typically a huge problem for ski glides, but if you’re in an area where the floors were recently redone and you want to make sure that you don’t do any damage, this may be something to look into.

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3. Sneaker Walker Glides

• Stylish tennis shoe glides personalize the walker, and replaces the rubber tip on the bottom of the walker’s legs
• Allows walker to glide easily and smoothly over most surfaces
• Fits all size tubing; the knob turns on the bottom of glide for different tubing diameters

These are easily the most expensive option on this list – coming in anywhere between $20 and $50 depending on where you’re located – but they’re easily the most fun option as well. It’s a pair of shoes for your walker! They glide as smooth as any other ski glide out there and also act as a great conversation starter.

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4. Walker Glide Caps

• These glide caps help those using walkers to smoothly walk on indoor or flat outdoor surfaces or carpet without scratching or scuffing the floors
• This pack of 4 glide caps for walkers fits over existing rubber walker tips and is not necessarily recommended for rough outdoor surfaces as glides may wear down quickly

Perhaps the most discrete option available to improve a walker’s slide would be glide caps. These are nothing other than a bottlecap-like apparatus that will pop onto the bottom of your walker’s feet. They won’t do anything for noise control, but they do help to make for a smoother gait. If this sounds like something of interest to you, may we recommend Days Walker Glide Caps – they have excellent reviews are are priced at $7.99 for a pack of 4.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Final Thoughts

Adding tennis balls to your walker is a great idea that can help to make using your walker just a bit more convenient and enjoyable. Whatever your reasoning for doing so, just know that there is a wide array of walker accessories and aides out there that can help you meet your goals for improved access and mobility when using your walker.

What are your thoughts though on the subject? Do you find these products to be helpful for walker users? Have you found an easier way to cut tennis balls to fit most walkers that allow for a secure fit but also for easy installation? Have you had good (or bad) experiences with walker tennis balls in the past? Let us know in the comments below!

About the Author

Zac Martin is an exercise physiologist who has spent years helping older clients work through various physical and health conditions. He is familiar with the physical issues older adults face as they age and enjoys working on and writing about strength training, successful recovery techniques, and healthy aging.

Leona Small is a freelance writer and former caregiver. She has experience working with people with Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias and has spent years working alongside both patients and caregivers in Hospice. Additionally, she’s worked as a Professional Organizer helping people and families to purge, organize, manage, and prepare for various life transitions such as moving, downsizing, and the passing of loved ones. Her passions include writing about healthy aging, innovative resources to help older adults and caregivers, and traveling.