If you are having difficulty with walking and problems with functional mobility, you may benefit from using a cane when you walk. Your physical therapist can help you set up with the appropriate can and teach you to use it properly. By using a cane, you can maintain safety and efficiency when walking and moving about.

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.

Using a cane is a little more tricky than some people expected. Unlike using a cane for trekking, 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.

1. Hold the cane on the side of your body as your unaffected (stronger) leg.
2. Position the cane slightly to your side and a few inches forward.
3. Move the cane forward simultaneously with your affected (weaker) leg.
4. Plant the cane firmly on the ground before stepping forward with the stronger leg.
5. Repeat.

It is important to take your time when first starting out. Rushing only causes you to lose coordination or make mistakes.

Avoid taking big steps as this can cause your body to tilt forward on the weaker leg and compensate on the stronger leg by tiling back. The back-and-forth motion (along with the wide stance) can cause you to lose balance and fall.

When you lose your cane, you are left to rely on “the kindness of strangers.” You hope that someone will find it, and perhaps turn it in to a lost and found. But that requires you to remember where you may have left it, which isn’t always easy for busy people on the go. And a cane isn’t like a wallet, filled with ways to identify its owner and return it to them. Not to worry—you can learn how to never lose your walking cane with a few simple strategies.

Wrist straps can be attractive accessories for your cane. They are available in a variety of styles, materials, and colors, and they’re extremely practical. With a wrist strap, your cane stays with you wherever you go; just put your hand through the loop of the strap and keep it there. You’re still free to use your hand when seated, when signing something and you don’t have to surrender your cane to a coat check or closet, possibly losing it.

If you misplace your cane, the best intentions can’t get it back to you if there is no way to determine its owner. Add an identifying engraving to your cane that includes your phone number or email address. You could include a message like, “if found, please call…”, etc. Your identifying information needn’t be bland or sterile looking, either. Engraved plaques for canes can add elegance and style with fancy typefaces and decorative additions to the basic information needed.

Adding a table cane holder will always keep your cane near you. Simply attach the cane holder under the cane handle about four inches from the handle and place it on a table. This will not only prevent your cane from falling down and scratching but will also keep the cane near you.

If you have more that one walking cfew walking canes you cane use a cane stand at home to prevent them from falling. And also you can have a beautiful collection of walking sticks in one place! When you do not use your cane just leave it in such stand.

Using those steps will help you to keep balance and to prevent your walking cane from falling!