page_title: Assistive cane
section_title: Types of canes
hierarchical_section_title: Assistive cane / Types of canes
caption_attribution_description: An unfolded long cane. The long cane is the primary mobility tool for blind and vision impaired people. Long canes are often foldable to save space.
context_page_description: An assistive cane is a walking stick used as a crutch or mobility aid. A cane can help redistribute weight from a lower leg that is weak or painful, improve stability by increasing the base of support, and provide tactile information about the ground to improve balance. In the US, ten percent of adults older than 65 years use a cane, and 4.6 percent use walkers.
  In contrast to crutches, canes are generally lighter, but, because they transfer the load through the user's unsupported wrist, are unable to offload equal loads from the legs.
  Another type of crutch is the walker, a frame held in front of the user and which the user leans on during movement. Walkers are more stable due to their increased area of ground contact, but are larger and less wieldy and, like canes, pass the full load through the user's wrists in most cases.
context_section_description: White cane: specifically designed for assisting the visually impaired, these are longer and thinner and allow the user to "feel" the path ahead. They also alert others, such as motorists, that the user is blind and should be regarded with caution. In the UK, red banding on a white cane indicates a deaf-blind user.
  Folding cane: has several joints, generally linked by an internal elastic cord, enabling them to be folded into a shorter length when not in use.
  Forearm cane: a regular or offset cane with additional forearm support, enabling increased stability and load shifted from the wrist to the forearm.
  Quad cane: has four ferrules at the base, enabling them to stand freely, and offering a more firm base for standing.
  Tripod cane: opens in a tripod fashion. Often available with an attached seat.
  Adjustable cane: features two or more shaft pieces for a telescoping effect that allows the user to lengthen or shorten their walking cane to fit to size. This feature can be combined with other variations.
  Shillelagh: a cane made of blackthorn wood, originating in Ireland and still a recognized symbol thereof.
caption: White Cane
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