Walking sticks in "tottery" in old age

I totally agree with Luckygirl and others.
I had a hip replacement at New Year so have NHS sticks at present but I asked my DC for good ergonomic and lightweight walking poles for Christmas and they are excellent.

Prevention is better than cure!
Enjoy your carefree walking.

Well sometimes it’s choosing the lesser of two evils. She’s probably right in that you will come to rely on it and lose a bit of tone.

On the other hand, if you feel more confident with a stick you’ll probably walk more and in places you might otherwise avoid. And if (which might happen if you’re feeling a bit wobbly) you have a fall you’ll lose plenty of muscle tone having to rest till you heal.

I’d use whatever I needed to keep on walking as much as I could on a daily basis.

I too have a stick but it's for short distances. My perfect companion is a 'triwalker' ie it has 3 wheels and a handle bar with brakes and a small but deep bag in the middle - no seat. Having had a number of falls I've been scared to go out but now I can whizz around at a good pace! It's been a life saver and I don't care tuppence if I look 'old' because of it - in fact I've been treated well by most other pavement users and also traffic seems to stop for me for which I give a cheery wave. Highly recommend it

A slight loss of dignity or whatever is preferable to broken hip: my MIL and SIL both broke hips from falling. I sometimes use a Malacca cane if I'm feeling unbalanced. Looks a bit better than the standard issue NHS one.

ExDancer, I spoke to my personal trainer about the thread this morning. He said a piece of research on walking with poles showed that walking with poles uses 20% less leg muscle but is compensated by an increase in arm muscle. However if you have had and are at risk of falling the muscle loss is far outweighed by the risks of trauma. My advice is to contact your GP surgery and request a referral to physio (many surgeries now have their own therapists). A physio will be able to advise on on the best walking aid for you and also provide you with exercises to help your balance and improve your mobility. Best wishes

When my grandmother needed one she wasn't prepared to have one. She bought a beautiful umbrella, it was black with handpainted flowers and it was a strong wooden one. I think falling is a risk and if having some sort of stick prevents that I can't see why it wouldn't be a good idea but then I'm no expert.

If you have loss of balance PLUS osteoporosis then you may be safer with walking stick or zimmer. than simply using your muscles. The benefit of a zimmer is is helps you not to fall AND provides you with a useful tray for carrying stuff while you walk around.

Ask which muscles keep you upright and ask for exercises for those.

It won't hurt to keep a fold-up stick in your bag for those times you need more confidence if you are wobbly. However, have a health check to see if you have any imbalances (s'cuse the pun) as sometimes magnesium/postasium/etc, can cause wobbles.

I would like to say that a walking stick alerts others to be mindful of you. I had experience of airports with twisted ankle and had only an antique stick with metal tip which was useless on tiled floors. I thought I might get offers of help with bags etc but sadly no joy. It was covid times and not able to get anything better at short notice.

I have a balance disorder that’s not age related but I know that as I’m aging, my general balance is deteriorating and I would use a stick if I felt I might fall. As someone else says it’s the lesser of the two evils really. I like the idea of a fold up one that you can keep in your bag and just use as needed. If not, maybe a lovely coloured one. I would…and do…keep up exercising….all of us are less balanced as we grow older and I don’t see it as either, or, with regard to stick use and exercise. So, I would do both and not let this define you. It’s just to help with some physical balance….there is more to you than that.

I had to start using a stick in my late 60s when my spondylolisthesis got so bad that being on my feet for more than a few minutes meant my leg and foot went completely numb which somewhat complicates the action of walking safely. It certainly has made me feel safer when I'm out and about.

flowering one folding ones striped ones all sorts certainly not the old fuddy duddy wood things

icanhandthemback

It won't hurt to keep a fold-up stick in your bag for those times you need more confidence if you are wobbly. However, have a health check to see if you have any imbalances (s'cuse the pun) as sometimes magnesium/postasium/etc, can cause wobbles.

as sometimes magnesium/postasium/etc, can cause wobbles

Do you mean taking it or lack of it, icanhandthemback?

I do take magnesium for cramp but not every day.

Allira

icanhandthemback

It won't hurt to keep a fold-up stick in your bag for those times you need more confidence if you are wobbly. However, have a health check to see if you have any imbalances (s'cuse the pun) as sometimes magnesium/postasium/etc, can cause wobbles.

as sometimes magnesium/postasium/etc, can cause wobbles

Do you mean taking it or lack of it, icanhandthemback?

I do take magnesium for cramp but not every day.

Sorry, I didn't make that clear, the lack of it in your blood. They are both things that my mother has "been off her feet" for but there are other things that can cause problems by having too much or too little in your blood screen. These imbalances are quite common as we age.

I am approaching 70 and have R.A.
My walking stick was provided by the occupational therapist.
It has an ergonomic handle and the correct height was measured.
It has been invaluable in preventing me
tripping up and falling.

Unless the exercise teacher has medical qualifications,: I would be ignoring her advice.
Is it possible to get a referral to either OT or Physio?

I would think it is safer to use your stick. I joined a Tai Chi class and it has improved my balance a lot, I can bend and stretch much more easily and stand on my toes, a previously lost art and that is very helpful for balance. I practice this when cleaning my teeth.

I. am in my eighties and use my stick but not all the time and it is amazing the difference in the behaviour of others. When I use my stick, cars will stop to let me cross roads, people offer to help me negotiate steps, gates and obstacles. No stick , no help offered. I do get rather cross as I am quite capable of looking after my self and resent the tone of voice used as if I am half witted but they are kind and caring so I bite my tongue and smile.

Nordic walking poles from amazon have been a real help for me. I find that two sticks rather than the one I used to use, is a better strategy as I don't over-compensate and one side for the other, and the pressure on my hand with one stick is alleviated as both hands are working. The walking poles also help to scaffold my back.
In terms of becoming reliant, I can see the point here but if it's a question of that or braking a hip I know which I prefer. Walking poles are not expensive - worth a try.

Wish I’d used a stick yesterday might have saved my fall and broken wrist for the 2nd time! Plastered up again and face looks like it’s taken a beating from Mike Tyson 🙄😡

icanhandthemback

Allira

icanhandthemback

It won't hurt to keep a fold-up stick in your bag for those times you need more confidence if you are wobbly. However, have a health check to see if you have any imbalances (s'cuse the pun) as sometimes magnesium/postasium/etc, can cause wobbles.

as sometimes magnesium/postasium/etc, can cause wobbles

Do you mean taking it or lack of it, icanhandthemback?

I do take magnesium for cramp but not every day.

Sorry, I didn't make that clear, the lack of it in your blood. They are both things that my mother has "been off her feet" for but there are other things that can cause problems by having too much or too little in your blood screen. These imbalances are quite common as we age.

Thanks!
I'll carry on taking it occasionally if I feel a cramp coming on. .

Get sporty looking nordic sticks as these will give you a workout, and have a little backpack for carring anything, and you will be safer, it's a balance thing, as pointed out by other gransnetters

Hopefully using a stick will give you confidence to walk even more. If so you will be using your muscles just as much if not more than without the stick

Having had Osteo arthritis since I was around 21 it gradually worsened until a Physio suggested I try a walking stick. So got a grotty fold up one & forgot to pick it up when we were getting in the car to go on holiday. When we realised we spent ages wandering round a small town looking for a shop selling sticks. Asked someone who said try the Barbers. Feeling a bit silly went to the Barbers where he had hundreds of different sticks all handmaid. He would go foraging in the local wood & pick any fallen branches he thought wood make a good stick. A good sideline for him. I bought one & it does not look like a fussy old persons stick. It is now almost 30 years old & still going strong! Best stick Ever!!

I've used a stick from the age of 38 I now also use a rollator I walk further and for longer using my aids than Id ever do without them I think your exercise lady is talking nonsense

I have an arthritic hip which sometimes 'seizes up' when I'm sitting down, making it very difficult to stand up and leave! I find the walking stick saves me a lot of pain and gives me extra mobility. It's horses for courses, I suppose - an adjustable stick costs about £10.00, and a GP can tell you how long to make it and how to use it.

Recovering from a stroke ,I found using a walking stick gave me confidence to go for walks and helped with my recovery.There’s always a walking stick in the back of my car……you never know if you may need it.