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Many Americans suffer from mobility issues whether they're caused by time in the military, medical difficulties, or old age. Without assistance for these mobility issues, injury is a constant threat. In fact, two million elderly Americans suffer from life-threatening injuries caused by falls every year.

Wooden canes can keep you safe from the threat of falls caused by mobility issues. However, the question remains: what kind of wooden cane or walking stick may be best for as your mobility issues continue to develop?

Choosing Your Cane Type

Wooden canes come in a variety of styles and types of woods. Yet for the sake of this article we will stick to the three basic types of cane: offset-handle, straight, and quad.

Offset-handle canes have a curve in the upper shaft area resembling the neck of a swan that allows the user to place their weight over the tip. This allows for additional stability for the user. These types of canes are often made from aluminum, but some are made from wood if you prefer a more traditional look to your cane.

Straight canes are the most traditional of aluminum and wooden canes. They have a basic, L-shaped, or rounded handle. These types of canes, typically used for those with slight mobility challenges, can also come as folding canes for the American on the go.

Quad canes are great for those who require a lot of support for proper mobility and require support that will hold most of their weight. They can stay standing even when the user lets go of it, which is great for those who need help standing as well as walking. Quad canes typically come with a base of four tips for maximum stability.

How Can You Stay Unique With Your Cane?

Ageing doesn't have to mean losing your sense of self. Mobility issues are common among elderly Americans, but your style will always be uniquely you. So how can you transfer that personality to your wooden canes?

House of Canes offers a wide variety of decorative canes for those elderly Americans who are looking for that little bit of jazz in their step. Whether you're looking for a horse head cane to aid your balance while you're off to the races or you're just looking for a little glamour with a white ash handle, House of Canes has a variety of classy canes to keep you mobile and to keep you happy.

As a person ages, they can often have trouble with mobility. Common mobility problems include difficulty getting up from a chair or sitting down, unsteadiness while walking, and experiencing falls. It's unsteadiness and dizziness upon standing that are some of the most common causes of falls among the elderly population.

Falls are particularly threatening to elderly people because older bones are more brittle, causing them to break far more easily and heal more slowly than younger bones. If the fall is terrible enough, major injury or death may result.

Even if an elderly person doesn't suffer from serious injury when having fallen, they can experience difficulty attempting to return to a standing position. A caregiver can help the elderly patient or loved one by instructing them to crawl to a chair that is solid enough for them to use as a support to stand. The person should then place their hands onto the seat of the chair and use it to pull themselves up by bringing one foot into a kneeling position and then pulling the rest of their body into the chair.

Another way is to instruct the patient or loved one to roll to one side if they have fallen onto their back in order to get them into a position of all-fours. From there, should the person request assistance, a caregiver can help to lift them with their arms. However, it's crucial when helping lift a patient or loved one that a caregiver uses the muscles in their legs -- "lifting with the knees" -- not their back in order to keep from suffering a spinal injury.

If a fall doesn't result in serious injury, it can often result in a fear of the fall occurring again. This can lead to further health problems caused by immobility including blood clots, ulcers, and pneumonia. Therefore, as a caregiver, it's important not only to ensure that an elderly loved one or patient is able to achieve steadiness when walking as a means of preventing falls, but also that they are walking if they have the ability to do so.

There are many tools for mobility assistance available depending on an elderly person's walking ability. Wooden canes, particularly decorative walking canes, can give an elderly person a sense of independence while simultaneously allowing them to be individuals. It's easy to see a walking stick as simply a tool for mobility, but decorative walking canes can add a little needed personality. A horse head cane, for instance, is as unique to the person using it as a blackthorn walking stick is to another.

Mobility issues are common symptoms of ageing. But with decorative walking canes, your elderly loved one doesn't have to feel unsteady or obsolete. Encourage routine movement and exercise with the assistance of a cane, walking stick, or walker to keep your loved one strong and steady.

In the United States, one in four elderly adults falls every year. Balancing with a weak leg, arthritis, or a limp may be difficult and can result in your good leg becoming tired due to overcompensation. If you’re having difficulties balancing and/or you’ve suffered from a number of falls, it may be time to consider a cane.

Canes and walking sticks: which kind to use?

The type of cane you choose depends on your customary needs. Each cane is different and is used for different reasons.

The quad or tripod cane is best used for those recovering from a stroke or who may need additional support when walking. These types of canes evenly distribute your weight and can stand by themselves when you’re seated.

Palm grip canes have a unique design to their handles, which makes them easier to grip and hold onto. Palm grip canes can be a great option for those unsure if they can properly hold their canes while they walk or for those who are particularly mobile. Palm grip canes are made with optimal hand comfort in mind and will allow you to grip your cane more comfortably as an effective means of support without straining the arm.

Decorative walking canes are a great choice for those seeking balance as well as style. Canes typically have a very masculine look to them; however, custom walking canes may be created to give a cane a more feminine appearance. Additionally, for a sense of individuality, the handle of a cane may be shaped in a variety of ways including the shapes of animal heads.

Approximately 6.8 million Americans use assistive devices like wooden canes to aid in their mobility. But if you aren't sure how to go about choosing a cane for walking, you're certainly not alone. There are several factors to keep in mind when choosing a cane, including size, design, and your personal mobility needs. We'll take a closer at these below.

1) Can a cane serve your needs?

Before you start looking at the available selection of classy canes, you need to determine whether using a cane is the right choice for you at all. There are all kinds of conditions that can be helped with canes and walking sticks, like arthritis, balance issues, injuries to the leg or foot, stamina issues, and general joint weakness in the legs or hips. However, not every senior should opt for a cane when choosing a mobility device. If your balance issues are quite severe or you have significantly decreased weight-bearing capabilities, a walker or wheelchair may be a better option.

2) What size do you need?

Most canes are adjustable, but you'll still need to know the ideal length you require. If your cane is too tall or too short, you'll sacrifice both comfort and safety. Have a loved one measure the distance from your relaxed wrist joint to the floor. This will reflect the right cane length for your height. Alternatively, you can divide your height by two; your cane length should be within an inch of this number. If you're particularly tall or short, it's important to look into canes for sale that are designed specifically with your height needs in mind. Many classy canes come in extended heights just for this purpose.

2) Do you want to make a statement?

Many seniors thing that getting a cane has to be depressing or has to look boring. But the reality is that you can actually make your mobility aid into a fashion statement. If you're a stylish senior or just want to make getting around more fun, there are beautiful, outlandish, and downright classy canes available in all sorts of designs. From florals and animal prints to jewel tones and natural wood grain, you can have your pick of canes that actually enhance your own experience (and your outfits).

 

Remember that there's nothing embarrassing about needing a little extra help to get around. And while it's extremely important that your cane provides the physical assistance you need, you don't have to sacrifice on looks. For more information, contact House of Canes today.

When choosing a gift for an elderly loved one, it can be tempting to buy them something fragile to place up on their mantle or a picture frame of another loved one such as a grandchild. However, the older we get the more help we need and therefore it may be in your loved one's best interest to offer them gifts that help with their mobility and memory.

Ageing can be an uncomfortable process and so gifts that help aid your loved one through this difficult time will surely be appreciated. Here are some tips on what gifts to give your elderly loved one as their birthday approaches.

As you age, staying active becomes incredibly important not only to maintaining your health, but also to maintaining your independence. Accepting the fact that you have mobility issues may be challenging. And the fact that one in four American adults experience a fall every year can be scary. But sitting in a chair watching the world go by isn't doing you any favors; it can cause blood clots, heart disease, and worst of all, it can be incredibly boring.

Be unafraid to have fun and get out there. Your senior years shouldn't be any less adventurous. Here are three tips to help improve your mobility and get you back up on your feet.

Use the right type of walking aid

Everyone's mobility needs are different. Your brother may be fond of wooden canes. Your neighbor may use a walking stick. And your best friend may be fond of using a horse head cane to stay classy even when working through a hip injury.

Be sure that when you choose a walking aid, you know how to use it and that it supports your needs. Classy canes may look snazzy, but if you need palm grip canes in order to properly get around then find another means of spicing up your walking aid.

Improve your balance

The reason why palm grip canes and other walking aids exist is that you need to them to maintain your balance while you walk. Without proper balance, you could suffer from slips or falls.

Your balance is created by your back, buttocks, hips, and core. By strengthening these areas of the body you can improve your balance and reduce your risk of falls. Some exercises to strengthen these parts of your body include:

• Back leg raises
• Side leg raises
• Standing on one foot

Be sure that you have someone to assist you during these exercises such as a caretaker, home nurse, or exercise instructor.

Begin dieting

Dieting doesn't have to mean losing the foods that you love to eat. But it does mean changing the way that you eat so that your body gets the vitamins and nutrients it needs to function properly.

By removing soft drinks from your diet and replacing them with water, you can stay hydrated and reduce the number of headaches you have and how tired you feel. Dieting also gives your muscles the nutrition they need in order to grow and give you more available movement.

Losing mobility can often feel like losing your freedom. But by using the right walking aid -- like walkers, palm grip canes, or even a cane with a seat -- you can improve your mobility immensely. Stay active, improve your balance, and reduce the amount of junk food you eat in order to keep your body healthy and moving.