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CanesAka: Standard Cane, Offset Cane, Multi-leg cane, Multiple Leg Cane, Quad Cane, Walk Cane, Hemi-Walker

See Also
Indication
1. Gait disturbance
Cane Types (in order of weight bearing support)
1. Standard Cane
  1. For balance only (not for weight bearing)
    1. For ataxia, Vertigo or Decreased Visual Acuity
  2. Materials
    1. Wood (light and inexpensive)
    2. Aluminum (light and adjustable length, higher cost)
2. Offset Cane (Crook or offset below handle)
  1. Aluminum cane with adjustable length
  2. Allows for one-handed partial weight bearing
    1. For moderate hip or Knee Osteoarthritis
3. Multiple Leg Cane (Quad Cane, cane with 4 legs at base)
  1. For severe hip or Knee Osteoarthritis
  2. Advantages
    1. Allows for greater weight bearing than offset cane
    2. Stands upright even when not being held
  3. Disadvantages
    1. All 4 legs must be in contact with floor
    2. Adjust cane base size for gait speed
      1. Fast paced gait: Smaller cane base
      2. Slow paced gait: Larger cane base
        
        Also needed for greater weight bearing
4. Walk Cane (Hemi-Walker, one handed, four legged walker)
  1. For severe leg weakness (e.g. post-CVA Hemiparesis)
  2. Allows for greater weight bearing than quad cane
  3. Uses only 1 hand (contrast with Standard Walker)
Technique for cane use
1. Cane should support 15-20% of patient's body weight
2. Cane held by hand opposite deficient leg
  1. Weak right leg: Hold cane in left hand
  2. Weak left leg: Hold cane in right hand
3. Advance cane while advancing deficient leg
  1. Resembles tripod with 3 points in contact with floor
  2. Weak right leg advances with left arm and cane
  3. Weak left leg advances with right arm and cane
Fitting
1. Keep elbow flexed at side to 15 to 30 degrees
2. Cane length: greater trochanter to floor (with shoes)
References
1. Van Hook (2003) Am Fam Physician 67(8):1717

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This page was written by Scott Moses, MD. This page was last revised before 5/10/08, prior to consistent tracking of revision date. This page was last published on 6/1/2008. Please send comments and questions to the editor. Contact information may be found on the page About the Family Practice Notebook. These pages are best viewed with Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0.