The length of the cane is mainly determined by the height of the person who will use it but may vary depending on the use, terrain or type of activity.
Initial length measurement
We can start with a first measurement as a basis to get a very rough idea of the cane length we will need. This measurement is based on the height of the person who will be using the cane.
Multiply your height by 0.67 and since the canes are manufactured in 5cm sections, round the result to the nearest measure to a multiple of 5.
For example, for a person measuring 181cm:
181×0.67=121.27 which is rounded to 120 which is the closest cane measure and the one you would initially need.
From here different variants come into play that may make it necessary to choose a cane of one size more or one size less.
Conditions for adjusting the length
The first and main condition to adjust the height is that on flat ground and with the cane resting on the ground, the arms must form a right angle of 90º. This achieves greater efficiency in movements for a low-medium use of the cane, such as walks and occasional walks.
Use of the cane
If you are going to perform more demanding activities or give it a more sporty use, you can move to a cane of greater length since this way the angle of the arms is reduced and driving force is gained.
slope
In ascents it is recommended to reduce the length of the rods according to the slope slope to keep the body in a straight position while in descents it is better to increase them. And if you walk flanking a hillside you can increase the length of the cane that rests on the lower part of the hillside and decrease the length of the one that rests above.
Type of terrain
For soft soils it may be preferable to choose a cane of a higher size since during the supports these will sink. Soft terrain can be powder snow or very muddy terrain.
A cane for each person
There are sticks of both fixed length and adjustable. If you have not yet tried walking with canes and do not know what is the exact height that best suits your needs, it would be more advisable to start with adjustable or telescopic canes to try different heights until you find the one that best suits you. And when you know the length with which you are most comfortable, you can move to a few canes of fixed height if you prefer.
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