In this post we'll take a look at the cane that I recommend most for my patients with balance issues and explain what to look for in a cane if you're trying to improve your balance let's take a look hey Tim frantically here physical therapist with PT progress and I want to talk to you about using a walking cane you see a cane can significantly improve your overall stability especially if you're experiencing balance problems when we use a cane we increase our balance by adding an extra touch point to the ground which really increases our basis support improving our stability of course using a cane can also take off pressure from a joint which can affect our balance in a positive way as well you see as we age our balance decreases due to multiple factors such as decreased vision loss of muscle mass and strength slower reflexes and decreased coordination even our vestibular system and other dysfunctions can cause poor balance so for people who are experiencing balance issues a cane can be a really good solution especially if you're working with a physical therapist to restore your strength so what are the best canes for balance when selecting came from balance issues you want to keep in mind the following the cane should be sturdy comfortable and fitted correctly most canes are adjustable which means that you can fit it correctly to your height you can see our other post on how to size a cane correctly for more information on this.
Walking Cane
so how do you choose between a single point cane like this one and a 4-point cane like you see here in the picture well a standard cane like this single point cane has a single base like this some canes will include a wider base or a larger foot of the cane that provides increased stability more than just a single point cane which these can be good options just be careful that it doesn't become a trip hazard like I've seen some canes that are popular on TV you might also have seen a cane with four small legs on it these are called quad canes or a Dynamo Walking Cane these provide excellent stability but it may take a little practice to use it at first if you're comfortable using a single point came but have trouble keeping your balance you might consider a four point quad cane maybe even a walker you can take a look at some of the article that we have here on how to use a walker or how to walk with a cane as well now there's a number of reasons why someone might use a quad cane they may need more support than a single point King but maybe not a full walker they may have difficulty with coordination after a stroke or maybe they use one in transitioning from a walker to a single point came if you've noticed a change in your balance and you're thinking about using a cane to help with support my recommendation is that you find a physical therapist who can help you with exercises and balance training as well as advice on using the cane properly if you want to restore your balance and coordination below this.