How do I learn to use a cane?

Dona Sauerburger, M.A., COMS®, is a Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist, and provides itinerant orientation and mobility services to blind and visually impaired adults and teenagers in Maryland and suburban Washington, DC. She earned a Master's degree specializing in Orientation and Mobility (O&M) from Western Michigan University. She is also the recipient of the prestigious Lawrence Blaha Award for outstanding contributions to the field of Orientation and Mobility.

Her book, Independence Without Sight or Sound: Suggestions for Practitioners Working With Deaf-Blind Adults [3], published by the American Foundation for the Blind, received the C. Warren Bledsoe Publication Award.

Dona Sauerburger explains:

When used correctly, the cane searches the ground ahead of each step. It warns you of obstacles and drop-offs and informs you of what’s in front of you. The correct cane technique, which will provide maximum protection and information, is as follows:

• The cane is held with the hand centered in front of the body;
• The cane is moved with wrist/finger movement only, with the arm remaining still;
• The cane tip is moved in an arc that is about an inch wider than the person’s body;
• The cane is moved in rhythm with the feet, with the tip always being on the opposite side as the forward foot;
• The cane tip either slides along the ground ("constant-contact technique"), or touches the ground at each end of the arc and remains no more than an inch above the ground ("touch technique").

Although the correct cane technique can easily be demonstrated to you by anyone familiar with the technique, it will not provide you with effective protection until you’ve reached the third or fourth stage of learning. This can be achieved with sufficient training from a Certified Orientation and Mobility (O&M) Specialist.

The stages of learning to use a cane are:

Stage 1 – Beginning to learn: In this stage, you are just beginning to understand how to move and use the cane, and you will need prompting from your O&M instructor to maintain the recommended technique.

Stage 2 – Concentration required: In this stage, you can move the cane correctly but only when concentrating on your technique. If you are distracted with anything, such as a question, another task, or being lost in thought, your cane technique will deteriorate and not provide full coverage and safety.

Stage 3 – The cane moves correctly without concentration: In this stage, the cane has become a natural part of you and you can move it correctly even when you are distracted. At this stage, the cane will provide you with protection and information in most circumstances.

Nevertheless, you can still trip or fall because you may continue to move forward after your cane drops down over a step or curb or makes contact with an obstacle you didn’t expect. This is more likely to occur if you have low vision.

Stage 4 – The cane reliably provides information and protection: In this stage, you have reached proficiency. You always move the cane correctly, and always notice when the cane drops over an edge or contacts an obstacle, even when

• you weren’t expecting it,
• you were distracted,
• or the ground looks flat and clear.

At this stage of orientation and mobility learning, the cane provides you with reliable protection in all situations!