Canes Can be Stylish Walking Sticks
I am a competitive athlete, and the idea of using a walking cane makes my hair stand on end. But doctors promise that a cane, used on the opposite side of an arthritic hip, actually supports 50 percent of body weight. It also decreases joint pain.
They’re probably right … but I still hate it. I finally started using a hiking stick instead, but every time my husband kindly asks me, “Did you remember your cane, er, stick?” I bristle.
Perhaps I would be less touchy if canes were more, well, attractive. The walking stick is somewhat tolerable because it reminds me of hiking in the mountains. But the looks of traditional canes bring to mind nursing homes. At 53, I am really not ready for that.
And I am not alone in my thinking. Many of my clients balk at using canes, and my 95-year-old friend Susan always forgot or misplaced her “stick.” She also favored a practically invisible clear Lucite version, impossible for her weakened eyes to find.
Thank goodness the like-minded Peggy Chisholm has come to the rescue. She has created a catalog and Internet business called Raising Cane. Along with 10 stylish collections from around the world, she offers useful tips. For example, she advises that the commonly used candy-cane style may be difficult for many to grasp. She also reminds users to buy a weight-bearing cane, use a rubber tip and be sure to size the cane. On the Web site she explains how to fit a cane and offers assurances that her canes support up to 240 pounds.
Chisholm’s offerings include a variety of hand-grip styles and cane shapes, as well as regular and extra-length sizes. Her collections include:
- Showstoppers ($50-$600): The silver-collared Austrian crystal cane and the Stepping Out walking stick are gorgeous.
- Black and whites ($50-$65): Black canes with a wide variety of white handles. Some handles are carved to resemble a horse, duck, lion and elephant. There is also a “Fleur De Lovely” style.
- Good woods ($45-$140): These include a compass on a round handle and the Irish Blackthorn walking stick.
- Hidden treasures ($45-$150): “For those who want more than just a cane.” One cane holds individual flasks; another functions as a pool cue.
And for the creative, Chisholm offers a cane painting kit.
My 16-year-old son has just walked in the room and peered over my shoulder as I write. Surprisingly, he knows this Web site well. He quips, “Mom, canes are really cool!”
OK, I have to admit, I am tempted. Perhaps as Chisholm says, “Canes can be a fashion statement.”
To shop for your new cane, contact Raising Cane at (888) 854-3452; their website www.getacane.com; or email at peggymsp@prodigy.net.