Earlier this week on the Blog, I identified 4 common mistakes clients make with their canes.
Today I’d like to offer some suggestions to help make using your cane easier!
There are lots of options for canes to improve convenience or function
1. Single point cane
A single point cane is the type of cane most people are familiar with.
Contrast this with:
2. A 4-point cane, also known as a “quad cane”
This type of cane provides a more stable source of support, and will allow you to bear more weight through the cane than a single point cane. This is helpful if you are having a lot of pain or weakness on one side, but don’t need the full support of a walker.
The other thing that is handy about a quad cane is it stands up on its own. This means it stays put when you need to park it to use both hands for something.
3. Wide cane tip
If you don’t require as much stability as a 4-point cane, but like the convenience of having the cane “stand alone” you can add a cane tip.
4. Wrist strap
An easy addition to any cane (many come with it) is a wrist strap.
Keeping the strap around your wrist ensures you won’t accidentally drop your cane- picking it up in a crowded place can be a challenge!
5. Walker holder
Some people use both a cane and a walker depending on the situation, and like to bring their cane with them when they are using the walker. This gets awkward, but you can purchase a cane holder for you walker like this one to keep your cane close at hand:
6. Ice pick
If you live in a climate that has ice and snow (we mostly avoid this in Victoria, lucky us!) an ice pick for your cane is a MUST.
The ice pick flips up and down so you can use the ice pick outdoors without damaging floors indoors.
Most of these accessories can be purchased at a pharmacy or home health care store. If you’re having trouble locating them, please drop us a line (Contact Us) and we can help direct you!
