|
|
 |
The first thing I want to talk about is what kind of cane you need. Before buying a cane you should FIRST
talk to your Doctor or Physical Therapist. They will instruct you on what to look for and the length of cane you
need to support your particular problem. When you use a cane you place it on the opposite side from the injury.
I know that sounds backwards however what you are doing is leaning away from your injured leg, foot or hip. This relieves
the pressure on your injury. There are two methods for measuring the height of canes.
For both methods
you should wear the shoes or boots that you would normally use when out walking. I prefer to measure length with
the person standing on the edge of the porch standing on a metal ruler (sticking out side ways from under their foot). This
gives you a true point of reference to mark the length. When you get the length where you believe its correct, you hold
the shaft of the cane against the ruler and mark along it. This is more accurate than trying to eyeball it.
|
|
In the first method you again have the person on the porch standing on the ruler.
They stand strait up and let their arm hang down at their side. You measure from the end of the ulna which is the bone on
the out side of the wrist. For an easier reference its the bone above the wrist on the side straight above the
little finger. Your measurement is the length from the ulna bulge to the ruler. Measuring this way you
do not need the person to be holding the cane. You then take the cane and turn it upside down (handle to the floor)
and measure the distance you got from measuring from the ulna to the ruler. Remember to take the rubber tip off
before you make your mark.
With the second method you are looking at the angle
of the arm to determine the length. Once again I like to have the person stand on the porch or some other platform with
a metal ruler sticking out from under the foot. The ruler should be sticking out over the space for the next step.
Remember to make sure that the person you are measuring has the rail or a person to hang onto while your doing the measuring.
We don't want them falling while we fit the cane. Next you have them hold onto the cane and look at their arm. The arm
should hang straight down from the shoulder and bend at the elbow. The lower arm should be between 15 to 25 degrees off the
center line. The stronger the person the more of an angle they can support. An elderly lady should have a 15 degree
angle to her arm to determin the cane length. Under no circumstances should the arm become straight and the elbow lock
in the course of the stride. That puts an extreme amount of pressure on the elbow and can lead to other problems.
Once the arm is at the angle you want mark the length at the ruler the person is standing on. The reason you have the
person standing at the edge of the porch is to give the extra length some place to hang while you are measuring it.
A person with good upper body strength can stand more angle to their arm. I would not go beyond 25
degrees. If the shoulder or elbow starts getting sore while using the cane cut not more that a 1/4 of an inch off the
length. Check the arm angle as I said earlier. It should be between 15 and 25 degrees while you're putting pressure
on it.
|
|
Never cut more than a quarter of an inch off at a time after the initial cut. It
is easy to cut one off. It's expensive to add it back on. I had a gentleman recently I told this to. He related
a story about buying a stick and thinking it was too long, cut a half inch off and now it's too short. So just
a little at a time even though it's a hassle it's worth it in the long run.
|
|
|
To measure a cane you already have and
are happy with, first take the tip off and turn it handle to the floor. Measure from the floor to the end of the cane.
This should give you the length you had on the cane you liked so you can transfer that length to your new cane.
|
|
|
One other thing on holding your cane while walking.
I believe most people are holding their cane backwards. I hold mine with the heal of my hand resting on the
curve straight above the stick. My fingers are holding the long part of the handle pointing away from me.
This method provides a more stable platform to walk or climb stairs. When you use it the traditional
way you are cantilevered out from the center and are less stable. If you have trouble standing up or climbing stairs
my T-cane provides the most stable platform. Since you hold it in the center its very stable and not prone to wobbling
when you put pressure on it.
If you have any suggestions to improve this page please don't hesitate to write.
kevinlr@kevinscustomcanes.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
