Assistive cane
An assistive cane is a walking stick used as a crutch or mobility aid.
Like all crutches, it is used as a mobility aid by an injured or disabled person. It can serve several different functions as appropriate to the needs of the individual user; it can aid balance, it can support a weakened or painful limb or joint, and it can aid in sensing the environment. Users may use either a single cane, usually in the hand opposite the affected limb, or may use one in each hand where greater support is needed or both legs are affected.
In contrast to other crutches, canes are generally lighter, but, because they transfer the load through the user's unsupported wrist, are unable to offload equal loads from the legs.
Another type of crutch is the walker, a frame held in front of the user and which the user leans on during movement. Walkers are more stable due to their greater area of ground contact, but are larger and less wieldy and, like canes, pass the full load through the user's wrists in most cases.
Parts of medical canes
The basic cane has four parts.[1] These parts vary depending on the design of the cane and the needs of the user.
- Handle The handle of a cane is extremely important to the user. Many different styles exist, the most common traditional designs are the Tourist, or crook handle, the Fritz Handle and the Derby Handle. Ergonomically shaped handles have become increasingly common for canes intended for medical use, both increasing the comfort of the grip for the user (particularly important for those users with disabilities which also affect their hands or wrists), and better transmitting the load from the user's hand and arm into the shaft.
- Collar The collar of a cane may be only a decorative addition made for stylistic reasons, or may form the structural interface between shaft and handle.
- Shaft The shaft of the cane transmits the load from the handle to the ferrule and may be constructed from carbon fiber polymer, metal, composites, or traditional wood.
- Ferrule The tip of a cane provides traction and added support when the cane is used at an angle. Many kinds of ferrules exist, but most common is a simple, ridged rubber stopper. Users can easily replace a ferrule with one that better suits their individual needs.
Modern canes may differ from the traditional fixed structure. For instance, a quad cane has a base attached to the shaft that provides added stability by having four ferrules, and an adjustable cane may have two shaft segments telescoping one inside the other to allow adjustment for multiple sizes.
All cane users who need a walking cane for medical reasons should consult a medical professional before choosing the style that is right for them. It is particularly important that the cane is the appropriate height for the individual user
Types of canes
- White canes: specially for assisting the visually impaired, these are longer and thinner and allow the user to "feel" the path ahead. They also alert others, such as motorists, to know the user is blind and therefore use caution. In the UK, red banding on a white cane indicates a deaf-blind user.
- Folding canes: have several joints, generally linked by an internal elastic cord, allowing them to be folded into a shorter length when not in use.
- Forearm canes: are either regular canes or offset canes with additional forearm support, allowing increased stability and load shifted from the wrist to the forearm.
- Quad canes: have four ferrules at the base, allowing them to stand freely, and offering a more stable base for standing.
- Tripod canes: open in tripod fashion. Often available with an attached seat.
- Adjustable canes: feature two or more shaft pieces for a telescoping effect that allows the user to lengthen or shorten their walking cane to fit to size. This feature can be combined with other variations.
- Shillelagh: a cane made of blackthorn wood, originating in Ireland and still a recognized symbol thereof.
Accessories
- The most common accessory is a hand strap, to prevent loss of the stick should the hand release its grip. These are often threaded through a hole drilled into the stick rather than tied around.
- A clip-on frame or similar device can be used to stand a stick against the top of a table.
- In cold climates, a metallic cleat may be added to the foot of the cane. This dramatically increases traction on ice. The device is usually designed so it can be easily flipped to the side to prevent damage to indoor flooring.
- Different handles are available to better match the size of the user's hands and their medical needs.
- Rubber ferrules give extra traction on most surfaces.
Handedness
Canes are generally used in the hand opposite the injury or weakness. This may appear counter-intuitive, but it allows the cane to be used for stability in a way that lets the user shift much of their weight away from their weaker side and onto their cane, thus preventing their center of balance from swaying from side to side as they walk. It also allows for fluid movement that better matches walking, as the hand opposite the leg generally sways forward in normal human locomotion. Personal preference, or a need to hold the cane in their dominant hand means some cane users choose to hold the cane on the same side as the affected leg.[2]
See also
References
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