When, Why & How to Use a Walking Cane or Quad Cane - Ask Doctor Jo

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Doctor Jo is a licensed Physical Therapist and Doctor of Physical Therapy.

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More details about this video:
One big reason why people don’t want to use a cane is because they don’t want to look old. My response is always, well if you fall and break something, you will need a lot more than a cane, and then you will definitely look old.

So how, when, and why should you use a cane? Canes come in many different shapes and sizes. Today we will talk about a standard cane and a pronged/quad cane. A standard cane should really be used to help with balance and to help you stand more upright when you walk. A pronged or quad cane has more support at the bottom, and can help stabilize you more if you need more help when walking, but it still should not be used if you are putting more than about 20% of your body weight on it. If this is the case, you should look into getting a walker or crutches.

One of the big things I see is furniture walkers. These are people who use their furniture to hold onto when they are walking at home. They will grab onto the couch or counter top, or even the walls. Since they are at home, they know where everything is, and that makes them feel safe. However, when they get out in the community, they don’t know where things are to grab onto for balance, and then they risk falling and getting hurt.

The other issue can be your pet on the ground. If you don’t have a lot of balance, you might trip over your pet or they might walk in front of you and make you fall.

Sometimes people also drag their foot, which can cause someone to fall. You might also walk differently with a limp or favoring one side. Even if you can walk without falling like this, you risk causing muscle imbalances, and that can make other things hurt.

Once you pick out the cane that is right for you, make sure it is properly fit. The most important part to start with is to make sure your cane is the right height. Most canes have a pin you can push in to change the height. On your upper leg there is a bone that sticks out called your greater trochanter. It is just below your hip. This is where you want the top of the cane. You should have a slight bend in your elbow about 20 degrees. If the cane is too high, you might irritate your shoulder, and if it is too low, you might lean over too much.

Now for the walking part. The cane should be in the opposite hand of the injured side. The cane should always move with the injured side. If the injured side goes forward, the cane goes forward for support. Again, this is how our bodies naturally move; so don't think about it too much. Just move how you would normally move. The cane should be for balance and safety, and if you feel like you are pushing really hard on it, or if you can't walk smoothly, then you probably are not ready for a cane yet.

When, Why, and How to Use a Walking Cane or Quad Cane:

PRODUCT PLACEMENT DISCLAIMER: Thank you to Forever Young Cane for providing Doctor Jo with free Canes to use in this video.

DISCLAIMER: This video and any related comments are not medical advice. Doctor Jo is a licensed Physical Therapist and Doctor of Physical Therapy; however, she is not YOUR Physical Therapist and can't possibly diagnose you through the Internet. So don't use this information to avoid going to your own healthcare professional or to replace the advice they have given you. This information is only intended to show you the correct technique for physical therapy exercises and should not be used to self-diagnose or self-treat any medical condition. If you are not properly diagnosed, this information won't help, and it could make things worse. So seriously, check with your healthcare professional before doing these techniques. If you experience any pain or difficulty while doing these exercises, stop immediately and see your healthcare professional.

[AskDoctorJo]

Don't forget to hit the 🔴 *SUBSCRIBE* 🔴 button above! *Find all of my videos at **youtube.com/askdoctorjo*

[mondayhalley]

I'm 18 and got my first cane today. I'm scared to use it wrong and be in more pain, so I'm very glad to have found this video!

[GhostlyWolf]

im 16 and i have EDS, i got my first cane today and this really helps! ty!

[headbanger]

Great video. I have fibromyalgia syndrome and my balance is poor. I've been living with this disease for 16 years and I find that a cane really helps with the pain while walking and that I can walk safer. Some days I have to use my walker, which was recommended by my physical therapist. Before I got a cane, people thought I was drunk and falling was a problem. There is no shame in using a cane.

[davidparnell]

Rarely does an individual speaking into a camera actually project "connected cognitive presence" as if they were directly conversing with the viewer. I have found DrJo at a time in life where my future mobility is in question and I am in great pain walking these days. If you don't use your leg muscles you begin to lose your leg muscles. I must have developed "terminal curmudgeonitis" so that I dismiss "experts" too frequently and too quickly, yet DoctorJo has such warm, friendly presence in her presentations that I have become a "patient(a) patient(n)." Her personality and persona should be used to educate physicians on bedside manner. She confirms my philosophy, Eve was not an afterthought, Eve was an improvement!

[jobussell]

I fell, broke my right hip, and had a hip replacement eight weeks ago. I’m doing well and I feel it’s time to graduate to the quad cane my sister gave me. I took a few steps today but my sister told me to hold it on the “good side.” Your video is a godsend!

[premnathenson]

I had a stroke 15 years ago secondary to a primary brain tumor. I eventually was able to walk without an assistive device, but as I've aged my balance and mobility have declined. I found doctor Jo's instructional videos very useful in helping me to begin the process of regaining more independence by starting again with cane walking.

[bekahb]

I’m 16 and broke my foot when I was 11. It was never set properly and now walking is extremely painful if I walk for any amount of distance. I recently got a cane and was too scared to use it for fear of making something worse. This was so helpful!! Thank you 😊

[takeeachdayasitcomes]

My Orthopedic & Balance Specialist Doctor just sent me this video to learn how to walk with a cane. He recommended the quad cane for me since I’m starting to fall often. This video is very helpful as I really couldn’t understand why I needed to use my other hand, instead of using the hand on injured side. Now I get it!

[xMythStarx]

I’m 17 and have POTS (and an Achilles tendon injury rn), and I just got my first cane and this was helpful! thank you for this video!

[twilanesvold]

I am thankfull that I swallowed my pride after I watched your video... I am 53 and have suffered from severe sciatica for decades on and off... After my 2nd MRI in 3 years my L4/5 discs have gone fron 3 mm to 7 mm, and the pain is too much to have a 'normal' life.  Thus I am up for surgery, L4/5 prolapse and L drop foot, I fall often...painfully...so I am off to get some titaniun and dead man bones in my back lol!  I am a funiture walker both at home and at my studio... with stragitically placed chairs for myself...I have avoided a cane, but bought one last night and actually went to a green house today...first time in years!   I am paying for it now (in pain) but I MADE it and had fun!  I am happy to have better balance and even stamina!  Thank you Dr. Jo!

[DouglasD]

Thanks for the great video.
I just bought my first cane, and now I can use it more confidently.
I was holding the cane in the wrong hand, so I switched and it was immediately better.

[juderoberts]

This helps me so much. I’m 19 with a spinal cord injury and due to covid and other chronic illnesses I e not been able to go to physical therapy. My cane comes in tommorow and wanted to do more research ❤️

[AskDoctorJo]

Patients often tell me they don't want to use a cane because it will make them look old. And I always say: If you fall and break something, you'll need a lot more than a cane, and then you'll definitely look old :-)

[kojo]

I’m 21 and walk with a cane. Just had my second scope done on my left knee. This video is very informative

[triniwarrior]

This was very informative. I've been living with fibromyalgia for over 4 yrs and I get a lot of pain in my lower back, hips and feet (especially on my bunions which are already painful). And the pain is worse on my left side. On bad days I walk with a slight limp especially when my bunion hurts and on ok days I walk normally. I have issues with balance but not bad enough to make me fall Do I need a cane?

[sueanderson]

Perfect advice. Just what I needed to know about cane height, opposite side to injury, and cane movement.Thanks!!

[AleeshaSattva]

Just got my first cane due to hip pain and was only going to use when I absolutely have to but after watching your video I realise that I should use it when we go out for walks. Thanks for the advice!

[stephaniejones]

Great! Now I can walk around with my sprained ankle. I was using the cane incorrectly and it was not helping at all. Now after applying the way you have given here I can now walk around safely, and really supporting my sprained ankle.

[timmiked]

Thank you, using cane for the first time at age 73 and your video was most helpful. Need more practice though! Have had L5 S1 lumbar radiculopathy for 20 years. Three cortisone shots over the years have had mixed results. Have had significant pain when I sat more than a few minutes for a few years, especially when I drove. The pain when I tried to sit became severe a couple weeks ago, very severe. Thank God my Doctor referred me to a Physical Therapist this time. He had my diagnosis within a few minutes of my exam. My gluteal muscle was significantly atrophied from the long term neuropathy. None of the MD's I saw recognized this. I do the exercises like religion and already have nice improvement. Thank you again for this video and cheers to all the wonderful Physical Therapists and the truly wonderful work you all do!