Cane walking on a level surface, what is the CORRECT order?

Nursing Students NCLEX

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HI,

I've been getting confused with the order of the cane, affected, and unaffected leg for cane walking on a level surface. Can someone please clarify? I know you hold the cane in your strong hand, then do you step with your strong leg, then weak leg?

-studykittycleo

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Hold the cane opposite the unaffected side. Move the cane forward followed by the affected leg then step with the unaffected leg. Search on youtube.com for more demos.

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Hold the cane on your unaffected side. Advance cane with your affected LE. So, let's say bad left hip. With cane in RIGHT hand, LEFT foot & cane advance, then RIGHT foot. 11298715.jpg

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HarStarr,

You are exactly right. I did not edit before I sent. I meant to say that hold the cane opposite of the affected side to provide support for the lower part of the bad leg.

Thanks for catching my typo.

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Specializes in Pediatric Pulmonology and Allergy.

I got that question too. :)

You wouldn't want to lift the cane and the good limb at the same time, because then the body's whole support is on the weak side. You also wouldn't want to hold the cane in the weak hand. You hold the cane in the good hand, advance it, take a step with the weak side (with body weight supported with good limb and cane) then advance stronger limb (with body weight supported by cane).

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