How to properly adjust a cane

It feels like it happens overnight. Suddenly, your back or leg hurts, or your balance is off. Or perhaps evil arthritis starts to make walking painful — and then you find yourself at the drugstore to buy a cane.

According to the Archives of Physical and Medical Rehabilitation, most people don’t get medical advice on the device they need to help relieve pain. This may be a mistake since different devices serve different needs.

But if you prefer a cane, be sure you are using it properly.

Canes help improve balance and relieve pain in an injured or painful leg. To do this effectively, they need to be adjusted properly.

Here is how to adjust a single-end cane:

• Stand straight and rest the cane next to your leg. Relax your arm so that it hangs next to the cane. The handle of the cane should line up with where your wrist bends.
• Hold the cane slightly in front of your body and slightly to the side. Your arm will bend slightly if the cane is adjusted to the right height.

You can get four-pronged tips to increase balance or metal tips that improve balance on the ice.