Which Walking Aid Do You Need to Use?

• Canes
• Crutches
• Walkers
• Wheelchair

Are you active and just left the softball field with a twisted ankle? Or are you a weekend warrior and left the emergency room after a sprained knee? Maybe you are a little older and suffered a fall down the stairs injuring your hip and wrist. Do you use a walker, cane, wheelchair, or crutches?

Mobility aids are usually selected based on the type and extent of injury, the support the mobility aid provides, the difficulty of using the aid, and the person’s overall fitness. One person with a leg fracture may be able to use crutches, while another with an identical injury may be safer and more mobile with a walker.

While most people think of mobility aids as walking support, most importantly, they allow you to get out of bed. Standing is beneficial to the body - it helps breathing efficiency, increases the production of antibodies that fight infection, reduces the loss of calcium in bones, and allows food to pass through the digestive system more properly and easily than if confined to the bed.

Upsetting, frustrating, embarrassing — all of these feelings are often attached to the use of mobility aids. Aids represent the loss of functions or may be a reminder of limitations. But these aids can help you regain your previous abilities. They help in reducing the pain of movement. Canes, walkers, and wheelchairs are tools that allow you to live more fully.

Seek professional help in selecting a mobility aid

It is important to consult with a physical therapist or physician to help you select the right mobility aid. Below is an overview of the benefits of common mobility aids:

This is the easiest to handle and least cumbersome of all mobility aids. The cane helps a person achieve balance but should not be used for weight-bearing. For patients with a more serious balance deficit, a quad cane (with four small legs) may be used. Most people do not fully understand the function of a cane and therefore do not get the full benefit from it. Types of canes include the J-line, swan-neck, quad, and collapsible styles.

Crutches are designed to decrease the weight on an extremity. These mobility aids are relatively easy to manage and can help the patient navigate obstacles. However, crutches require a significant amount of upper body strength and balance. The type of crutch prescribed depends on the injury, physical condition, and age. Non-weight-bearing individuals find underarm crutches more stable and less tiring than other designs. Aluminum underarm crutches are lighter than wooden ones, making them preferable for energy conservation.

This stable mobility device can help patients with significant balance deficits (too severe for a cane). It also successfully reduces the weight borne on the affected extremity. Walkers typically have four legs, offering a relatively lightweight, stable device. When patients can bear more weight, they may "graduate" to a rolling walker, which continues to offer balance and moderate weight-bearing assistance. Walkers require the least coordination among mobility aids.

Wheelchairs are often used for patients who have lost all weight-bearing capability. Wheelchairs may offer a wider range of activity than canes, walkers, or crutches. If you have extended bed rest, multiple extremity injuries, or are generally out of condition, temporarily renting a wheelchair may be worth considering. Wheelchairs promote independence (getting to the bathroom), enhance safety, and enable participation in business and family functions. They help save energy for other tasks.

As strength and abilities increase, progression from one mobility aid to another is expected. You may move from using a walker to underarm crutches, elbow (Canadian) crutches, broad-based canes, and finally, regular single-based canes. A major warning sign that you are using the wrong aid is frequent falls. This suggests that the proper equipment is not being used, or that additional training is needed. When in doubt about any advice or technique, always consult with your healthcare professional.