Polio Place

A service of Post-Polio Health International

Canes

Are you afraid to be in crowds because you may fall if someone bumps you? Does your “good” leg hurt because it holds most of our weight? Try a cane. Here are a few tips on selecting and using a cane, which you can make yourself or purchase at a local drug store/medical supply store. Some insurance plans will cover the cost of a cane.

WHAT IS THE PROPER LENGTH OF A CANE?
You should be fitted for your cane in your walking shoes. The general guideline for adjusting or cutting the length is that your elbow should be at a comfortable 20-30 degree angle with the cane in your hand. Or, with your arm hanging straight down at your side, the top of your cane should come up to the crease in your wrist.

WHICH HAND DO I CARRY THE CANE IN WHEN I WALK?
Generally, a cane is carried in the hand opposite the weakened or painful leg. This position widens your base of support, giving you greater stability, and should help you to walk more naturally and be less tiring. However, if the opposite arm is also weak or painful, you may need to use the cane with the same-sided hand.

WANT TO KNOW MORE?
Strategies for Management of Arms and Shoulders (Post-Polio Health Vol. 16, No. 3)

Gait and Post-Polio (Post-Polio Health Vol. 14, No. 1)

http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00181



Of Canes and Crutches
Have you thought about using a cane or crutch but dismissed the idea because you’d be self-conscious? Think you'll look "disabled"? Figure that you’ve gotten along okay without walking aids so far, so why start now?

Good question.I know that feeling well and talked about it in “Facing Reality.”

But ask yourself if you are really getting along okay. Do you tire quickly when you walk? Is your gait unsteady? Does it take effort to keep your balance? Are you afraid of falling or do you fall easily? Do you cut outings short because walking takes too much effort? Do you tend to reach out to hold onto stable objects as you walk?

If the answer is yes to any of these, you have good reason to try a walking aid. The experiment won’t cost much and you might be able to borrow one for a trial run. Go to a full length mirror and watch yourself walking with and without the aid. Don’t be surprised if the added support makes you look less disabled.

When muscles are weak, we compensate any way we can. This may include bending forward, leaning to one side, walking asymmetrically, or distorting the body in various ways. These compensations squander energy and can make you look more conspicuous. Canes or crutches can help you walk more normally and the extra bonus is having more energy to enjoy the fun stuff of life. When considering a walking aid, a cane may be adequate if you only need minimal support.

CANES - PICK THE RIGHT STICK
A cane may be adequate if you need minimal support. First determine the correct length of the cane. If it is too long and your elbow stays bent when you lean on the cane, the triceps muscle at the back of the elbow has to stay contracted. This can lead to muscle fatigue and pain in your shoulder. To prevent overworking the triceps, the cane handle should be at the height of the wrist when your arm is hanging at your side. This allows your elbow to straighten and "lock” itself in the straight position when you lean on the cane. Too short a cane isn’t good either - you don’t want to lean to the side.

A curved handle puts a lot of pressure in the middle of the palm, while a straight handle distributes the weight across the hand more evenly. Although a slight difference in diameter may seem trivial, a thicker cane does give more support than a thin one. Aluminum and carbon fiber canes are lighter than wood and have buttons for adjusting the height.

The cane should be used on the side opposite the weaker leg to give a wider base of support. However, this may not work well if the opposite arm is weak. If both legs are equally weak you probably need more assistance than a cane provides. 

© 1999-2008 Grace R. Young

 

 


 

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