Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhen Do You Need a Cane?Walking With a CaneNavigating StairsChoosing the Right CaneHow to Find the Right Cane HeightMistakes to Avoid
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
When Do You Need a Cane?
Walking With a Cane
Navigating Stairs
Choosing the Right Cane
How to Find the Right Cane Height
Mistakes to Avoid
Learning how to walk with a cane can take a little getting used to. If you have an ankle, foot, knee, hip, or leg injury or condition that makes walking difficult, a cane can help you maintain mobility and move about safely.
Canes are used to assist with balance, widen your base of support, and/or decrease weight-bearing pressure on your dysfunctional knee, hip, or leg.
The first thing to know about walking with a cane is to hold the cane in the hand opposite your bad leg. Aphysical therapistcan help you find the appropriate cane, ensure it’s the right height, and teach you to use it properly.
This article discusses how to walk with a cane. It explains reasons why you may need a cane, different types of canes, and how to know if your cane is the right height for you. It also provides tips for going up and down stairs with a cane and other useful tips.
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Canes are often used for temporary injuries but are sometimes needed on a long-term basis. Conditions that may warrant the use of a cane include:
Any condition that prevents safe functional mobility may mean that you need to consider the use of a cane for walking.
A standard cane is generally appropriate for people with mild sensory, coordination, or balance problems. Those with moderate to severe problems may need to consider other devices such ascrutches, awalker, or a wheelchair.
Sometimes, a cane is only needed temporarily, until sufficient healing has occurred or your strength and balance have recovered as a result of rehabilitation.
Assistance With Mobility in Physical Therapy
Using a cane is a little more tricky than some people expect. Using a cane for mobility requires coordination to take as much pressure off the affected limb and/or ensure that you can recover if you are unsteady or suddenly begin to lose your balance.
To walk properly with a cane:
It is important to take your time when first starting out. Rushing only causes you to lose coordination or make mistakes.
Stairs can be particularly tricky if you are new to using canes. Clearly, it is easier to navigate stairs if there is a handrail, but not all staircases have one. Proper technique and patients will help you get up and down stairs no matter the situation.
Going Up Stairs With a Cane
When walking upstairs with a cane:
Going Down Stairs With a Cane
When walking downstairs with a cane:
Tips for Negotiating Stairs After Surgery
If faced with significant mobility issues, it is advised that you meet with anorthopedistand/or physical therapist to determine the appropriate device for your condition.
In some cases, a single-footed (single-point) cane may be all that you need. For people with more significant mobility/problems or who are at greater risk of injury from a fall, afour-footed (quad) canemay be more appropriate.
There are several different types of canes, and the right one for you will depend on the degree of support you need. Common types of canes include:
The Anatomy of a CaneThe parts of a cane include:Handle: The part of the cane that you hold onto. This can be curved, straight, or offset.Shaft: The straight part or body of the cane.Ferrules: The part of the cane that comes in contact with the ground. Rubber ferrules provide a better grip to prevent a cane from slipping from under you.
The Anatomy of a Cane
The parts of a cane include:Handle: The part of the cane that you hold onto. This can be curved, straight, or offset.Shaft: The straight part or body of the cane.Ferrules: The part of the cane that comes in contact with the ground. Rubber ferrules provide a better grip to prevent a cane from slipping from under you.
The parts of a cane include:
To ensure your cane is at the right height, hang your arm down with your elbow straight. The crease of your wrist should fall at the level of the top of the cane.If it doesn’t, adjust your cane up or down until it does.
When holding your cane, your elbow should be bent at about a 20- to 30-degree angle, and you should not feel any pain or discomfort in your shoulder or arm.
How to Adjust a Cane to the Proper Height
There are some common mistakes people make when walking with a cane. If you are new to using a cane, take a few minutes to review the “do’s and don’ts” of using a cane.
Don’tsDo not use a cane that is either too high or too low.Do not hold the cane in the wrong handDo not place the cane too far from your body when stepping.Do not rush.Do’sAdjust the cane so your elbow remains bent at 20 to 30 degrees.Place the cane in the hand opposite to your affected leg.Place the cane nearer to you and take smaller steps.Take your time to avoid overstepping and tripping.
Don’tsDo not use a cane that is either too high or too low.Do not hold the cane in the wrong handDo not place the cane too far from your body when stepping.Do not rush.
Do not use a cane that is either too high or too low.
Do not hold the cane in the wrong hand
Do not place the cane too far from your body when stepping.
Do not rush.
Do’sAdjust the cane so your elbow remains bent at 20 to 30 degrees.Place the cane in the hand opposite to your affected leg.Place the cane nearer to you and take smaller steps.Take your time to avoid overstepping and tripping.
Adjust the cane so your elbow remains bent at 20 to 30 degrees.
Place the cane in the hand opposite to your affected leg.
Place the cane nearer to you and take smaller steps.
Take your time to avoid overstepping and tripping.
Tips for Using Crutches
A Word From Verywell
Learning how to use a cane properly is essential to maintaining your balance while walking and preventing falls. It can also speed your healing if you are recovering from an injury or surgery.
If you find that a cane isn’t enough to ensure maximum safety, balance, and coordination, don’t be embarrassed to ask for a walker or crutches until you’re in a better position to manage a single cane.
Should I Be Using a Walker Instead?
8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Sozzi S, Crisafulli O, Schieppati M.Haptic cues for balance: Use of a cane provides immediate body stabilization.Front Neurosci. 2017;11:705. doi:10.3389/fnins.2017.00705Nordstrom B, Naslund A, Eriksson M, Nyberg L, Ekenberg L.The impact of supported standing on well-being and quality of life.Physiother Can. 2013 Fall;65(4):344-52. doi:10.3138/ptc.2012-27Luz C, Bush T, Shen X.Do canes or walkers make any difference? Non-use and fall injuries.Gerontologist. 2017;57(2):211-218. doi:10.1093/geront/gnv096OrthoInfo/American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons.How to use crutches, canes, and walkers.Camara CTP, de Freitas FSMS, Lima CA, Amorim CF, Prado-Rico JM, Perracini MR.The walking cane length influences the postural sway of community-dwelling older women.Physiother Res Int.2020 Jan;25(1):e1804. doi:10.1002/pri.1804Arthritis Foundation.How to safely climb stairs.Avelino PR, Nascimento LR, Menezes KKP, Scianni AA, Ada L, Teixeira-Salmela LF.Effect of the provision of a cane on walking and social participation in individuals with stroke: protocol for a randomized trial.Braz J Phys Ther.2018 Mar-Apr;22(2):168-73. doi:10.1016/j.bjpt.2017.11.002Fairchild, S.L., O’Shea, R.K., Washington, R.D.Chapter 9: Assistive devices, patterns, and activities.In Pierson and Fairchild’s principles & techniques of patient care (6th ed.). Elsevier, 2018.
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Sozzi S, Crisafulli O, Schieppati M.Haptic cues for balance: Use of a cane provides immediate body stabilization.Front Neurosci. 2017;11:705. doi:10.3389/fnins.2017.00705Nordstrom B, Naslund A, Eriksson M, Nyberg L, Ekenberg L.The impact of supported standing on well-being and quality of life.Physiother Can. 2013 Fall;65(4):344-52. doi:10.3138/ptc.2012-27Luz C, Bush T, Shen X.Do canes or walkers make any difference? Non-use and fall injuries.Gerontologist. 2017;57(2):211-218. doi:10.1093/geront/gnv096OrthoInfo/American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons.How to use crutches, canes, and walkers.Camara CTP, de Freitas FSMS, Lima CA, Amorim CF, Prado-Rico JM, Perracini MR.The walking cane length influences the postural sway of community-dwelling older women.Physiother Res Int.2020 Jan;25(1):e1804. doi:10.1002/pri.1804Arthritis Foundation.How to safely climb stairs.Avelino PR, Nascimento LR, Menezes KKP, Scianni AA, Ada L, Teixeira-Salmela LF.Effect of the provision of a cane on walking and social participation in individuals with stroke: protocol for a randomized trial.Braz J Phys Ther.2018 Mar-Apr;22(2):168-73. doi:10.1016/j.bjpt.2017.11.002Fairchild, S.L., O’Shea, R.K., Washington, R.D.Chapter 9: Assistive devices, patterns, and activities.In Pierson and Fairchild’s principles & techniques of patient care (6th ed.). Elsevier, 2018.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Sozzi S, Crisafulli O, Schieppati M.Haptic cues for balance: Use of a cane provides immediate body stabilization.Front Neurosci. 2017;11:705. doi:10.3389/fnins.2017.00705Nordstrom B, Naslund A, Eriksson M, Nyberg L, Ekenberg L.The impact of supported standing on well-being and quality of life.Physiother Can. 2013 Fall;65(4):344-52. doi:10.3138/ptc.2012-27Luz C, Bush T, Shen X.Do canes or walkers make any difference? Non-use and fall injuries.Gerontologist. 2017;57(2):211-218. doi:10.1093/geront/gnv096OrthoInfo/American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons.How to use crutches, canes, and walkers.Camara CTP, de Freitas FSMS, Lima CA, Amorim CF, Prado-Rico JM, Perracini MR.The walking cane length influences the postural sway of community-dwelling older women.Physiother Res Int.2020 Jan;25(1):e1804. doi:10.1002/pri.1804Arthritis Foundation.How to safely climb stairs.Avelino PR, Nascimento LR, Menezes KKP, Scianni AA, Ada L, Teixeira-Salmela LF.Effect of the provision of a cane on walking and social participation in individuals with stroke: protocol for a randomized trial.Braz J Phys Ther.2018 Mar-Apr;22(2):168-73. doi:10.1016/j.bjpt.2017.11.002Fairchild, S.L., O’Shea, R.K., Washington, R.D.Chapter 9: Assistive devices, patterns, and activities.In Pierson and Fairchild’s principles & techniques of patient care (6th ed.). Elsevier, 2018.
Sozzi S, Crisafulli O, Schieppati M.Haptic cues for balance: Use of a cane provides immediate body stabilization.Front Neurosci. 2017;11:705. doi:10.3389/fnins.2017.00705
Nordstrom B, Naslund A, Eriksson M, Nyberg L, Ekenberg L.The impact of supported standing on well-being and quality of life.Physiother Can. 2013 Fall;65(4):344-52. doi:10.3138/ptc.2012-27
Luz C, Bush T, Shen X.Do canes or walkers make any difference? Non-use and fall injuries.Gerontologist. 2017;57(2):211-218. doi:10.1093/geront/gnv096
OrthoInfo/American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons.How to use crutches, canes, and walkers.
Camara CTP, de Freitas FSMS, Lima CA, Amorim CF, Prado-Rico JM, Perracini MR.The walking cane length influences the postural sway of community-dwelling older women.Physiother Res Int.2020 Jan;25(1):e1804. doi:10.1002/pri.1804
Arthritis Foundation.How to safely climb stairs.
Avelino PR, Nascimento LR, Menezes KKP, Scianni AA, Ada L, Teixeira-Salmela LF.Effect of the provision of a cane on walking and social participation in individuals with stroke: protocol for a randomized trial.Braz J Phys Ther.2018 Mar-Apr;22(2):168-73. doi:10.1016/j.bjpt.2017.11.002
Fairchild, S.L., O’Shea, R.K., Washington, R.D.Chapter 9: Assistive devices, patterns, and activities.In Pierson and Fairchild’s principles & techniques of patient care (6th ed.). Elsevier, 2018.
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