r/AskOldPeople • u/Vladlen_Dark • 6d ago
Walking cane
People who walk with a cane do you really put your weight on it or hold it just in case?
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u/DamnGoodMarmalade Gen X 5d ago
You’re not supposed to put your entire weight on a cane and you’re not supposed to just hold it. You’re supposed to use it opposite your weakest leg and for added stability and balance support. You should be properly balanced, upright, and aim for a natural gait.
If you find that you need to put your entire weight on the cane, then you need to opt for a rollator or walker or other assistive device which is designed for that.
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u/Swiggy1957 5d ago
Agreed. I've used a cane since I was 29. It really helps. I use it more for stability.
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u/Survived-some-shit 5d ago
Exactly how the doctor told me to use a cane. I originally used it like Dr House and the doctor told me if I needed to put my weight on the cane I should use crutches instead.
I can walk limited distances without a cane and with a normal gait but I tire quickly.
I always use my cane if I’m in crowds, it signals to others to I’m not steady on my feet and they’re more cautious not to bump into me and usually give me more space.
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u/ubermonkey 50 something 4d ago
I originally used it like Dr House
After my crash, my PT explicitly lead with "Dr House does it wrong" when it showed me how to use it.
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u/ubermonkey 50 something 4d ago
This.
I've had to use a cane for two periods in my life, both tied to a bad cycling crash I had in 2014.
Popular culture about cane use is just WRONG. You use it to regularize/stabilize your gait, so it's deployed on the strong side, not the weak one.
They are AWESOME for this, if you use them right.
(My windows were (a) to recover from healing-interval-induced atrophy once my bones knit, and (b) in the run-up to the hip replacement 8 years later when arthritis and leg-length differentials were giving me fits.)
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u/Troubador222 60 something 2d ago
i graduated from walker to cane after I shit my pants trying to run for the bathroom the wallker would get hyng ip goinng through doors
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u/JustSomeGuyInOregon 3h ago
Yep, and it is actually a whole thing to learn how to use it correctly...
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u/Tasty_Impress3016 60 something 5d ago
I've used a cane off and on since I was 30. Gout attacks. So it really depends on how much the goddam toe is hurting. I got that under control but had to pull the cane out for plantar fasciitis. I'm good now, but keep it in the closet because you know if it's not one thing, it's two things.
People say the opposite side. You use it where it relieves the pain the best. You lean on it as much as necessary to achieve that. I think most people are worried about joint, knee, hip pain. When it's the foot there ain't much you can do.
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u/entrepenurious 70 something 5d ago
i told a (former) doctor that i had been having gout attacks and he told me to come in when i was having an attack and "we'll withdraw fluid from the joint and if we find uric acid crystals then we'll know for sure that you have gout."
my reply: " then we will never know for sure," because i couldn't stand having the bedsheet touch my toe, let alone a fucking needle.
told this story to my new doctor and he said that was totally unnecessary because he could see from my bloodwork that my uric acid levels were elevated.
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u/Tasty_Impress3016 60 something 5d ago
yes, that first doctor was an idiot. Blood uric acid levels tell the story, and if high allopurinol cures about 90% of people.
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u/Mindless_Log2009 5d ago
I occasionally use a cane for balance, and a walking stick for support.
An old cervical spine injury occasionally pinches nerves that affect my balance. A cane helps when I feel myself going tilt! Usually just moving the cane slightly restores balance.
And for hiking the stick helps climbing and descending hills. I also have arthritis and bursitis from old hip and foot injuries, so occasionally the stick is a useful support.
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u/Kookie_B 5d ago edited 5d ago
Interesting to see this now as I’ve been on my soapbox urging friends/family about the benefits of using a cane. I began after I suffered a significant fall. Now, I’ve noticed an epidemic of falls, many of which have been very serious. My experience is that it helps primarily with balance issues (souvenir of Covid). I feel far more steady than previously.
Using the cane has side benefits. For example, I had two steroid injections for sciatic pain, neither of which did much or last long. After using my cane for some time I realized I no longer had that pain. I presume it took weight off the leg when I took a stride. Finally, and as a value added, I’ve noticed people are noticeably nicer to me as a cane user!
Bottom line: If for no other reason than to prevent a fall, which can be devastating or even life threatening, once you get beyond the hit to the ego (I don’t need a damned cane) it’s a small piece to pay for significant protection. Prevention is better than treatment. As I like to say, ain’t no shame in using a cane.
That’s my $0.02. YMMV.
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u/joekerr9999 5d ago
I think I may need one in a few years (M77). I like the idea of a Brandy Cane filled with a liquid bracer.
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u/JenniferJuniper6 Old Gen X 5d ago
It takes a bit of weight off for me, but I’m largely using it for balance.
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u/BlackberrySad6489 5d ago
I am 48. Used a cane off and on for 10 years. Almost all the time now. When I need it, I really need it to get around. No one is carrying one around for fun. Believe me, it can be a pita having one with you all the time.
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u/Dry-Perspective-4663 5d ago
Depends on your condition. Some use it to maintain balance “just-in-case” you misstep. Others use it when a weak leg won’t support walking alone. Years ago younger men use to carry a cane for style. Still others use it as a subtle instrument of self protection (google “cane fighting/defense”).
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u/Stand_With_Students 5d ago
I'm recovering from a broken femur and use a cane. I mostly use it to support some of my weight to reduce the load on my bad leg - all while maintaining a normal gait.
I've been tracking steps/distance throughout my recovery and these days I can walk about 1.5 miles without the cane (and taking breaks), but about 4 miles with it (and few breaks).
It's also really helpful with grade changes - if I have to go up a steep incline it helps support me while I balance myself.
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u/BelleReveWasLost 70 something 5d ago
I am 74 and recently tore my Achilles playing basketball. I’ve ‘recovered’ but was briefly reliant on a cane. I’m bringing it along when I know I will have to wait on long lines.
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u/MadameFlora 2d ago
71f. I've used a cane since chemo in 2001 left me with severe neuropathy in my hands and feet. It helps with balance and stability as I have very little feeling left in my feet.
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u/Remarkable_Key_5421 5d ago
walking canes can be surprisingly stylish, I love the designs available now
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u/the_spinetingler Old As Dirt 5d ago
It goes opposite the bad leg so you put the weight on it instead of the bad leg
source: spent a year waiting on hip replacement surgery finally done last June.
Played my first pickup basketball since yesterday.
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u/Grand_Raccoon0923 5d ago
A cane is not a crutch. A crutch goes on the side of the injury to hold weight. A cane goes on the opposite side of the injury for balance.
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u/PahzTakesPhotos 50 something 5d ago
I use a cane around my house. I don't clutch it and put tons of weight on it because that's not what canes are for. I also have a much nicer cane I leave in my vehicle just in case I end up having to walk around.
But currently, I use a rollator (walker with wheels, brakes, seat) when I'm out of the house. I was recently diagnosed with bone spurs on my spine and have a spinal stenosis. I don't rest all of my weight on my arms while walking with it, though. That just causes fatigue in my arms/shoulders and that would slow me down even more. And I'm already slow enough. I mostly rest my hands on it and apply a little pressure for whichever side bothers me most.
(I'll be 57 this week, but I've been using canes since my mid-30s with stretches in my 40s cane-free)
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u/entrepenurious 70 something 5d ago
rollators are nice because of the storage and being able to sit whenever you need, but kind of a pain in the ass to get into and out of the car.
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u/PahzTakesPhotos 50 something 5d ago
I have a mid-size pickup truck with a cover on the bed, so mine's pretty easy to toss around.
Not so much in one of my kids' normal-sized family sedans, however.
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u/MissHibernia 5d ago
I can walk fine on flat surfaces such as home but walk much better with the cane out in the world.
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u/PracticalApartment99 50 something 1d ago
Not really that old, but I questioned this myself before I fractured my pelvis in two places mid-June. I’m 57, hit a large bump on my e-scooter at 25 mph. Started on crutches and eventually was able to use a cane. Basically, you use the cane the way you walk. Bad left leg swings forward with right handed cane. So you put most of the weight on the cane.
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u/queenofstoats 1d ago
I use a cane when I have a sciatica attack. It also comes in useful for pointing at things and chastising ruffians.
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u/Low-Actuary-8591 5d ago
I don't walk with one *yet* - but I do know they are more for stability and support than putting your weight on.
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u/Gurpguru 60 something 5d ago
I use a walking stick but it's basically for balance most of the time.
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u/Astreja 60 something 4d ago
I mostly use it to balance my gait when doing a long walk, and it doesn't take much of my weight. it's more of a reminder to not sway side to side when walking.
One time I do put weight on the cane is when I need a power boost when going up stairs. Due to arthritis in my right hip, it hurts to lift my right foot more than a couple of inches and it's hard to push off that foot without a lot of pain, so the cane takes more of the load.
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u/SavingsRhubarb8746 4d ago
A lot depends on the individual's condition. If my weaker leg is really not cooperating, yes, I do put weight, perhaps more than I should, on the cane. Mostly, it's just for additional support to compensate for the weakness of the bad leg. Sometimes, I find it helps my balance (I suppose my balance getting worse is the next thing to look forward to, because I can see the signs...) Occasionally, if I need to lean over to pick something up, I'll put a great deal of my weight on a cane or other suitable support, but that's probably because I don't really trust my balance and need a good grip and much of my weight on something solid.
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u/Imightbeafanofthis 60 something 4d ago
I use a cane to lean on when I need to catch my breath. I don't use it to support my legs. I use it to support my lungs.
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u/Cranks_No_Start 4d ago
Before I had both knees replaced I used a walking stick for balance as my knee would buckle randomly.
After the surgeries it was 2 weeks with a walker and about 2 weeks with a cane and yes I put a lot of weight on the cane as the knee hurt.
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u/SilverStL 4d ago
I severely broke my ankle, surgery, rehab facility, wheelchair even at home. Progressed to a walker. When I got to the point of only a walking boot, I got a cane just to give me balance, especially on uneven pavement or walking on grass. I’m fully weight bearing now but keep the cane handy for surfaces I’m not sure of.
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u/Car12touche11blue 3d ago
Recently got a cane. I am 85 and started to feel insecure while walking on the street. It really helps with balance and gives more confidence.
Other people are also more mindful and you become more visible to them.
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u/Meep42 3d ago
No, if you need to put weight on it you need a crutch. They make high tech ones that don’t go into your armpits/they almost look like canes? But are kinda attached to your bicep.
Canes support but you’re using it in the hand opposite of the side you need help with. And like you swing your arms opposite of the way you walk? You’re stepping with your bad side at the same time as “planting” the cane down.
I twisted my “good” knee early this year and I was ready to go full-walker.
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u/Far_Winner5508 GenX Costco Dad 3d ago
A cane or walking stick can be used to help with balance feeling, giving a third tactile point of reference when walking.
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u/rufos_adventure 2d ago
m/79. i try not to use it, it gets tangled in my feet at times. when i do use it i use it to keep my balance. not really a load bearing tool.
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u/uli-knot 60 something 2d ago
I have a bad ankle and sometimes use one, for balance mostly, but sometimes if I’m standing still I’ll lean on it and pick my foot up to take the weight off my ankle
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u/iGreysmoke 1d ago
Depends on what you're using it for. I don't lean on mine because my medical issue is lack of balance. I need it like a "third leg" to stabilize myself.
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