Everything You Need To Know About Your Walking Cane
A walking cane for a senior adult who has suffered a critical injury, recovering from surgery or suffers from a chronic ailment, represents mobility, freedom and independence. Serving as a critical assistive medical device to perform the most basic of life’s functions, makes understanding the proper use and function of a cane even more important to an older adult and their family member caregivers.
‘Fit to Measure’ Your Cane To Your Own Body Contours
- Wear your regular or daily walking shoes.
- The very top of the cane should be even with the break in your wrist and/or your hip joint.
- Position the cane 6-inches in front of you and 6-inches over to the side of you.
- Your elbow should be bent at a 20 to 30-degree angle.
Walking Properly With Your Cane
- Operate the walking cane in the hand of the opposite side of your injured or weaker leg.
- Stand in a triangular position.
- Place your good foot behind your body.
- Place your weakened or injured foot in front of you opposite of the cane forming the 3 points of a triangle.
- The toe of your weak or injured foot should now line up with the cane.
- Move the good foot first to the front of your body and maintain a triangular position.
- Move your weak or injured foot and the cane together in front of your good foot.
- Make sure the tip of the cane meets the floor flatly.
- Always take short steps to maintain your proper balance.
Adjusting Your (Modern) Cane For Comfort
- The cane handle should be adjusted to the user’s wrist.
- Proper comfort and functionality requires a 20 to 30 degree elbow angle.
- Use the cane in the hand of the opposite side of the weak or injured leg.
- Most modern canes: a) unscrew the outer cane sleeve lock where the base of the cane fits into the outer sleeve; b) depress the brass knob release that is visible in the series of holes for proper vertical height adjustment; c) lengthen or shorten the cane to the desired height; d) allow brass knob to pop back out to maintain locked in height; e) tighten outer cane sleeve lock.
Today’s high-performance technology makes walking canes for older adults and the elderly even more durable, functional and fashionable than ever before.
“I am very uneasy and have had many falls after my surgery. Ordering the First Response system was easy and I even set it up myself. I have had to use my alert button a few times so far. My daughter has even been contacted after I had taken a few falls. My First Response system has worked great each time I’ve needed it!”