- All right.
Using a can can keep you walking further,
faster and with less pain.
- That's a cane?
- Oh, (chuckles) we'll get into that Bob.
Everything you need to know about how to use a cane
adjust it and be safe with it up and downstairs, et cetera.
We'll be with you in 9.3 seconds.
Bob, just leave that alone!
Leave it alone!
♪ Bob and Brad ♪
♪ The two most famous ♪
♪ Physical therapists ♪
♪ On the internet ♪
- All right, Bob, you and I know
using a cane can be a big step for independence.
Being safer and being more mobile.
- Yeah, remaining independent.
- Right. The one thing you need to understand
is how to use it and the benefits,
and the adjustments, et cetera.
We're gonna get through those.
There's five steps we're gonna get
through and we'll be there.
- We'll do for you.
- That's right.
- Okay, once you've realized you needed a cane.
You need a cane, one of the big..
A lot of people don't want to use one.
- Right.
- They're adamant and they think
it's gonna make 'em look old. It's just, ugh,
but we always tell our patients it makes you look more..
- Sophisticated.
- Sophisticated. You're safer. Everything about it.
And once a person starts to use it..
- Not lubbing.
- Yep. They're happy with it.
- Right.
- It's like, I wish it would've start using it long ago.
My knee or my hip or whatever feels much better.
Now, I'm walking faster.
One thing that you'll want to do in you're
at that position is get a cane that you like personally.
- Right.
- You like the looks of it, you like the feel of it.
We do have a few samples here
and there are extreme cane..
- Right.
- Styles if you will.
This is a very standard aluminum one.
They work very well. A lot of people.
- It's got a gun handle.
- Yep. (chuckles) Yeah.
The pistol grips, so to speak.
This, there's this one which is a little more unique.
It's got a, if you have the handle
it's important that your hand feels good on it.
- Right.
- That's a big advantage.
- It's gonna be on there for a long time, so.
- Yeah, 'cause you don't wanna get a sore palm.
- Right.
- Because your handle isn't too, not fitting.
- Might you put lambs wool on it.
- Yep. We put, I put, you know..
- Washcloth.
- Washcloths on there with tape to cushion it.
Lambs wool or you just buy one that's cushioned.
That's a big step.
- Right.
- And then there's always the real unique canes.
- The Brad creation.
- Yeah, but I've had patients that come
in with more unique ones with than this.
- Agreed.
- This actually was a tree growing
out of the ground like this. We found it in the woods.
And my wife said, "Oh, it's like a cane".
So I took it home and I dried it
and varnished it and put a tip on it and there it is.
- That's so you.
- Yeah. (laughs) And it's been on my garage waiting
for me when I need it when I get older.
All right. Now the, again, we covered the grip.
The next thing we're gonna do is adjust the height.
- Height, right.
- Very critical.
- Really important.
- Now if you have a wooden cane, and this would be it
and you put your hand down, stand up tall.
The grip should line up with
the crease of your wrist, right here.
- Right.
- So right there, this is obviously too long
with the wooden cane. If it's too long,
you're in good shape. As long as you have a saw.
- Right.
- I've done this with many patients.
You need to take the rubber tip off, cut it
to the right length, put the rubber tip back on
and it'll look something like this.
This is the right..
- Check twice. Cut once. Right?
- However, most all aluminum canes will be adjustable
up and down by pushing the button.
- You know this fits me.
- Ah, yeah! You can have it Bob, if you want.
But that'll cost you, I should say that.
- I, I'm not surprised.
- So get the cane adjusted properly, absolutely vital.
The next thing is how to walk with the cane.
All right. Now, we always go through this procedure
on teaching people how to walk properly with the cane.
If your left knee or hip or your left side
is the painful side. The cane goes the opposite hand.
- Right.
- Regardless of what you see on T.V.
- No, Dr. House.
- (laughs) Yeah, older people we know Dr. House,
he always walked with it in the wrong side.
- Right.
- Even though he was a doctor, but it was Hollywood.
So cane in the right hand, sore leg on the left.
When the cane goes forward, the leg goes forward.
Or vice versa, they go together.
One thing I always do is with people,
I never tell 'em how to walk with it.
- Right.
- And usually people walk with it just
because it's a natural way the body works.
So I'll demonstrate that was a proper way.
- If you give instructions, it screws them up.
- Yeah. 'Cause it is confusing. Then you start thinking,
oh, this and this...
- Wrong foot.
- Yep. So, this is the wrong way to walk.
It seems like it would be the right way
because the cane is supporting the leg
and it should support the sore leg.
But, it's not when you do this,
your balance is not near as good as when you do this.
And when you do this, you're leaning over
on the cane a little bit. Taking the weight off of there,
believe me. Do it the right way.
- Right.
- It'll work better.
- Absolutely.
- So the cane and the sore leg work together and
after a while you will never have to think about it.
It'll be natural.
All right, and most important, you need to feel comfortable
and safe going up and down steps.
So I have the blue tape on my sore leg.
The one that has a sore knee.
- Involve leg.
- Yep. The involved leg. Cane, again in the opposite hand.
When you go up, I always tell people
if there's a handrail, definitely have
the handrail on one hand the cane in the other.
Go, lead with the cane. Then you go up with the good leg.
I'm sorry, I almost got screwed up Bob.
- Ah, there you go.
- Cane, up with the good leg and step two.
Cane, up with the good leg and step to that one.
Cane, up with the good leg and step to..
- [Bob] When you're going up to heaven,
lead with the good leg.
- [Brad] Yes, that's a good way to remember it.
- [Bob] And when you're going to where Brad goes. (chuckles)
- [Brad] Yeah, when you're going to H E,
double L tooth picks.
- [Bob] Then you go along with the bad leg.
- [Brad] Yep. So, but when you have a cane,
lead with the cane first, hand on the rail here, and then go
with the sore leg and step to that foot.
Cane, hand, sore leg.
- [Bob] Beautiful, Brad.
- [Brad] Yeah. Now when the rail comes to an end,
which a lot of 'em do. It, there's nothing to grab.
Just stay here and you may have to turn
a little bit sideways.
- [Bob] Right.
- It's up to you.
- Keep safe.
- Yep. Now some people may need that much
and they can go step over step.
If the sore leg is not very sore, that's up to you.
Use your good judgment on that.
Bob, what say you about the cane usage.
- Well, we got to show them how to shake it at a kid.
- Oh! (laughs)
- Get off out lawn!
- Oh, my mother was looking out the window
and she was kind of mad at someone out there.
She was shaking her fist at them.
She didn't have a cane, but I, I could see that.
Anyways. Yeah. Well, one thing or another,
enjoy using the cane. It will help you if you need one.
(upbeat music)