To measure walking sticks to your height, follow these steps:
- Stand up straight wearing your normal walking shoes.
- Relax your arms by your sides and let them hang naturally.
- Ask someone to measure the distance from the ground to the crease in your wrist (where your hand meets your forearm) while your arms are hanging loosely.
- This measurement is the ideal height for your walking sticks.
Another way to measure the ideal height of your walking sticks when you don’t have a second person to assist you is:
- Convert your height measurement into inches. For instance, if you are 5’ 8” in your shoes, your height is 68 inches.
- Next, divide your height in inches by two, and then add half an inch to get an approximate length for your walking cane. Using the above example, 68 divided in half = 34 inches ( round up to the nearest half inch). Therefore, your approximate cane height would be 34” plus ½”= 34.5 inches.
- This method is usually accurate within one inch of your proper length.
You can use the chart below to estimate the cane length for your height. Please note, this is the least accurate way to measure, only use if the previous ways don’t work for you.
Keep in mind that these are general guidelines, and your personal preference and comfort should also be taken into consideration when selecting the height of your walking sticks.
DISCLAIMER: THIS INFORMATION IN NO WAY REPLACES A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL’S RECOMMENDATION. CANES ARE NOT INTENDED TO BE USED LIKE A CRUTCH FOR FULL WEIGHT SUPPORT, CANES ARE INTENDED ONLY FOR BALANCE.