Why does choosing a walking aid feel so hard?
Because it says something about getting older, and nobody wants to say it first. Your father may have used his own legs for eighty years and feel that a stick is a defeat.
Meanwhile you see him holding the wall, the car door and the kopitiam table. The right aid does not take his independence. It protects it.
What are the four common walking aids?
Each answers a different problem.
- Single-point stick. For mild unsteadiness or one sore knee or hip. It gives a little support and extra feedback from the ground.
- Quad cane. A stick with a small four-footed base, for more support. It stands alone, which helps when he stops. See the glossary on the quad cane.
- Walking frame. A frame lifted and placed forward, for a person who needs strong support, for example after surgery. See the walking frame.
- Rollator. A wheeled walker with a seat and brakes, for a person who tires and can steer safely.
The choice depends on balance, strength, hand grip, thinking and where he walks.
How do you set the height and the hand?
With his shoes on and arms hanging, the top of the handle should be level with the crease of his wrist. When he holds it, his elbow bends slightly.
Hold a stick in the hand opposite the weaker or sore leg. The stick and that leg move forward together, then the other leg follows.
For a frame, set the handles at the same height, so he stands tall, not stooped. Check the rubber tips for wear, because a worn tip slips on wet tile.
How should he practise on Ipoh’s paths?
Start indoors on a flat, dry floor. Then try the step at the front door, the porch when it is wet, and the walk to the gate.
Outside, look out for uneven five-foot ways, missing drain covers, kerbs and steps into the market or kopitiam. A rollator is harder on kerbs, and a frame is clumsy in a narrow shop aisle.
A physiotherapist can walk with him along the routes he uses and show how to turn, sit, climb a step and carry things. Read how to fit the aid with balance and falls in older Ipoh homes.
Where do you get an aid, and who should fit it?
Hospital physiotherapists and medical supply shops can supply aids. Ask the hospital team before discharge if an aid is needed.
Fitting matters as much as buying. A stick that is too long or too short strains the shoulder and the back. Ask us or his physiotherapist to check the height and the grip.
If you are unsure what he needs at home, a visit lets us watch him on his own stairs and floors.
When does a person move on from an aid?
If he gets stronger and steadier, a physiotherapist may suggest a lighter aid, such as moving from a frame to a stick. Some people need an aid for life, and that is fine.
If he cannot yet walk with an aid, see wheelchair to walking for the steps in between.
How can a home visit help?
We see how he walks in his own home, test a few aids and pick one that fits his house. We teach him and the family to use it safely.
Read how home physiotherapy in Ipoh works. Our Canning Garden centre, near Fatimah Hospital, is opening soon, and home visits across Ipoh are available now.