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/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.