Anyone need a little steadying while walking?

[ancient-one]

Up until about two years ago I had no problem, then my neuropathy got steadily worse as did my balance. On good days I don't need much assistance but they are getting less frequent. A cane is OK but I have something better and much more steady.
My wife had a stroke in 1996 but thankfully did not lose her ability to walk. She did lose her peripheral vision which resulted in falls especially when turning around. We first bought a four wheeled walker with the seat and basket. It took a lot of turning space and was heavy to fold up and put in the car. They work good for someone who needs them to support their weight, not just help them keep their balance. I saw a lady with a three wheeled walker(you see very few, for what reason I do not know) so I got on the internet and ordered one. They are called the Minnie Winnie and are available from eighty bucks up. It solved my wives problem. She never fell while using it.
I was smart enough(why I do not know} to keep both walkers when she passed away. I never use the four wheeler but the three wheeler is my companion. It has locking hand brakes, little assembly required, is easy to turn, is small,folds easy, has a removable cloth basket, will go in small spaces and through narrow doors. It also loads into the car with no problem. It could be turned over but you would have to work hard to do it.
If anyone of you or a family member needs one for balance while walking or standing, they are really worth the money. I got really good use of mine while standing in line to vote.
No, I don't work for Drive Medical. Just passing on some good info. Oh, I still go to the range. If I get tired standing I sit down and shoot. I have a really good grandson. He keeps my magazines loaded and my guns cleaned. He gets his turn at the range also.

 

[6518John]

I am so glad the three wheeled walker worked so well for both your wife and now you. Falls are no laughing matter and can happen to any of us, no matter our ages. I fell in my 20's while out jogging and was a 5 mile a day runner in excellent shape. A live-oak tree root had pushed up a side walk and the concrete caugh the toe of my running shoe and I was down in an instant and severely broke my wrist. Still hurts thinking about it today.

I am glad you are doing well.

 

[Firesticks]

I make walking sticks. Have sold a couple of the diamond willow ones. Mostly give them as gifts. I have been using one for awhile now. Left hip is worn to the point the left leg doesn't always do what I tell it to do and so to avoid anymore falls I often have one in hand. Always at night walking the dog! My favorite is made of black locust I was going to make a self bow from but can no longer bowhunt. Has an elk antler burr on top from a shed I found years ago bowhunting for elk. Black locust is some HARD tough stuff. Hope I don't get so bad as to need a wheeled walker but yah never know.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

After 3 knee surgeries I have mostly good days, but a few bad days. On a good day I can walk and be on my feet for a couple of hours at a time, with only moderate difficulties on stairs. On a bad day I have difficulty making it from the car to the supermarket, much less pushing a shopping cart through all the aisles to complete my shopping list. Some days everything seems to be going just fine, then I will shift my weight or step off a curb, and it is time to feel the pain again. I keep a cane in my truck all the time, just in case.

 

[KalamazooKid]

Good for you AO! Stay active is great advice!

 

[GKC]

I went through months of agonizing back pain after a fall...including extreme muscle spasms if I moved too quickly (which, at 67, is rather relative) or twisted rather than turning my whole body. The VA ordered me a 4 wheel walker, complete with brakes and a seat, but it's so big and cumbersome I can't get it in or out of the car. I use a cane regularly for balance.

My back is finally getting a bit better, but I'm still very unsteady on my feet. I'll continue using my cane rather than risk taking another fall...even a crack in the sidewalk trips me up!

 

[Nevada Ed]

A lot of younger people take walking and bending over as nothing special.

When you get old or need surgery to fix a problem, you learn that
the human body does have limits, when not in top shape.

We all try to learn how to get it back and use new ways and methods to he our sox on
or take a shower without having to stand up, if a major surgery
or body failure getting repaired and healed.

Many of us are going through this or if lucky, have healed enough
to where they have gone from a bed, to a wheelchair, to a walker, to a cane to even getting back to 90% of where we were.

Keep up the good work and Exercise............... if possible.
Even if just a walk around the block.

 

[mr-mom]

I feel your pain and concerns. I've been dealing with neuropathy in my legs and feet since a bout with cancer damaged some of the nerves in my lower back ten years ago. The main problem for me over the past ten years has been decreasing ability to balance correctly. I've been able to walk without aid until this past spring. The balance issue has been aggravated by a loss of strength in my legs, so I now use a cane for assistance whenever I need to walk long distances or over rough terrain. Physical therapy has not helped much and I can envision the day when I may need some type of walker. Thanks for the tip. I'm going to look into it. I hope you can continue to motivate as needed.
Dave
SWCA #2778

 

[Texas Star]

I know more than I wish about this. I have peripheral neuropathy, and use a cane. The VA got me a walker, but I don't need it yet, thank God. It's too awkward to get around on.

One hassle is not being able to use escalators or stairs well, and having to find a ramp to get up, to avoid stairs.

If it makes anyone here feel better, I saw Bill Ruger in his later years using sticks (one in each hand), at the SHOT show. If that can happen to a man of his stature, it can hit us mere mortals, too.

One of my oldest friends, a writer whose byline many of you would know, had a bad fall in January, and was in a wheelchair, and is now in a walker. I'm trying to encourage him. A walker beats a chair. A nurse warned me that if you get settled in a wheelchair, you'll never get out of one.

That said, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is in a chair, and is one of the best governors we've had, a worthy successor to Rick Perry. Under their lead, we now can carry in cars without a license and can carry about any knife. Used to be, it had to have a max. blade length of 5.5 inches.

Elmer Keith once told me, "Jim, it's hell to get old." He was right, I've found. But I suppose that aging beats the alternative...

 

[italiansport]

I use an AB roller every day and I have for quite some time. Doing so has virtually eliminated back problems and improved my ability to stand and walk as well. I'd highly recommend this since it's low impact and you can start out slow with only a few reps and build up!
Jim

 

[rettxpo]

I had back surgery

I noticed that my walking (gait) was becoming very erratic and my balance was becoming very unsteady. I even sold my Harley last year due to my balance problem. I had begun using a cane and walker to get around. My doctor even suggested I obtain a handicap placard for my truck.

Late last year I was diagnosed with a rare spinal disorder that was relegated mainly to people of Japanese descent (my mother is full Japanese). The first neurosurgeon I went to gave me a 10% chance of becoming a paraplegic after the surgery, He even stated he had never seen my condition before. He had read about it in medical journals but had never encountered someone with my condition, I went for a second opinion at Houston Methodist Hospital and met with a neurosurgeon who specialized in back surgery (my wife found him for me). I was fortunate enough to have surgery in late May to relieve the pressure from my spinal cord and was released from the hospital 2 days later. The doctor said that everything that could go right went right anf my recovery was amazing.

I'm currently going through physical therapy (PT) and have regained my balance though my gait isn't nearly as bad as it was.

I've ditched the cane and walker and can walk again without the fear of falling. No more cane for me (at least for a few more years).

 

[Frank46]

My main concern was either taking a shower and falling or bath where I could not get out of the tub without assistance. 70+ years old. We searched for one of those walkin tubs/showerstalls. Found one we liked and the whole installation took a day and a half. That included breaking up and humping out of the house the old cast iron tub. Bubble jets on your legs as well as a double stream of water on your back. My wife says it was the best money we ever spent. Haven't had any problems with anything. Frank

 

[Fishslayer]

My second round of chemo + neulasta left me with peripheral neuropathy. Been tempted to look at the walkers with a built in seat. I can generally walk around okay but man, standing still can get painful. "Sitting" in a line would be much more pleasant.

 

[OLDSTER]

Great to hear your doing OK and can still enjoy some shooting ( a caring grandson to boot). At our age ( 71 here), things start to go wrong. My lower back has given me fits for years and gets worse with each passing year, so I too have to modify my hand gun shooting at the range; I cannot stand for very long, so I either sit at, or lean against the bench. Good luck sir.

 

[CajunBass]

Thanks for the heads up. I don't need a walker (yet) but my wife does. She has a couple, but hates to use them because they're hard to take into places like bathrooms and such. As a result, she manages with a cane, and holding onto me. I think I'll show her one of these, and see what she thinks.

 

[pj35745]

Emphysema and 3 ancient compression fractures came to life and almost killed me. Woke up at home after 4 days in the horsepistol.
Daughter got me the heavy 4 wheeler with the seat. Worked well getting out of the house and helped get my legs back.
Pain in the *** to fold up and load into the car. Way heavy for my limited strength and lungs.
Went to a thrift store and picked up an aluminum 2 wheels in front and 2 skids on the rear for $10!
The outriggers fold in onto the frame and loads up pronto, either behind the drivers seat or in the back/trunk.
If I burn the skids out, I can go get another one for another $10!

 

[crazyphil]

I make walking sticks. Have sold a couple of the diamond willow ones. Mostly give them as gifts. I have been using one for awhile now. Left hip is worn to the point the left leg doesn't always do what I tell it to do and so to avoid anymore falls I often have one in hand. Always at night walking the dog! My favorite is made of black locust I was going to make a self bow from but can no longer bowhunt. Has an elk antler burr on top from a shed I found years ago bowhunting for elk. Black locust is some HARD tough stuff. Hope I don't get so bad as to need a wheeled walker but yah never know.

Is there any rule of thumb about how long my walking stick
should be? Does it have anything to do with my height?
I'm 6'3" (Or I was once. Probably shrunk a bit)

 

[Targets Guy]

So far so good. But thanks for the info. I take good notes.

 

[Dave.357]

Old age sucks but I do not miss
working midnight shift.walk slower
and be careful.

 

[Robert L Wells]

Is there any rule of thumb about how long my walking stick
should be? Does it have anything to do with my height?
I'm 6'3" (Or I was once. Probably shrunk a bit)

I don't know the rule, but get an adjustable cane (they're not expensive) and find the right height for you. Then measure it from the handle to the floor. You'll be able to select other canes based on that. I'm 6'-0" and mine is 35".

 

[straightshooter1]

Sounds like most of you have figured out how to cope with what you've been given.

I haven't, yet. I find I can get a bit dizzy-only for a second or two, if I make a (for me) sharp turn.

And, if I bend over, I need to ensure there's a wall or some sort of support before starting my upwards launch (or lurch). Sometimes that lurch makes me grab something to make sure I don't keep going and fall backwards. So far, so good.

But, so far, I don't think I need a walker or cane. A little more deterioration, and I probably will change my mind.

 

[Robert L Wells]

To the original poster: Thanks for sharing about the trike. It looks good, and is available at lots of places online including Walmart.

I have two "stacked" problems: peripheral neuropathy and two impinged nerves in my back (L3 & L4). I had to give up riding motorcycles in 2011 and my manual shift car in 2012. Along with other problems (heart disease and ulcers) it became a grim decent into what looked like a debilitated old age.

But I refused to take delivery. The hospitalizations and rehabilitation cost me money despite Medicare and Blue Cross insurance, but I paid up. I now have home care. I have a four wheeled walker with a seat (and a quad cane). I can drive, and I can load the walker into the back seat of the car without trouble. I can lurch, not walk, and I need the walker for balance. It also acts like a mini-truck that lets me tote things.

Fortunately, I retired in 2008 at age 59; so I've had the pleasure of plenty of freedom before the reality of my misspent youth came crashing in. No regrets ... not a second. 2014 and 2016 were not good years, but I refused to surrender the joy that I always found in living. I made mistakes, including not quitting drinking, but I soldiered on.

2018 has been a great year (I quit drinking finally in 2017). I have self-published a book of poetry and essays that I have always wanted to complete. It is an honest meditation on life, the good and the bad, and what it means to overcome and rise above the strife. Just like what we're talking about here.

Am I "promoting" it here? Oh, you betcha! But it's a good thing. It's not meant to make me money. (It's cost me over $1000 to date, and the publisher will get most of the bucks from sales.) It's a gift from me to other people who want to overcome adversity. For example, I'll be donating copies to prisons. Search online for Enlightenment "Robert Lindsay Wells" -- the title followed by my full name in double quotes. It's everywhere online. Google books has the best "look inside."

Oh, I don't mention my gun collecting in the book ... or anything else that could be seen as politically charged. It's all about faith and spirituality -- the two truly strong forces in our lives.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

At 68 I seem to be one of the few healthy ones. I like a cane-preferably a crook top-when I walk, a walking stick for rougher terrain. Just feels good in the hand. And I have practiced some self defense techniques. They make a big difference on snowy and icy days.

 

[Robert L Wells]

Sounds like most of you have figured out how to cope with what you've been given.

I haven't, yet. I find I can get a bit dizzy-only for a second or two, if I make a (for me) sharp turn.

And, if I bend over, I need to ensure there's a wall or some sort of support before starting my upwards launch (or lurch). Sometimes that lurch makes me grab something to make sure I don't keep going and fall backwards. So far, so good.

But, so far, I don't think I need a walker or cane. A little more deterioration, and I probably will change my mind.

Get a diagnosis. Don't be guessing at what's going on! You can't stop the fall that you don't see coming. I've fallen multiple times here at the house, but always managed to crawl back to the couch. I never broke any bones, just a chair, some ornaments, and the toilet! The bathroom is now equipped. I don't take chances any more.

For quite a while I wouldn't go out and be seen with a walker, but I swallowed my vanity ... I'm old, I'm disabled (I get good parking spots) ... I am what I am, that's all what I am, as Popeye said. He was a wise man.

 

[kthom]

Is there any rule of thumb about how long my walking stick
should be? Does it have anything to do with my height?
I'm 6'3" (Or I was once. Probably shrunk a bit)

Phil,
To the best of my recollection, here is the best way to determine the correct OAL for your cane. Stand straight up, with your feet a few inches apart side by side. Let your arms hang straight down but relaxed. Have someone measure from the inside of your wrist/hand joint from the point where your wrist bends your hand inward to the floor/ground. This is done on a level spot, of course. That measurement would be the maximum OAL of your cane, from the highest point on the cane where the palm of your hand rests to bear your weight and including any rubber crutch/cane tip on the cane shaft. If your cane is too long or too short, it's a pain!

This will allow you to put enough weight on the cane to give good support while your arm is basically straight down without having to bend slightly down to make this happen. It will also be short enough to allow you to bear weight comfortably without having to do so with a bend in your elbow. Remember that you can always cut more off the cane length (especially wooden canes) but it's hard to add length back if you cut too short on the first cut!

I have used a cane off and on for several years, and I have found that they have much more value than just to give me support while walking or standing. A good sturdy cane is an excellent defensive tool, whether from two legged or four legged antagonists. It can be carried most anywhere without attracting suspicious attention. It can help to open or hold open a door. It can catch hold of items to move them closer to you if needed. About the only negative thing I've found is that one usually carries a cane in the strong hand, which is usually the same hand that might need to access a handgun carried on the strong side. There are two satisfactory work arounds for this. Learn to use your cane in your weak hand or learn to carry and deploy your EDC with your weak hand! I have found that if I am alert, I can switch my cane to my left hand if I have an inkling I might need my right hand for anything else in time for that not to be a problem.

I try to get out and walk often, and I have discouraged more than one aggressive dog with my cane. Normally just stopping in place and slightly raising the cane toward the dog and speaking clearly and firmly, "NO!" will stop the dog from advancing and convince it to move along, of course while keeping your eye on the dog! You never turn your back on an antagonist or predator until it is safe to do so. I'd much rather have my cane than any other weapon if I am required to be somewhere I cannot legally carry my EDC. A good sturdy cane is a comfort and it has far more utility beyond just giving support for walking or standing!

 

[Firesticks]

Is there any rule of thumb about how long my walking stick
should be? Does it have anything to do with my height?
I'm 6'3" (Or I was once. Probably shrunk a bit)

A walking stick should be at least just above the elbow and not more than mid bicep. This applies to where you place the grip. I like mine OAL to be mid bicep with a grip JUST below that. I also often top them with something so as to be used in self defense if needed. Antler burrs are excellent but have become expensive due to all the antler collectors out there. For a true walking/defense stick make sure it is a tough hardwood like Osage Orange or Black Locust etc.Pacific Yew is no longer legal to harvest.

 

[DocB]

I'm no expert, but once you hit 70 you definitely notice the difference. Put my foot in a hole way out back 3 months ago and went down. Concussion and all. Doctor said three months and likely much more to recover. I'm sitting here still feeling my right shoulder still in some pain. No cane yet, but 70 is really the birthday you notice.

 

[Frogwalking]

I have neuropathy which is slowly and inexorably getting worse. I don't know why, nor does my neurologist. We were exposed to Agent Orange in 1971, but I have also been exposed to many solvents and chemicals. I broke my back in a motorcycle wreck in 1985. (We won't mention the amount of beer and bourbon I drank in my younger days.) I had to sell my BMW R1150 RS 6 or 7 years ago. I had to stop two wheeled bicycles after a mountain bike wreck left me in the hospital for 4 days. I have an aluminum wheeled folding walker. I like the storage area under the seat as any kind of pistol will handily fit there. I ride a three wheeled recumbent to try to keep my legs from getting too weak. I guess getting old is a pia, but as far as we know it beats the alternatives. Oh, I shoot leaning afainst the tables at my local range.

 

[robvious]

I am odd man out... 51 years young with neuropathy from Radiation and Chemo... and it is not getting better... have had difficulty with balance along with it when turning and bending over... my grandfather's cane sits in the corner and I am doing what I can to keep it there as a decoration... but I know it might eventually be put to use... getting old is not for the weak

 

[shouldazagged]

After years of using a cane, I now use a four-wheeled walker with a seat. It makes a difference. I've only fallen once so far this calendar year. Last year it was six times. When I go into a hospital or for an MRI they just automatically put a "'fall risk" wrist band on me.

The walker I use is also helpful with my portable oxygen tanks. I can rest one on the seat while walking, and put it on the ground when i need to sit down. Used to carry the tank in a backpack, but I'm no longer able to do that.