Sticking with the classics

For some, a mobility aid not only provides freedom, but an extra chance to accessorise. Helen Beaumont studies psychology at the University of Glasgow, as well as participating in several student organisations, and uses a cane to mitigate an undiagnosed condition causing intermittent joint pain. She found time to answer some questions about alternative walking sticks.

What is your condition called? How long have you had it? How does it present?

Condition: I'm as-yet undiagnosed. Doctors aren't sure; I started getting shin pains when I was 18 or 19, and thought they were shin splints except that unlike that problem it was completely unrelated to whether or not I'd exercised, warmed up or anything else. Later the pains spread and migrate to mainly in the joints, especially my knees and hips. I can be fine for weeks then have a fall (or nothing happens at all) and that sets things off; I'm then in pain for anywhere from a day to a week. Standing for too long is especially difficult in this state.

Were you offered mobility aids by your healthcare providers? If so, what were they like?

I adopted the walking sticks by myself as I just needed to keep going and without a diagnosis the doctor couldn't do much. I first used a cane that used to belong to my father, and it is beautiful – very slender yet still strong, with little silvery end caps and cuff. It was very elegant and offered some support, but I later purchased a folding black walking stick from Boots as it had a larger handle and rubber ferrule, being properly designed for support. I replaced it with another Boots one today as it was getting a big rattly and rickety – the little adjustment button had also broken and I'd been keeping it in place with a bit of metal from a hair tie. It cost me £12.99 (if I recall correctly) and the new one has had a few design improvements, like a better ferrule, rubber cushioning at the joins and a rigid loop to keep the stick neat when folded instead of a bag.

Do you just have the one stick, or a collection?

I have a few other sticks – along with the original cane I have four wooden walking sticks which I found together in Shelter, likely donated from an older person. Fortunately they were all the right length for me and one of them had a cane-like appearance and nice varnish to it (though was thicker than the first cane) – I love these sticks and have been slowly refitting them where the end caps have fallen off and the ferrules need replacing, and I keep these for any occasion when I want to feel a little bit fancier – events, Steampunk stuff, that sort of thing. They're much prettier that the folding aluminium jobs! The only difficulty is finding the right size and shapes of ferrule, as I'm buying them online and have to get the measurements pretty exact unless I feel like shaving the foot of the cane down. At some point I'd very much like to try carving or burning designs into the plainest ones. In addition I have had two brass-headed wooden sticks, both of which have test tubes concealed in the handles (great for money/spare painkillers/a tipple if your feel like one). They screw apart in three pieces for storage and travel. First one had a lovely Celtic-styled horse head for the handle and dark varnish, I used that one until the wood split in one of the sections. The replacement has a traditional brass duck's head and lighter varnish, which I'm hoping to fix as I'm not terribly keen on the Ikea Pine look. Both bought online for about £15, cheers eBay! I also have a red tartan pattern folding stick that I have a spare - it's not got as good a handle as the Boots one but it's good enough. I bought it during Glasgow Pride a few years ago when my legs started to go after the parade, and it's seen a fair bit of use. For a fiver it's held up rather well, and it has a certain charm to it that the plain stick does not.

Suggestions for people looking for similar mobility aids?

I'd definitely recommend having a little look online if one doesn't live near a country outdoors hunting-shooting-fishing sort of shop which tend to be the traditional holders of fancier walking sticks. eBay often turn out to be a treasure trove of unusual canes from antiques to replicas. Bid late to stop the prices going crazy and keep an eye on shipping costs as those are often a little higher due to the size of the parcel if it's a solid single-piece stick.

Do they have any advantages/disadvantages in use compared to standard ones?

Also pay particular attention to the length of wooden sticks as they aren't adjustable – you may not want to saw one down and it's even less fixable if you buy a too-short stick! The wooden brass-headed sticks are lovely but unusual handle shapes can be less comfortable particularly for those with larger hands. Also wooden sticks often come with brass ferrules which, again, are attractive but not grippy. Everyone will be able to hear you approaching though! Solid walking sticks are a good bit stronger and more customisable than hollow aluminium ones and are much more attractive.

One other thing I've thought of (as I hobbled to work today) – the fancier the walking stick, the more likely people are to assume it's an affectation or accessory rather than a genuine mobility aid and try to take it off you for larks. I've heard this from a few acquaintances as well, seems to be a slightly too common experience for stick users.

Sticking with the classics

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