[Durgical](https://durgical.com/en/) › [DurgiPedia](https://durgical.com/en/durgipedia/) › [Nursing](https://durgical.com/en/nursing/) › [Mobility and comfort](https://durgical.com/en/nursing/areas/mobility/) › Walking aids: canes, crutches and walkers # Walking aids: canes, crutches and walkers - Procedure A well-fitted, well-used cane, crutch or walker gives support and prevents falls; a badly fitted one causes them. Updated Nov 5, 2026 ## Key points - Cane: in the hand on the strong side (opposite the weak leg); it moves forward together with the weak leg. - Cane and walker height: handle at wrist or hip level, with the elbow slightly bent. - Crutches: about two fingers between the armpit and the crutch; weight on the hands, not the armpits. - Stairs: go up with the good leg and down with the bad leg (and the aid). - Non-slip footwear, and a helper on the weak side, slightly behind, with a hand on the gait belt. ## What it is Walking aids widen the base of support and take weight off a weak or injured leg. A physiotherapist usually decides which one to use; nursing checks the fit, teaches and supervises its use, and walks with the patient using a gait belt when needed. The cane goes in the hand on the strong side; the walker is moved forward first and then the weak leg steps; with crutches the weight goes on the hands, never on the armpits. On stairs the rule is "up with the good, down with the bad". ## Indications - Weakness, pain or injury of one leg, or an ordered weight-bearing restriction. - Balance problems or fall risk. - Rehabilitation after hip or knee surgery, or after immobility. ## Contraindications and precautions - Use the aid prescribed by physiotherapy or the doctor, with the weight-bearing restrictions in the order. - Dizziness, chest pain, breathlessness or orthostatic hypotension: do not start walking and report. - Stairs only after training with physiotherapy. - Wet floors, loose rugs, cords and clutter raise the fall risk: remove them. - With a walker, do not pull on or tilt it to stand up: push up from the chair or the bed. ## Equipment - Cane (single-point or wide-based) with a rubber tip in good condition. - Underarm or forearm crutches with non-slip tips and tight screws. - Standard, two-wheeled or four-wheeled walker, as prescribed. - Gait belt, non-slip footwear and a chair nearby for rest. ## Step by step (and why) - Check the order: type of aid, weight-bearing allowed and distance — using something other than prescribed raises the risk. - Take vital signs if there is a risk of hypotension and sit the patient on the edge of the bed — prevents falls from dizziness. - Check the equipment (tips, brakes, screws) and the non-slip footwear — a worn tip slips. - Set the height: handle at wrist or hip, elbow slightly bent; crutches two fingers below the armpit — so the weight goes to the hands. - Help the patient stand by pushing up from the bed or chair, not the aid — the walker or cane can tip over. - Cane: in the hand on the strong side, move cane and weak leg, then the strong leg — widens the base of support on the weak side. - Walker: move it forward, all four legs or wheels down, step with the weak leg, then the strong one — support comes before weight. - Walk on the weak side, slightly behind, with a hand on the gait belt — lets you steady the patient or guide a fall. - Record the aid, distance, tolerance and what was taught — measures progress and shows the teaching given. ## Complications - Falls from poor fit, worn tips or slippery floors. - Arm nerve injury from leaning on the armpits with crutches (tingling, numbness). - Shoulder, wrist or hand pain from misuse. - Orthostatic hypotension or fatigue while walking. ## Next step: when to call for help - If the patient starts to fall, guide them to the floor protecting the head, do not move them and report at once. - Report tingling or numbness in the arms or hands when using crutches. - Report if the patient cannot use the aid safely after practice: they may need another aid or more physiotherapy. - Report dizziness, chest pain, breathlessness or new leg pain while walking. ## Test yourself Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it. ## In which hand is the cane held? In the hand on the strong side, that is, opposite the weak leg. The cane moves forward together with the weak leg. ## Where should the weight go when walking with underarm crutches? On the hands, on the handgrips. There should be about two fingers of space below the armpit: leaning on the armpit can injure the arm nerves. ## What rule is used to go up and down stairs with a cane or crutches? "Up with the good, down with the bad": go up first with the healthy leg, and go down first with the aid and the affected leg. ## On which side does the nurse walk when helping a patient walk? On the weak side, slightly behind the patient, with one hand on the gait belt. [Add to my cards (4)](https://durgical.app/estudiar/?add=/en/nursing/walking-aids-canes-crutches-and-walkers/) ## Connections ## Related 1 - [Preventing falls: risk assessment and measures](https://durgical.com/en/nursing/preventing-falls-risk-assessment-and-measures/) [← All of nursing](https://durgical.com/en/nursing/) Educational content for students; it does not replace your institution's protocols, supervised clinical training or a prescriber's order. Dose-calculation examples use made-up numbers: they are educational, not a clinical order. Sources: [Nursing Assistant, 8.5: Assisting With Ambulation](https://med.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Nursing/Nursing_Assistant_(Reuter)/08%3A_Utilize_Principles_of_Mobility_to_Assist_Clients/8.05%3A_Assisting_With_Ambulation) (Chippewa Valley Technical College, Open RN remix (LibreTexts), 2022); [Using a cane](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000343.htm) (MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2025); [Using a walker](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000342.htm) (MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2025); [Crutches and children: proper fit and safety tips](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000640.htm) (MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2024). ## **Spotted a mistake?** We are always improving for the community. Tell us what is wrong and our team will review it. Report a mistake Representative model, for educational purposes only. --- Source: https://durgical.com/en/nursing/walking-aids-canes-crutches-and-walkers/ License: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Cite as: DurgiPedia (durgical.com), https://durgical.com/en/nursing/walking-aids-canes-crutches-and-walkers/