A walking cane serves as a mobility aid, redistributing body weight and expanding the user’s base of support to assist with balance and stability. To effectively provide this support and reduce strain on the lower body, the cane must be correctly fitted to the user’s physical dimensions. Achieving the proper height is the fundamental step, ensuring the device functions as an extension of the body instead of an impediment. This precise adjustment maximizes the cane’s effectiveness and ensures user safety.
Why Proper Sizing is Essential
Using an improperly sized cane defeats the aid’s purpose of increasing comfort and stability, introducing negative physical consequences. A cane that is too long forces the user’s shoulder to hunch upward, leading to shoulder strain, neck tension, and poor posture. This excessive length also inhibits the efficient transfer of body weight, increasing the effort required to walk.
Conversely, a cane that is too short causes the user to stoop or bend over, creating a forward-leaning posture. This unnatural position can result in back pain, hip discomfort, and wrist strain. Both scenarios compromise stability, unevenly distribute pressure, and increase the user’s risk of tripping or falling.
Step-by-Step Guide to Fitting the Cane
Correctly fitting a cane begins with the user standing upright in their regular walking shoes, arms relaxed at their sides. The individual should maintain a natural, straight posture without leaning or slouching. This initial static position is necessary because the cane’s height must account for the lift provided by the footwear.
The primary measurement is taken from the floor to the crease of the wrist, where the hand meets the forearm, with the arm hanging naturally. The top of the cane handle should align precisely with this wrist crease. Alternatively, the handle can align with the greater trochanter, the bony prominence on the side of the hip.
After setting the height, the final step involves checking the elbow angle while gripping the handle. When the user holds the cane, their elbow should exhibit a slight bend, ideally between 15 and 20 degrees. This slight bend allows the arm to comfortably bear weight and manage the cane’s movement.
For adjustable canes, the height is modified using the push-button or screw mechanism on the shaft until the handle meets the wrist crease. If the cane is a non-adjustable wooden model, the length must be cut from the bottom. Measure twice before cutting, as a wooden cane cannot be lengthened once shortened.
Using the Cane Correctly
Once the cane is correctly sized, use it on the side of the body opposite the injured or weaker leg. For instance, if the right leg is affected, the cane should be held in the left hand. This counter-intuitive placement allows the cane to function similarly to the natural opposite arm swing during walking, aiding balance and reducing the load on the affected limb.
When walking on level ground, the cane should advance simultaneously with the weaker leg, moving forward a comfortable distance. The user should then place the cane firmly on the ground to bear weight before stepping through with the stronger leg. This coordinated movement helps maintain a more natural gait pattern and effectively transfers body weight away from the painful joint.
Navigating stairs requires a modification of this technique. When ascending, the stronger leg leads, stepping onto the next step first, followed by the weaker leg and the cane simultaneously. To descend, the cane is placed on the lower step first, then the weaker leg steps down, and finally, the stronger leg follows. Holding onto a handrail provides additional stability.