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First Things First – Choosing Your Stick
You may have been advised to use a walking stick to aid your mobility, or have decided for yourself that you could walk more easily with a little more support, but with such a large choice of sticks available, how do you go about choosing the right one for you?
The first thing you should do is look at what’s available. To see our full range, please click here. Then, use our handy guide to help you work out what type of walking stick you, or your loved one needs. There are wooden walking sticks, aluminium sticks, adjustable and non-adjustable walking sticks, sticks that give you even more support with more than one base, colourful patterned sticks (if you want to stand out!), folding and non-folding sticks, straight or swan-necked walking sticks – we even have sticks with a seat! It’s enough to make your head spin!
There are several things to consider when you’re looking for the perfect walking aid.
Balance and Stability
The first thing to think about is what you will be using the walking stick for. Are you looking for a mobility aid to help you with balance and stability, or do you need something to provide extra support when walking?
If you are mostly looking for balance and stability, a simple cane, or hiking stick may be all you need. However, if you are looking for extra support when walking, you will need to choose a disability aid that's specifically designed for this purpose.
Height and Weight
Another thing to think about when choosing the right one is your height and weight. If the stick is too tall, or too heavy for you, it will be difficult to use and may even cause injuries.
When trying out different sticks, make sure to hold them correctly and use them the way they are meant to be used. This means testing how well they balance in your hand and how much weight they can hold.
The grip, or handle, is possibly what defines your choice of walking stick the most. Your needs will dictate what type you choose. Do you have arthritis in your hands? If you do, we have just the thing for you here. If you’re unsteady on your feet and need extra support, look at our extra-stability walking sticks. If you are likely to put a lot of pressure on the handle, an offset handled cane with a soft grip might be best.
Wood, or Aluminium?
Traditional wooden walking sticks are strong, good looking canes with a full choice of right, or left hand, comfort, or arthritis grips. They come in a range of attractive woods, such as chestnut, ash, hazel and oak, and a choice of many different colours – they are long-lasting, too. They are ideal, as they can also be sawn to exactly the right length.
Aluminium sticks are lighter, more easily adjustable for height, are extremely strong and come in folding, non-folding, extra stability formats, as well other handle, or grip options. Most aluminium sticks are easily adjusted for height, with clips, or buttons, usually spaced 2.5cm (1 inch) apart. Some fold, or collapse, so if you don’t need to use a stick all the time, you can fold it up and carry it in a bag, or on your belt. There are several different accessories available for walking sticks including replacement ferrules, folding stick carry bags, clips to keep the stick balanced on a nearby top, or table, folding stick clips to hold a folding walking stick together when it is collapsed, walking stick wrist straps, to keep the stick close at hand and a whole lot more. To see the full range click here.
The majority of walking sticks have rubber ferrules on the tip to provide extra grip when in use.
The Next Step Is To Measure & Adapt the Stick to Suit You
Now you’ve chosen a walking stick with a comfortable handle, the next thing to do is make it just right for you.
Why it's important to measure for a walking stick
A walking stick which is the wrong height can cause back and shoulder problems, as well as uncomfortable joint pain. If yours is too long, it will force the shoulder unnaturally high, whilst a stick that is too short will force the user to stoop and develop back pain. Fortunately, our handy guide will show you how to measure it, and how to adjust and alter your stick to suit you.
Measuring for a stick
Firstly position yourself, or the walking stick user, in a natural upright position, with your arms hanging loose and naturally by your sides. You should also wear shoes that you normally wear for walking, as this will estimate your average height when out and about.
In order to find the right height stick for you, measure from the bottom of the wrist bone (where the bump is), to the floor. This ensures your wrist is at the optimum comfort position when holding your stick, with the arm slightly bent and the shoulders level.
Adjusting the stick
If you’ve ordered a wooden walking stick from us, it’s simple and easy to adjust it to the correct height. Position the stick next to yourself or the user, ensuring that the top of the stick is in line with the bottom of the wrist bone and make a small mark on the stick shaft.
For wooden sticks, use a small hacksaw to cut the stick to size. Remove the rubber ferrule from the discarded section of the stick and fit it back onto the resized stick.
For height adjustable walking sticks, use the in-built mechanism to adjust the stick by pushing the small button on the stick shaft. Then, slide the inner shaft up or down to the correct length and release the button into the correct hole.
Just One Last Thing
It might seem strange at first, but it’s normal to have the stick on your ‘good leg’ side. Try it that way first, but if that doesn’t feel natural after you have used it for a time, and you are more comfortable with the stick by your weakest leg, it’s fine to use it that way.
With your stick touching the ground next to you, the arm holding it should be slightly bent at the elbow, not straight and locked. The stick should be placed forward at the same time as the affected leg, and then the unaffected leg follows.
If you need two sticks for walking, place one stick forward – then the opposite leg – then the other stick – then the other leg i.e. four separate actions.
If you’re using a multi-point stick for extra stability, all points of the stick should be in contact with the ground when the stick is in a forward position.
When you go upstairs, lift the unaffected leg up first, then raise the stick and weaker leg up to the same step. Going downstairs, the stick and weaker leg should go first, then the good leg lowered to the same step.
We have a wide range of walking sticks at Ability Superstore, both folding and fixed-height, with different patterns and handle styles to suit everyone. Shop them here.
Get in Touch
If you do have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call our customer service number free on 0800 255 0498 or email us – we’re here to help.