Is Your Walking Aid Causing Pain? Check These 5 Things!

What to do if your walking stick or crutches hurt?? All too often people assume living with pain is part of using a walking aid. Whilst living with a disability, injury or long term condition could cause pain, your walking aid should absolutely NOT cause you pain.  The aim of a walking aid to relieve pain, increase comfort and as a result, movement. It's what drove us to design Cool Crutches and Walking Sticks, to ensure comfort and functionality were 100%.

If you find your walking aid is causing you pain, here are 5 reasons this could be happening and tips to make sure you feel comfortable & confident using them:

• Check the height - even the slightest increase in shoe height can set your alignment off, be wary of what you’re wearing on your feet and adjust your walking cane or crutches accordingly. If in doubt ask a physio, friend or family to watch you walk to check for hunching, leaning or imbalance as you do. Not sure how to adjust the height of your walking aid? Watch this!

• Check if your walking stick or crutches have been designed with a moulded handle. Is your walking stick or crutches causing blisters, skin irritation and or joint pain? Long term or heavy use of any walking aids mean you need to keep an eye on your hand placement. Moulded handles ensure your hand stays still, the joints are supported which will prevent movement and consequent pain.  If you haven't tried a moulded handle, do it! Even better, get a squidgy grip as well to maximise comfort, minimise blisters - not sure where to start? Check out our Neoprene Grips.

• Check the bottom of your walking stick or crutches! What rubber tip are you using? Ferrules (rubber tips on the bottom of your sticks) are key to comfort. You ideally want a robust tip with shock absorption and cushioning so it minimises any jarring into upper body joints whilst adding extra grip keeping you comfy and safe with every step.  Check out our full range of Rubber Tips.

• Check whether your mobility aid is certified for long term medical use. Unfortunately many sticks on the market don’t have any certification which means they aren’t tested for long term medical use. Usually fine if all you need is a little extra steadying but beyond this you need a stick designed to take your weight, support your body and give you that extra boost to move comfortably & safely.  What to check for? UKCA, FDA or CE certification will mean your walking aid has been rigorously tested by health and safety standards and is fit for purpose.

• Asses your needs - if you have tried all of the above so a medically certified (look for CE, UKCA or FDA certification), moulded handle and shock absorbing walking stick and you are still finding you’re in pain you need to consider an alternative mobility aid. If this is the case, talk to your doctor / physio and consider a crutch or crutches to see if this may give a boost in support and relieve some of the pressure and pain. Shop our full range of crutches here.

Whether you're looking at buying your first mobility aid or have used one for a while, it's always key to review and tweak over time.  We know every disability, injury and long term condition is different and often dynamic. With even the smallest changes come adaptations that are needed to ensure you live as comfortably as possible. With comfort comes confidence, but the combination gives you the best chance at living your best life doing things you enjoy!

Have a question? Drop us an email at hello@coolcrutches.com or check out our 'How To Videos' for more info on how to get the most out of your walking aids.

If you enjoyed this blog, why not check out more of our Tips articles on how to get the most out of life using mobility aids.