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Your Guide to Physical Therapy
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From Laura Inverarity
Canes are just one of several devices available to
assist in ambulation, or walking. Using a cane improves balance
by increasing a person’s base of support. When used correctly,
canes unload the leg opposite to the hand the cane is in by up to
twenty five percent. There are four categories of canes on the market
today, each providing a slightly different amount of assistance.
The C cane is a single straight cane with a curve forming a handle
at its top. This is the most simple of all canes. It assists in
improving balance by the mechanism described above. Straight canes
should be used by the patient needing only slight assist with balance
or only minimal unweighting of the opposite leg.
Functional grip canes are similar to the c cane except for the
handle.
A functional grip cane has a straight grip handle rather than a
smooth curve. This allows for a better grip by the patient. Improved
grip allows for better cane control and hence offers more support
than the c cane. Functional grip canes are appropriate for the patient
who needs slightly more balance assistance than the c cane provides.
A cane with a rectangle base and four small supports that contact
the floor is called a quad cane. This base provides more support
than the above two canes. Quad canes come in two varieties depending
on the size of the rectangle base. Appropriately they are categorized
as small base and large base quad canes. The quad cane is helpful
for patients needing much more balance assistance than provided
by the c and functional grip canes. Quad canes are often used by
the person with hemiplegia, or paresis of one arm, leg, or both.
The last cane overviewed is called the hemiwalker. This cane combines
the features of a quad cane and a walker. Its base is much larger
than any of the described canes above, thus providing the most patient
support. Hemiwalkers also provide an additional amount of lateral
support. Patients with more severe hemiplegia or those transitioning
from using a walker to a cane will benefit from the use of a hemiwalker.
Lastly, it is important to appropriately size canes. When standing,
the arm that is grasping the cane should have a twenty degree bend
in the elbow. If there is any confusion, ask your local physical
therapist for assistance.
http://physicaltherapy.about.com/od/devicesandorthotics/a/canetypes.htm?terms=walking+cane
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