Walking Aids - Canes
A cane was a piece of wood which is bent at the end. Years ago that was all there was to it, but today there are several variations on the theme.
The most common question asked about canes seems to be, "how long should a cane be?" When a person is standing as upright as possible the top of the handle of the cane should be even with the inside of the wrist where one normally wears a watch. A cane which is too short may throw the user off balance by forcing them to walk in a bit of a stooped position. A cane which is too tall is difficult to put any weight on as the arm is strongest when fully extended but a tall cane does not allow the arm to straighten fully. A properly set up cane will allow the user to walk with an almost straight arm as upright as possible.
Most wooden canes are manufactured with a length of about 36" and tall versions are about 39". The tip of the cane is removable which allows the cane to be cut to the length required by the user. Aluminium canes can also be cut to length for optimal performance. Many adjustable canes are also available which allow for frequent changes of length. Adjustable length canes are really only of benefit in situations where many different users will be using the cane. Anyone one who uses a cane on a regular basis will never have to adjust the length of their cane unless they are a child who is still growing.
The rubber tip on a cane is replaceable and should be replaced when worn. A worn cane tip can allow the cane to slip on the walking surface when weight is applied to it making for a dangerous situation.
Canes are notorious for slipping on ice and tips have been developed that will dig into icy surfaces. While these tips make the cane safer on icy surfaces they also make the cane more dangerous on hard slippery surfaces such as terrazzo or ceramic tile floors. Ice tips for canes should be able to easily be removed, retracted or flipped up to revert to the standard cane tip for indoor use or areas where ice is not an issue.
Cane handles are conventionally a simple half loop at the top of the cane but other shapes are available such as a "T" shape. Manufacturers of canes with "T" handles aver that "T" handled canes reduce strain on wrists because their design creates a straight line from the shoulder down through the arm and cane to the floor. "T" handles also are available with an ergonomic profile which fits into the palm of the hand and is of value to people who have trouble holding a conventional grip or find a conventional grip uncomfortable. Ergonomic handles are manufactured as left or right handed and cannot be switched from one side to the other.People who are using a cane due to the impairment or injury to one side of the body will use the cane on the opposite side. People who use the cane simply for balance issues can use the cane on whichever side works best.
Some canes are manufactured with wrist straps which when used prevent the cane from falling to the ground if accidentally dropped. As you can imagine, anyone who may require a cane for walking would find it difficult or impossible to safely pick and dropped cane up from the floor.
People who require a more stable device than a single point conventional cane but don't require a walker can opt for a 4 point or quad cane. The top section of a quad cane is virtually the same as a conventional single point cane but the bottom section or the quad cane will branch out into four points which contact the floor. This design can normally be adjusted in height and be switched from left hand use to right hand use. When used on the proper side of the body the four points of the quad cane will be offset away from the body to avoid the user tripping on the base of the cane. Ice tips are not available for four point canes.
