Dear artists: this is how long I use my cane. I need to have it about 6-8in in front of me for my arm to be straight. When my cane is at my side, my elbow is bent. If you're drawing a character with a cane at their side and their elbow is completely straight, the cane is way too short to be useful.
[ID: Nine photos of a white hand holding a painted cane at different angles, with white walls and a fake wood floor in the background.
The cane is first shown from the side, with the black wrist strap off, then on, then from above at an angle. The cane is then held in the other hand, and shown closer up from the side, at a different angle, and a above, with the wrist strap off. The last three show the wrist strap on, and still in the left hand from multiple angles at close up to show the positions of the fingers.
The cane is painted with three pride flags. The first is the progress trans flag with stripes of purple, black, blue, pink, yellow, white, yellow, pink, blue, black, and purple.
Then the aroace flag, with stripes of orange, yellow, white, light blue, and dark blue.
Finally, a rainbow of brown, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and black.
End ID.]
Some more cane drawing references so you can draw disabled characters better.
More photos at:
Cripplepunk - Offset cane collection on Pexels. is missing some because Pexels is annoying.
Web archive collection
I'd post them all here to tumblr, but tumblr keeps eating them and i don't feel like having to sit here an upload them all one at a time.
You're encouraged to download these if you find them helpful. That's why I'm making them.
Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional, and any advice I give in this post should come second to professional advice if it is available to you.
That being said, I've been using a cane for years. I was able to get professional advice in that time, and also do research of my own. I am sharing this to make it easier for others who are thinking of using a cane or have just started using one, and who don't have access to one-on-one professional advice.
I've put the main text under a read more since this is a long guide, but it is divided into sections, sub-sections, and bullet points to make it easier to parse. This will be a text only guide without pictures, but I will link to other sites that provide picture guides as well. Here are the main sections that will be included below:
Is a Cane Good for You?
Things to Note
Choosing the Right Size
Walking Safely with a Cane
More Cane Features
Alternative and Additional Aids
Image and Video Guides
Is A Cane Good for You?
Before actually getting a cane, make sure you ask yourself these questions.
If attainable, would another support or mobility aid be a better option for you? Have you looked into the pros and cons of each option for your situation? (See the end of this post for a non-exhaustive list of other support and mobility aid options.)
Whatever your reason for choosing a cane is, have you looked into whether a cane can potentially worsen or aggravate your condition(s) rather than helping?
Do you know how to make sure a cane is the right size for you?
Do you know the safe and proper ways to walk with a cane?
Have you looked into what type of cane is best for your needs? (e.g. adjustable, foldable, quad-cane, orthopedic grip, etc.)
Be honest, and do your research, but remember to trust yourself. You know your body best, and you get the final say after weighing all the pros and cons.
Things to Note:
Using a cane improperly or using a cane that is not the right size for you can result in extra burden and stress on your joints. This can lead to health issues such as an uneven gait, scoliosis, and inflammation, just to name a few. Please take care.
It will take some time and practice for you to adjust. Try and do this in a safe and familiar environment, and make sure you are practicing the methods outlined in this guide so you do not get used to using your cane unsafely.
No matter how used to using it you get, there is no avoiding the fact that using a cane places more burden/stress on your upper body, especially the arm(s) you use it with. Depending on the person, this can range from a minor inconvenience to another major source of pain.
Canes can do more harm than good for some people, even when used properly. For example, it may end up being worse overall for someone with arthritis in their hands, or someone with an elbow injury. As mentioned in the first section, please look into this before getting one. Unfortunately, this means that sometimes a cane isn't a viable option in the end. Remember to be honest with yourself about your health.
However, forearm crutches are often a more suitable alternative than canes for many people. If you need a cane for both sides of your body, or are intending to use the cane to bear a significant portion of your weight, then forearm crutches may be the better fit for you. They are also often in the same price range as a good cane, or just a bit more expensive.
Choosing the Right Size:
There are two main things to look for when checking if a cane is the right size for you:
The height of the cane.
How much weight it is designed to bear.
To check if the height is right for you:
First, make sure you are standing in a neutral and natural position to the best of your abilities. Then stand the cane straight up right next to your hip. Let your arm on that side hang naturally. The handle of the cane should be level with your wrist. Note that getting the cane to stand straight on its own can be tricky, and it's okay to ask a companion or employee for help.
Next, grip the cane as you normally would. Move it forward from where it was next to your hip, until it is just in front and to the side of your foot. At this position, your arm and shoulder shouldn't feel strained, and your elbow should be slightly bent.
If these two points check out, the cane is the proper height for you. If they do not, you need to adjust the cane until it meets both criteria or switch it out for a cane that does.
To check if it can support your weight:
Most canes will have a weight limit noted on their packaging or online listing. Keep in mind canes aren't meant to bear your full weight, and how much weight someone puts on their cane will vary from person to person and moment to moment. So don't be surprised if the weight limit seems oddly low, since they aren't aiming to support your entire weight. The exception to this is a seat stick/cane, which does need to bear your full weight.
When a weight limit isn't noted keep these points in mind:
The most widely available sturdy material is aluminum. Your average aluminum canes will have weight limits anywhere from 200-350 lbs.
Foldable canes will typically have lower weight limits.
Hardwood is a safe and sturdy choice if you're going for that look.
If you need something heavy-duty, there are steel canes available as well.
Walking Safely with a Cane
There are three main things you should learn in order to use a cane properly and prevent health issues and injuries from improper use.
Holding it properly.
Safe walking methods (a.k.a. gait patterns).
Navigating stairways.
How to hold your cane:
Your cane should be held opposite to the side that needs the cane's support. For example: If your left knee needs support, your cane should be held in your right hand.
For most common grips, it is advised to grip the handle fully with three fingers. while extending your index finger downward so that it rests on the shaft of the cane. Your thumb should also rest along the side rather than curling around the handle. Note that if you have issues in your ulnar nerves this may not be the best way to hold it, and you should adjust to what feels best to you.
You are more than allowed to switch which hand you hold your cane in. Many people use canes like this for various reasons.
Furthermore, if you are using a cane for a specific injury on one side that needs to heal, I highly recommend never switching your cane hand unless it is absolutely necessary.
To be safest, be sure to use the cane's safety wrist strap if it has one.
Gait patterns:
Whichever gait pattern you use, your cane should always be moving in tandem with the opposite leg. The leg between your cane and other leg should move on its own. Make sure you stick to this rule no matter which hand you hold your cane in at the moment.
From now on, the cane and opposite leg will be called the "cane pair" and the leg between them will be called the "lone leg." These aren't official terms; I'm only using them in this guide to make things easier to read.
Step-To Gait Pattern: In this pattern, you lead with your cane pair, and your lone leg then steps forward to meet them. Your lone leg never steps past your cane pair. This walking method is more stable at the cost of speed, and also lessens the burden on your lone leg.
Step-Through Gait Pattern: In this pattern, you lead with your cane pair, and your lone leg then steps forward to pass between them. This is basically your average walking method with a cane added in. This is faster at the cost of some stability, and also tends to put more strain on your lone leg.
Stairs...:
Obviously, the best thing to do is avoid stairs whenever possible, but sometimes we aren't given the choice. Sometimes it's our only way to get to where we need to go, or sometimes it is for physical therapy. For those able to climb stairs, and for times when stairs are your only option, here are safety tips for ascending and descending stairs.
Always prioritize holding the handrail. If there is a handrail on both sides, simply keep holding your cane where it is and hold the handrail in your open hand. If there is a handrail on only one side, and this conflicts with your cane hand there are two things you can do. (If there is no handrail available at all...please be careful, is all I can say.)
The first option, if viable, is to switch your cane hand and proceed with the support of both your cane and the handrail. I do not recommend doing this if you are using a cane to aid the healing of an injury, or if switching to your other hand would significantly impact your stability (e.g. because it is your non-dominant hand).
The second option is to exchange your cane for the handrail, and proceed as if the handrail is your cane. In other words, the handrail would be considered your cane hand and would be paired with the leg opposite to it. This means you would need to hold your cane in your other hand, but not use it. You could also pass it to someone accompanying you to carry temporarily.
Regardless, by default you should be taking stairs one at a time, basically using a step-to gait. Don't rush, and ignore anyone who tries to make you. Only use a step-through gait if you are absolutely confident you will not fall, and/or you have someone accompanying you that can spot you.
When ascending stairs: Lead with your lone leg, making sure your weight can rest on it. Then raise your cane pair to meet it.
When descending stairs: Lead with your cane pair, making sure to rely on the handrail to distribute your weight. Then lower your lone leg to meet them.
More Cane Features
Canes are made in a variety of shapes and sizes, and many can be customized to an extent even after buying them. Here are some things to look out for.
Grip: Also called the handle. There's a ton of different shapes and materials it can come in. If you're going to be using a cane a lot I always recommend a handle that isn't a completely solid material (a.k.a. not wood, metal, or plain plastic). Additionally, if you already expereince pain in your hands, look into more ergonomic or othopedic grip shapes.
Base: Also called the foot or tip. This is an especially important factor if you have a need for balance and stability. For better balance, look into quad-canes or cane feet designed to be larger or flexible. If you live somewhere that ices over, or plan to use your cane outdoors, look into metal spike attachments for the base of your cane. Make sure your cane either comes with these bases already or is able to switch out the tip. Some canes cannot switch out their tips so choose carefully.
Shaft: I already covered that the material is important, especially if you need a cane that has a higher weight limit. If you are going to be travelling with your cane a lot, or know that you will be using it on and off throughout the day, a folding cane could be the best option for you. If you have other shoes that change your height by more than an inch, an adjustable cane is more affordable than buying multiple non-adjustable canes. There are also canes with specialized shaft attachments to help you in the process of sitting and standing.
Accessories: There are many convenient cane accessories to attach to your cane. To name a few, there's removeable grip padding, small bags or baskets, flashlights, reflective tape, cane holders (to help balance them against a table), and various tips as previously mentioned. Of course you can also personalize the aesthetics of your cane. You can paint it, use tape to decorate, and even add keychain charms where the safety strap attaches. If you wanna go all out, I even know people that stick on LED light strips for events and the like.
Alternative and Additional Aids
I mentioned this early on, but sometimes a cane isn't what's best for you. Also, sometimes you need additional aids along with a cane. Here are some things you can look into further on your own to see what can help you best, and what is most available to you. This is a non-exhaustive list.
Other mobility aids:
seat sticks/canes
forearm crutches
knee walkers
hemi-walkers, walkers, and rollators
wheelchairs (manual or powered)
scooters
Other support and daily living aids:
over the counter topical pain creams and gels
braces and wraps (compression or support)
compression gloves (a.k.a. arthritis gloves)
compression socks and stockings
insoles
neck and knee positioning pillows
reaching aids
shoehorns (there's similar aids for socks)
shoe, belt, and button fasteners
reusable drink covers
adaptive utensil aids
pencil grips and holders
bottle and jar openers
no-rinse wipes and shampoos
shower chairs
overbed and overchair trays
bed sticks and bed handles
pedal exercisers (foldable ones are fairly affordable, but not cheap)
pulleys and stretch straps/resistance bands
and much, much more!
Image and Video Guides
California Mobility: Ultimate Guide
Carex: Buyer's Guide
Fashionable Canes: Cane Handles
Youtube: PT 101 Walking Assistance Playlist
Youtube: How to Use a Cane - Ask Doctor Jo
Thank you for reading!
You have reached the end of this guide. I tried to keep it simple while also making sure it was comprehensive and thorough. If you have any additions or corrections, feel free to comment! Please reblog to help spread this info to others who may need it.
some drawing references for an offset cane hand pose. Meant to do this outside for good lighting but it decided to rain all day lol.
There will be better versions when it's not constantly thunderstorming since I need good lighting and also someone else to take the pictures.
[ID: Two cropped photos next to eachother, first from the side, then the front, showing a white hand holding a cane with a black foam handle, black wrist strap, and the metal of the cane painted in stripes of purple, black, and blue. In the background you can see the model's striped blue shirt and shorts, and a white sheet with a pattern of black squares. End ID.]
And painting version for arm pose and the front of the cane.
My arm looks orange because I forgot we have yellow lights in the hall and colorpicked from that lol. oh well.
[ID: Two lineless digital painting versions of the same images as above, showing more of the picture, with the person standing sideways on a white background, with the tank top drawn as solid blue, and the stripes on the cane now revealed to form the trans progress flag, with stripes of purple, black, blue, pink, yellow, white, yellow, pink, blue, black, and purple. End ID.]
anyways feel free to save for drawing references, that's why I made this. There's not enough drawing references for people using canes, so I'm being the change I want to see in the world.
I'm uploading a bunch more to the web archive, currently loading, I'll add the link here when it's done. Tumblr keeps eating the pictures when I try to post them here.
Okay. Well Pexels didn't email me back, but 72 of the 100 pictures I uploaded have now shown up. All the tags seemed to have been removed, so I had to manually add them all to a collection -.-
Anyways here you go.
Cripplepunk - Offset cane collection
Until it's nice outside and I have someone else to hold the camera it'll be just picture I can take with one hand, so there's pictures of my cane from a bunch of angles and my hands and some mid-walking things so you can figure out how to draw characters walking with canes.
The photos are also all on the web archive here but they'll take longer to load and you can't see multiple at once.
Both collections will be updated when I have new ones.
