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Folding, Non-Folding and Extra Stability Walking Sticks – All You Need To Help You Choose The Ideal Walking Aid

Posted by Savana Khallouf on April 29, 2021

Three adults with two sitting and one is in an armchair. All three are holding walking sticks

Photos by michaeljung & Ljupco from iStock

Choosing the right walking aid is key to boosting your confidence and owning your independence. One of the most popular walking aids is a walking stick – a popular type of mobility aid which provides you with stability and safety and allows you to carry out your everyday activities with a bit more ease and peace of mind.

There are numerous benefits to using a walking stick (or walking cane) which include helping you to maintain your balance and reducing stress on your hips and ankles. These mobility aids also redistribute weight to alleviate pressure from your joints and bones.

But with so many walking sticks out there to choose from, how do you know which one is just right for you?

If you’re interested in the history of this popular walking aid, why not have a read of – Walking Sticks Are a Symbol Of Strength And Style?

We’ve put this handy guide together so you can choose the best option for you, whether it’s a folding walking stick, a more traditional non-folding walking stick or an extra stability walking stick.

Folding Walking Sticks  

Folding walking sticks are great, and we’re not just saying that because we sell them! There are many benefits of using a folding walking stick that can make your life easier, taking your independent living to the next level.

Easy Storage

Folding walking sticks are ideal if you do not need to use a walking aid all of the time.

A folding walking stick can simply be folded and stowed away in your bag, pocket, or car when not in use. This is a big bonus if you are constantly on the go, whether that is by train, bus, or car, as they can be efficiently folded away in seconds.

The majority of folding walking sticks are made from aluminium, which ensures that they are extremely lightweight, yet strong. Most have a rubber ferrule at the base to ensure that there is a strong connection with the floor, pavement or road.

If you like the sound of a folding walking stick take a look at the Folding Cane With Strap which comes in five colourful designs for you to choose from. It folds away into four sections, for easy storage when not in use. It also comes complete with a walking stick strap, which allows you to keep your walking stick close by when you are using your hands to pay for shopping or grasping another item, ensuring that your walking stick does not simply drop to the floor.

Saves Your Hands And Wrists From Strain

Folding walking sticks do come with different handle styles. One of these is a cushioned gel handle which helps save your hands from becoming sore and cracked.

If you do use your walking aid often, over time, it can have a long-term effect on your hands, including wrist pain and damaged skin.

These bright Folding Rubber Handled Walking Sticks have a comfortable and lightweight rubber handle, which is both soft to touch and easy to grip. An added benefit of these walking aids is that their ergonomic design means you can comfortably use them whether you are left, or right-handed.

Effortless Transportation

In today’s day and age, travelling from place to place has become a necessity. Whether it’s hopping on a plane to your favourite holiday destination, or even popping to the shops and back, and sometimes, you need that extra support to get you there – and sometimes you don’t. That is why folding walking sticks are so invaluable, as they can be compactly folded down and taken with you wherever you go.

Using a folding walking stick means you can make use of the little, yet very precious leg room you have in a car, or plane seat.

If a folding walking aid sounds like something that might be of interest to you, this Classic Canes Folding Petite Cane Cream Floral may be a great choice for you. It’s stylish, practical and features a petite frame, which gives it an even more compact fold. It’s ideal for those with smaller hands.

If floral designs are not your thing, why not have a look at the Classic Canes Slimline Folding Fashion Petite Cane Cheetah? It’s a great petite mobility aid that also doubles as a fashion statement!

Non-Folding Walking Sticks

Non-folding walking sticks are advantageous if you find the process of folding and unfolding a walking stick to be tiring, or uncomfortable. If you suffer from back and shoulder problems, have arthritis, or any other hand problem that limits your dexterity, then a non-folding walking stick may be ideal for you.

This Adjustable Height Arthritis Grip Cane allows you to maintain your independence and takes a large amount of weight off your hands and wrists when in use. The Fischer style grip handle spreads the pressure across the palm of the hand. 

Some non-folding walking sticks are manufactured from aluminium and are height-adjustable, so you can personalise your walking stick height to best suit you. A great point about this is that when you have found your perfect height, it will stay at that height and you do not have to adjust it again. 

Non-folding walking sticks are also frequently made, more traditionally, from lightweight wood. These need to be sawn to the right length for your use. It is important to ensure that your walking stick is the correct height for you. For further details on how to ensure that the height of your walking stick, folding or non-folding, is right for you, why not have a read of our handy guide here.

Check out this Aluminium Swan Neck Walking Stick which is not only height-adjustable, but also has a curved neck that distributes your weight vertically through the stick to provide a stronger and more secure upright support.

Other types of non-folding walking sticks are made from wood. These have more of a traditional look and feel to them and feature a more classic style.

Extra Stability Walking Sticks

Let’s be honest, who doesn’t enjoy a relaxing stroll down the local high street? The birds are chirping, the flowers are blooming, and you can enjoy a cup of coffee in the sunshine (but have an umbrella on hand, because you know, it is Great Britian!) However, if you find yourself worrying about putting in the extra steps when taking a walk, then an extra stability walking stick may be just right for you.

An extra-stability walking stick is an alternative to a regular walking stick, as it features a tripod, or quad base that is fitted with three or four non-slip rubber ferrules to provide extra security.

If you have limited hand dexterity, extra stability walking sticks can help to distribute your weight more evenly to reduce the pressure on your hands and wrists. They can also help to alleviate pressure from your knees and back when you are walking to give you a much more comfortable and pleasant experience.

This Tripod Walking Stick features an ergonomic design that has a wider base with three legs, each equipped with a non-slip rubber ferrule, to provide three separate, stable points of contact with the ground.

A benefit of an extra stability walking stick is that they do not fall over, even when you let go. Thanks to their sturdy bases, you can save your back by not having to bend down and pick up the mobility aid every time you need to use it. 

For an even sturdier base, this Adjustable Quad Cane has a low centre of gravity which greatly reduces the chance of it toppling over. It is also height-adjustable and can be easily altered and set to a height to suit your individual requirements.

Get In Touch With Us

Whichever type of walking aid you decide is right for you, here at Ability Superstore we have a wide collection for you to choose from. 

If you have any questions about any walking aids, then please do not hesitate to get in touch with us here at Ability Superstore. Our team of friendly experts will be more than happy to help you.

You can call us free on 0800 255 0498 or contact us here.