Over the centuries, from the first time someone fashioned a twig into a cane or pole, people have developed a wide variety of canes to aid with walking.

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, published by the American Foundation for the Blind, received the C. Warren Bledsoe Publication Award.

Dona Sauerburger explains:

Today, in addition to walking sticks and ski poles, two types of canes are commonly used:

Left: One type of support cane (credit: Wikipedia) Middle: One type of "probing" cane (credit: Wikipedia) Right: Using a support cane and a probing cane for outdoor travel (credit: Dona Sauerburger)

What I call the probing cane (more commonly called a “white cane” or a “long cane”) probes for and locates obstacles in your path of travel.

A Support Cane Should:

• Be strong enough to support your weight. This usually means that a support cane is not lightweight.
• Be short enough to rest your hand on top while you hold it close to your body.
• Have a tip that grips the floor and does not slide.

A Probing Cane Should:

• Be lightweight so that you can hold and move it in front of you without becoming tired. This usually means that a probing cane is not strong.
• Be long enough to reach ahead and warn you about obstacles and stairs.
• Have a tip that can slide easily along the ground.

A support cane and a probing cane are designed differently and serve very different purposes, so the choice of which cane to use will depend on your needs:

• If you need to know what is on the ground in front of you:
  • If you need a cane to help you know what is on the ground in front of you, it is recommended that you use a probing cane.
  • Please note: If you use a support cane to probe the ground ahead of you, it is usually not possible to reach far enough ahead without leaning forward. This is harmful for your posture and appearance and is also risky and dangerous, particularly when approaching descending stairs. If you miss your footing or lose your balance while you are leaning forward, you are likely to fall forward and tumble down the stairs.

• If you need a support cane AND need to know what is on the ground in front of you:
  • If you can’t see well enough to know what is on the ground in front of you and you need a cane for support, you will need two canes.
  • One cane will provide the support you need, and the other will probe ahead of you to scan for obstacles, stairs, and curbs.
  • It may seem awkward and difficult to use two canes, but, with effective orientation and mobility instruction, people of all ages have learned to use two canes correctly and safely.

• See Support Cane Used with Long "Probing" Cane for more information about using two canes for outdoor travel.

Cane tips

Left: Cane tips from AmbuTech are now available in a wide variety of styles and functions (credit: AmbuTech) Right Top: The Bundu Basher cane tip for wilderness travel (credit: Dona Sauerburger) Right Bottom: Rural travel with the Bundu Basher cane tip and a support cane (credit: Moira Higgerty)

For example, cane tips have been developed for travel in wilderness areas and farms, such as the “Bundu Basher.” For more information about the Bundu Basher cane tip, including photographs, explanations, and ordering information, see Bundu Basher.

Alternative mobility devices (AMDs)

Alternative mobility devices have been developed that provide full protection for people who are unable to use the cane reliably or move it correctly, either because of physical limitations (including difficulty or pain when moving the wrist), or cognitive disabilities. 

For more information, see Alternative Mobility Device.