The first solution that people with mobility issues seek are usually walking canes on account of their easy availability and low cost, but knowing the top tips for on how to choose the best walking cane can prevent you from choosing the wrong cane and ending up with more problems than you had to begin with. Here are some of the different types of mobility equipment in Melbourne that you could choose to suit your needs.
Walking Cane or Rollator Walker?
The two are not mutually exclusive. Many people use both a cane and a walker for different activities and indoor versus outdoor use. It is basically a switch stick that you could use to assist in walking. If you’re not sure what’s right for you, consider this:
Walking Canes:
- Lightweight and easy to transport
- Inexpensive and easily available
- Easier to use on uneven terrain, narrow hallways, and stairs
- Leave one hand free to carry something else
- Quad canes offer considerable stability and support
Rollator Walkers:
- Much greater support and stability compared to a walking cane
- Recommended during surgical recovery for added safety
- Accessories such as trays and baskets can be added to carry food or small items
- Easier to use
The many materials, styles, and designs of walking sticks can be confusing for the buyer. It helps to know the main types of walking canes and the different benefits they offer.
Design:
- Standard: This single-tip walking cane is suitable for people who only need help with balance. This type of cane is more agile and can be easily used in narrow spaces and stairways. It is smaller when folded down and convenient to carry.
- Quad-Cane: This offset walking cane with four tips is appropriate if you need to bear weight on your mobility aid, such as following injury or surgery on a lower extremity. A quad cane offers more stability, but is also heavier than a single-tip cane (consider a carbon fiber cane if weight is an issue). Quad canes are more expensive than standard canes, so those on a tight budget may need to factor this in as well.
- Seat Cane: These walking canes are popular for a reason – they’re practical and compact. Waiting in long lines is never going to be a problem again! Tripod seats feature two additional legs on the walking cane that unfold to support a platform for the user to sit on with the cane handle positioned between the legs to prevent tipping over backward. Sling seat canes are a tad bit more ladylike with a two-pronged base and two additional legs that can be released to reveal a fabric sling seat. If you want a comfortable ladylike seat, go for a sling seat cane. If you want a lightweight cane and don’t care if you can’t cross your legs, choose a tripod cane.
Material
- Wooden: These are the most common type of walking canes and they come in a range of options.
- Metal: Stronger than their wooden counterparts, these walking canes can be either fixed or adjustable height.
- Carbon Fiber: This extremely strong material is ultra-lightweight and virtually unbreakable and suitable for rigorous use.
Style:
- Fixed: Most wooden walking canes are fixed height and care must be taken when purchasing this type of mobility aid because its height cannot be altered. Certain sw
- Folding: These lightweight walking canes have a metal shaft divided into sections that can be folded up for easy transportation and storage. Strong elastic connects the sections and maintains stability when the cane is in use.
- Telescoping: These walking canes are fabricated from steel, carbon fiber, or aluminum, and offer height adjustment. They collapse into a compact state for storage and transport.
Today more than ever there are so many great colors, designs, shapes and styles of walking canes and sticks, from the functional look through to all sorts of cool and funky sticks. We these top tips on how to choose the best walking cane will have you moving forward in your life with increased safety, confidence and some style with your new mobility aid.
