Patient/caregiver was educated on features to look for on a offset cane to enhance safety and comfort as follows:
- Make sure the offset cane chosen can handle your weight. Check for the weight limitations allowed on the offset cane. Having a most recent weight reading available can help choose the offset cane that best suits your needs.
- Make sure the leg of the offset cane is touching the ground evenly. Uneven offset cane leg can impair the balance of the offset cane and make it wobbly, which can enhance your fall risk. The leg of the offset cane must be sturdy enough to support your weight.
- Make sure that the rubber tip at the end of offset cane leg is not worn out. These caps are slip resistant, offer improved grip on surfaces, and prevent the offset cane from slipping away, especially while on smoother surfaces. Worn out rubber tips disturb the even placement of the offset cane leg on the ground, impair balance, and offer poor grip on the surfaces, which can increase fall risk for users. Replace the rubber tip at the end of offset cane leg periodically, as recommended.
- Offset canes can come with a convenient wrist strap. Having the wrist strap helps to keep the offset cane securely with you hanging at the wrist and yet use both hands to perform tasks. This reduces the chance of the device falling to the ground and posing difficulty for individuals with limitations and balance issues to bend down and pick it.
