Regardless of your specific health issue, if the disability is ahead of you for a long or short time, you should consider which walking aid is the best alternative for you.
The latest innovations and medical progress have offered us many models and products to consider these days.
The top popular walking aids nowadays are wheelchairs, canes, and crutches.
Why cane and crutches are completely different than a wheelchair?
The cane and the pair of crutches usually come together in both: doctor’s prescription and the patient’s mind on how to continue their ordinary life.
Indeed, the wheelchair seems the most convenient and less stressful alternative to move around, but it has fewer points of contact when to the cane and crutches when it comes to similar medical conditions.
Differences
The wheelchair is more of an idea for long-lasting or even lifetime usage.
It’s also recommended for people with no disability, but severe, temporary pain or even necessity of no sudden moves or walking (regarding the fact legs are not injured).
Meanwhile, crutches and canes have always been prescribed after or during a trauma recovery that concerns the leg.
It might be whether serious surgery or just a broken leg, ankle, etc.
Canes and crutches, though, are very different for both the individual patient’s special needs and their level of disability.
The specific intervention and the level of disability might end up with only one of the two disability aids suitable for usage.
Meanwhile, there are lots of cases when a cane is ideal, just like the crutches are.
In all cases, the doctor’s piece of advice is the top must you should think about when going to the mobility aid store.
However, when there’s an option for a choice, and you are the one to make the final decision, the dilemma is almost guaranteed.
And here’s the hot topic of today’s material comes – which is better to choose: cane or crutches?
We would try to answer this question even though the personal medical history is usually the key to your answer.
What are the top benefits of using crutches?
It’s tough to name them all, which is why we would like to give you a list of advantages that are standard for all medical cases.
Find out the most common cons behind the traditional crutches nowadays:
Comfortable
They are extremely comfortable to be used.
Moreover, some experts claim that a wheelchair might not be as convenient in an emotional aspect as crutches.
Prevention of axillary nerve damage
Prevention of axillary nerve damage or axillary nerve palsy is guaranteed if you use forearm crutches.
On the other side, when using underarm crutches, you will be less likely to irritate your skin when walking around for a long time.
Stability
Meanwhile, all crutch types are super stable when you have to pass by some uneven surfaces.
In many cases, such stability is not possible if you have only your cane with you.
The right body position
Using crutches does not only give you the ability to walk around when being on a recovery mode but can even improve your temporary posture.
In all cases, and even if you have no problems with your posture, it’s easier to keep the right body position on crutches rather than with the cane.
What are the top benefits of using a cane?
Conversely, don’t even try to think that using a cane is everything else, but not comfortable.
There are many cases when a cane can be safer and twice more convenient than hanging on your big pair of crutches.
Speaking of which, you should consider the top benefits of using a cane instead of crutches, as well:
No storage issue
There’s no doubt that the storage issue is something you will be worried about in all cases: whether you choose underarm or forearm crutches, including if you prefer the faster wheelchair (including a rollator).
You can put anywhere you want and by your side the cane.
If you prefer to use a cane, you will avoid the risk of ankle or knee sprain.
There are statistics that 65% of the wrong application and usage of crutches leads to such a side effect.
There’s no possibility to have it if you have already bought a cane.
Meanwhile, Orthopedic specialists claim that if you want to receive full-body support and your pain is not so severe when taking steps, it’s better to choose the cane rather than crutches or a walker.
The walker can cause muscle atrophy, while the crutches can even increase the pain if you are suffering for overweight.
Walking up and down the stairs with the cane is 100% easier than doing this ordinary task with the crutches.
There are lots of negative consequences of taking the stairs on your first day on crutches.
The possibility of getting injured on a cane when being on the stairs is very slight.
Are there any concrete cases when the cane or the crutches are 100% medically recommended?
There are such cases.
Today’s advances in medicine are due not only to the latest innovations in the field but mostly to the availability of experiments and studies in every field.
There are lots of such studies that show what’s better to choose – the cane or crutches.
Medical experts claim that the cane is 100% better in two cases:
1, When the patient is senior.
In this case, it’s not even ok at all to use crutches.
2, The second case is when the injury is very light and does not cost you so much pain.
Usually, the duration of the recovery does not last more than half a year.
Medical experts also believe that there are cases when crutches are a must and the cane is not ok at all:
1, In the case of leg surgery and being overweight, it is not ok to use a cane at all.
2, The crutches are by all means important if there is more than one intervention (including in the cases when one of the legs is healthy, but there’s some rib damage or hand discomfort).
3, Crutches are better for long-lasting recovery, as well as for children.
Comparing the cons of using a cane or a crutch?
It’s ok to know the advantages of each mobility aid.
However, in addition to these, it’s also mandatory to be familiar with the cons behind the cane or crutches.
Let’s make a quick comparison to finish this dilemma: which one to choose, the cane or the crutches:
1, Most of today’s standard canes cannot stand balanced and supporting you in the best way on uneven surfaces.
2, Crutches are very tough to get used to them. There’s no doubt that the first days are total nightmares for the patient, especially if bothered by severe pain.
3, Every 2 in 5 cane users have slipped down, while it’s very rare for the crutches users to slip if used to the good practice.
4, Crutches come with lots of additional extras to add, and in many cases, they are a must but purchased separately.
Eventually, the cane becomes less expensive than the crutches, although almost similar to the crutches regarding convenience.
Conclusion
Now, it’s totally up to you which one to use: the cane or crutches.
The ideal situation is getting advised by your therapist, and if having some right to select whatever you want, test both mobility aids.
Every case and trauma is individual, and sometimes, the most convenient cane is worse than the worst model of crutches.
We want to remind you that a real doctor or medical specialist did not write this material.
It has only an information goal, and we strongly recommend you to discuss any issue or decision to make regarding your recovery and mobility aid choice with a specialist.
Do not hesitate to contact us to share your personal experience with any of the mobility aids we have discussed in this material.
And do not even try to be shy to reach us if you have some questions to ask!
We would be happy to help you with more information and tips to consider!
