How to choose a walking aid? Top tips to find the best mobility aids for you!
Living with a long-term condition or disability often means adjusting to some level of discomfort. However, your walking aid or mobility aid of any kind, should never be the source of added pain.
We know the right mobility aid can transform your daily experience, providing the comfort and support you need to live your life to the fullest. We want to help you choose the right walking stick or crutches and so have put together 3 signs that may indicate you're using the wrong mobility aid followed by a winning way to find the best walking aid for you, your symptoms and your life!
3 Signs You're Using the Wrong Walking Aid
1) Wrist or Hand Pain
Is your current walking stick or crutch causing wrist or hand pain? If your walking stick or walking aid of any kind is causing pain in your hand or wrist it is a sign it lacks the support you need. The best way to ensure no more wrist pain is to combine a moulded, anatomical and ergonomically designed walking stick or crutches handle. As well as moulding to support your joints, you ideally need a grip or cover to provide padding, cushioning and comfort for your skin as well as joints.
The key? To banish blisters, joint pain and any discomfort!
How? By providing support to your joints to ensure stable hand placement, reduced movement or shuffling of your hand as you walk and in turn long term alignment, comfort and confidence!
2) Fear of falling or pain when walking
Your mobility aid should inspire confidence, not fear. It should help you to move more, not less. If you're anxious about tripping, falling or standing when using your walking aid, it is a big indication now is the time to switch your sticks.
The key? To be able to look up when walking and not down at your feet, to pick up your stick without thinking and to be able to concentrate on where you are going and what you're doing, not how.
How? By choosing the right level of support that brings you comfort and confidence, whether it's a single walking stick, pair or a single crutch or crutches there are lots of steps to take to add extra support and give your steps a confidence boost!
3) Not using it
The single biggest sign you have the wrong mobility aid is that you're not using, don't want to use it or dread using it. If you find yourself avoiding going out to avoid using your mobility aid this is a siren that must not be ignored. Everyone deserves to feel confident when they move and there are always options to enable comfortable and confident movement.
The key? To use something that medically supports your physical needs and symptoms, improves your ability to move and brings comfort to you physically. At the same time, having a mobility aid that feels like you, reflects your style and that you genuinely like will transform your confidence.
How? In the same way you would choose a pair of glasses to match your style, your mobility aid should be the same. Find something that feels like you and watch your confidence grow! What's more, when your walking aid looks like an extension of you and your style, you'll find people notice and compliment it instead of questioning why you've got it!
What next? Take Our Quiz!
If you're looking to review your walking aid, find your first walking support or upgrade your current walking stick or crutches, we have created the ultimate guide for you in the form of a quiz!
We have spent the last 18 years collating all the very best advice and information you need to find the best walking stick or crutches. All you need to do is answer a few short questions about your experience in order to isolate what is going to be best to keep you comfortable, safe and confident as you walk, without compromising on style.
We know living with a long term condition, disability and mobility aids is not straightforward but finding the right equipment and walking aids should be. We are here to help, check out The Quiz now.
