7 Tips to Finding the Best Cane for Your Needs

There are at least 6.8 million people in the United States who need to use a cane or other mobility device. By some estimates, an older adult is sent to the emergency room every 11 seconds because of a fall. That amounts to more than two million visits to hospitals each year because of a fall. If you or someone you care about is concerned about improving mobility, you can do something about it. Finding the right cane or seat stick can be tricky but these tips can help.

1. Decide what kind of device you need. Some people find they need something with a little more support like a rolling walker. Think about your mobility issues and whether a cane will be enough. You may find that if you have had a surgery or suffered an injury, you may not be ready for walking cane when you start looking but you may be able to work up to a seat stick or walking stick.
2. Look at your options. There are a lot of nice looking designer walking canes out there. There are also different kind of canes that can help people with different needs and levels of support. Sone stylish walking canes have four tips on the bottom to give a bit more stability. Seat sticks are popular because they give the user a place to sit if they need that when they are out walking around town. There are different kinds of seat sticks so you should check a few out to see what fits your needs and styles the best. There are seat sticks that have a sling to help if you want to cross your legs when you sit and others that are slimmer but do not come with that option.
3. Talk to your insurance carrier. Given the way having a seat stick or caner can prevent falls and all of the injuries that come along with them, you should see if your health insurance policy will cover all or at least part of a new cane. They may need to get some documentation from your physician but this can be a way to save some money on your cane.
4. Think about your style. You may not think of yourself as a very vain person but if you are not comfortable with the look of your cane, you will never want to use it and you will lose out on all of the benefits to having one. There are a wide variety of styles that you can get for your cane. Take your time when you are looking at canes and really find one — or more — that you can see yourself using when you are going about your life.
5. Get the right size. You can work with the people who work at the store where you find your canes to get the right size. This makes a big difference when you are deciding what cane to bring home. There are some canes that can be adjusted but most are fixed.
6. Get the right handle. The handle of your cane is not just there to look nice .There are a number of different styles for you to look at. There are some that were developed to make it easier to hold them. If you have any problems with your wrist that may be made worse by using a cane, you can find a cane with a handle that distributes your weight more effectively. If you have any issues with your grip, as many people do, you can get a cane that can help with that.
7. Look at accessories for your cane. You may be surprised by the vast number of accessories that you can get for your case. There is purse that can be strapped onto your cane. There are tips you can add if you find that you walk through a lot of gravel or sand. There are even glow in the dark tips that might help if you walk in darker areas.

Sometimes people balk at the idea of getting a seat stick or walking cane. There are a number of reasons for this but the right cane can improve your quality of life.