Category — Specialized Product Terms

Weight Bearing canes come in many sizes and shapes.  The canes that our great-grand-parents carried are the traditional candy-caned shaped.  The canes that people carry today can have fancy orthopedic grips and come in many colors and several different shaped bases. 

One of the most supportive canes is known as the Quad Cane.  Quad canes are canes with four pronged feet. The four prongs are known as a base.  Bases distribute weight evenly into four points..  The four pronged base is not as attractive to many individuals as the candy cane design.  But it is important to note that users with  more serious stability or equilibrium issues receive more  support and stability from the square quad base.

Quad canes are considered less restrictive than a walkers. Some physical therapists swear by quad canes, while others prefer their patients to utilize standard canes or walkers. Some people prefer Quad canes because they are self-standing, others are less compliant because they prefer other designs.  The chief consideration in selecting a cane product is to take into account specific user’s lifestyle and requirements. 

The quad cane can be accessorized with different bases to meet specific patient or user needs. They also can be easily adjusted to accommodate patients or users’ different height requirements.  Whereas, our grand-parents’ traditional wooden canes had to be sawed into position to create the right height.  Most Quad canes have a mechanism which can easily snap into place to accommodate most height differences.

In choosing a Quad cane, one should consider several questions. For example, – a caregiver or healthcare provider should consider whether a patient needs a large base, or a small. Larger bases add stability, smaller bases are easier to maneuver.  It is a trade-off  as to which feature most meets an individuals specific needs better.

Beyond choosing an appropriate base, one may consider a user’s commitment to fashion as important consideration in achieving compliance.  For example: If a patient is fashion conscious he /she more will be more likely to carry a cane when it is attractive, playful, or colorful.  Believe it or not, many people are more likely to carry a cane if it is attractive or reflective or their unique interests or lifestyle.  Many people today have cane collections.  Some canes are more formal like the opera cane whereas others like the standard quad-cane just make good functional sense.

Other Key Terms and Considerations

Bariatric canes: Generally speaking, bariatric canes should be used for individuals between 250 lbs and under 400 lbs. Quad canes generally can support more weight because of their pronged design.  Many Quad canes support up to 360 lbs.  Many more supportive weight bearing canes are made of heavier materials.

Cane accessories:  There are four main cane accessories; 1) Cane holders 2) Ice attachments 3) Replacement tips and 4) Cane lights.  Although cane accessories are nice, only one accessory is absolutely recommended at time of purchase. The accessory, which is highly recommended for quad canes are replacement tips.  Cane tips are notorious for wearing out, and no one likes to see their wooden floors scratched.

To learn more about products and services at Medical Health Supply, Inc. visit us at http://www.medicalhealthsupply.com