By Maurice
Walking canes are helpful mobility aids that provide stability, support, and security while you walk or stand. They're cost-effect and a great first mobility aid to have when walking and standing become challenging.
In this article, I'll review a few of the best types of walking canes, as well as answer some frequently asked questions about how you can tell when it's time to buy a walking cane and what to consider when buying one.
Our Picks:
Best Walking Cane for Seniors (Overall)
The Duro-Med DMI Walking Cane is easy to use, lightweight and comes with a sleek black design that keeps it from standing out. With the push of a button, you can easily adjust the height up to 39 inches to create a more comfortable and customized fit. To reduce the risk of slips and falls, the DMI Walking Cane is equipped with a slip-resistant rubber tip that also works to provide optimal stability.
Additionally, it’s built with a soft-foam offset handgrip and strap that offers a secure and comfortable grip and prevents drops and helps reduce hand and arm fatigue.
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The Duro-Med DMI Walking Cane is an easy-to-use cane that’s equipped with standard features to make walking around easier. If this is your first time using a walking cane, then this is a great first choice. It’s simplistic, cheap, lightweight, and height-adjustable, so you can make it more comfortable to better meet your needs.
Best Walking Cane for Stability
The Vive Quad Cane provides superior stability and creates a safe way for you to navigate around the house and outdoors. The 4-pronged design creates greater traction, which makes it easy to use on all kinds of surfaces, including grass, gravel, and carpet. It can easily be used on both your left and right sides, and each prong is outfitted in a non-slip, non-marking cap that eliminates the risk of falls and provides added stability.
The Quad Cane is equipped with an ergonomic, contoured handle that offers a secure and comfortable grip. The cane itself is made out of anodized aluminum that’s corrosion-resistant, lightweight, and made to last. To top it all of, all of this is backed by a Vive guarantee to ensure customer satisfaction.
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The Vive Quad Cane is built to provide enhanced stability and support. The 4-pronged design creates a stable base that makes it easy to use on all types of surfaces, good and bad. Its compact design also makes it easy to go up steps comfortably. The Vive Quad Cane is ideal for people who have limited strength and need a walking cane that can support up to half of their body weight. Keep in mind, some customers have claimed that they’ve received defect models with uneven legs.
Best Walking Cane with Seat
The Folding Cane Seat Deluxe Adjustable Height Cane is a heavy-duty device that’s lightweight and is made out of thick, solid aluminum to eliminate the risk of damage and collapse. It comes pre-assembled, so you don’t have to deal with confusing assembly instructions. The seat is large with a high weight capacity of 350 pounds, and it’s equipped with ventilation holes to keep you dry, cool, and comfortable.
Also, Deluxe Cane is height-adjustable, so you can customize this device to better meet your needs. When you purchase the Deluxe Cane, you’ll also receive a cozy seat cushion and three rubber tips to enhance stability and eliminate the risk of falls and slips.
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If you have trouble standing in line or walking for a long time, then the Folding Cane Seat Deluxe Walking Cane is the choice for you. It comes with a heavy-duty seat that’s ventilated to keep you cool and dry. It also has a high weight capacity of 350 pounds, so it’s sturdy and reliable. Plus, you’ll get a seat cushion for added comfort and 3 rubber tips to enhance stability and reduce the risk of falls and slips.
Best Folding Walking Cane
The Switch Sticks Adjustable Folding Walking Cane is designed to eliminate uncomfortable bending when you walk and provide the stability and support you need to walk comfortably. The Folding Walking Cane comes in a wide array of colors, patterns, and designs so that you can walk in style. It’s a very lightweight device, weighing only 13 ounces, and its collapsible design makes it easy to store and carry when you’re not using it.
The Folding Walking Cane is equipped with rubber tips to enhance traction and stability while also working to improve poor balance and posture. The ergonomically contoured redwood handle provides a secure grip and eliminates muscle fatigue in the hand and wrist.
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The Switch Sticks Folding Walking Cane is best suited for people who are looking for an easy-to-use cane that they can just pack up and store away. Its foldable and ultra-lightweight design makes it easy to store and carry when you’re not using it. Although it doesn’t weigh a lot, it can comfortably support up to 265 pounds. Plus, it comes in so many different designs, so you can get one for every occasion.
FAQ’s
If you start to notice a decrease in mobility and balance when you walk, it could be a sign that it’s time for a walking cane. A walking cane is like the precursor to walkers, rollators, etc., so it can be a helpful mobility aid to use when you first start to notice these signs. Another sign can be rapid fatigue and soreness when you’re walking or standing for a long time.
Depending on the manufacturer and your insurance plan, walking canes can cost anywhere between $10 and $80.
Here are a few things to ask yourself when buying a walking cane:
The most effective way to measure for a walking cane is to stand up straight, and measure the distance between your hand and the ground while you’re wearing shoes. The top of the cane should come to the crease of your wrist.
Conclusion
When you start to notice a change in your mobility, a walking cane can be a cost-effective way to keep your life from changing too much. They provide support and stability and work to improve your balance. If you have any more questions about what type of walking cane is best for you, consult your doctor. They'll also be able to tell you if your insurance will cover the cost of a walking cane.
would love to see canes with team colors/logos, especially University of Oregon ducks…mom is a fanatical fan, and that might just persuade her to start using a cane for stability. (Her doctor’s recommendation and falls which have resulted in chipped teeth and bruises have not convinced her yet.)