Walking sticks and canes are great to use if you require assistance with your stability or mobility. Prior to purchasing a walking stick or cane, you should consult with your healthcare professional to determine which type of cane or walking stick is right for you, especially if you will be using it on a long term basis. It is essential that you use your cane or walking stick properly in order to make sure you get the full benefit. Your healthcare professional can give you specific advice, but here are a number of general tips and tricks for reference. 1. You should ensure you use the walking stick on the correct side! This is a common mistake that many people get wrong, as many people tend to hold the stick in their dominant hand, regardless of the type of injury they have or the type of support they need. As a general rule of thumb, if you need more support on your right side (i.e. if your right hand side is the weakest), then you should walk with the walking stick or cane in your right hand. If your left side is weaker, then you should hold the stick or cane in your left hand. 2. Always put your weight on your strongest leg. This allows the walking stick or cane to help support you, with the walking stick and weaker leg working in tandem. The only deviation from working in tandem would be if you are using the walking stick for balance. In this instance, you would just place it firmly on the ground in front of you at a comfortable distance from you before taking a step. Just be cautious not to place the stick too far out in front of you, as that could potentially cause slipping or further injury 3. When the ground is particularly slippery - e.g. if it has been raining or snowing, if there is ice on the ground or if you are walking on very smooth tiles, make sure that you are wearing shoes with a good amount of grip on them. 4. Change for ferrule regularly - the ferrule is the rubber or metal piece that protects the stick from getting worn away by repeated contact with the ground. If the ferrule is worn, then replace it! The new walking stick ferrules from FlexyFoot offer many superior benefits over traditional walking stick ferrules. To learn more about FlexyFoot, click on this link: FlexyFoot Walking Stick Ferrules