[Blindtlk] Cane Gripping

Thu Jun 18 20:39:29 UTC 2015

Hi All,
  Thanks for all of the wonderful suggestions! I just went for  a quick walk as it feels like it might storm soon and just tried out the methods David and Alyssa suggested and found that both worked much better on my finger:)! I also found that the method David suggested seemed to cause the cane to produce a little less wrist strain for me.
Thanks again to all!
Chris

Dr. Christine M. Szostak
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Department of Social Sciences
Shorter University
Rome, Georgia
szostak.1 at osu.edu
cszostak at shorter.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Hyde, David W. (ESC) via blindtlk
Sent: Thursday, June 18, 2015 3:47 PM
To: 'Blind Talk Mailing List'
Cc: Hyde, David W. (ESC)
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Cane Gripping

Once you are done with your instructor, or maybe before then if you are comfortable with trying new things (some instructors aren't as receptive to the students as are others) try different lengths of canes. I stand about five four. My cane is 59 inches. It fits my speed. At the extreme end of things. I have a friend who stands four feet ten. Her cane is sixty-seven inches long. For me, that's too long. It works for her, since she's been using it for at least fifteen years. 
Travel instructors sometimes remind of the story of the chick and the pig discussing breakfast. The chicken points out that she gives eggs, and they can be fried, boiled poached and scrambled. So she makes a huge contribution.
To which the pig replies "I contribute, ham, bacon, sausage and pork chops. You see for you it's involvement, to me it's a total commitment."

-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Szostak, Christine via blindtlk
Sent: Thursday, June 18, 2015 2:42 PM
To: Blind Talk Mailing List
Cc: Szostak, Christine
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Cane Gripping

Hi,
  Interesting, I always just assumed that position was for guidance or some such thing:). I will have to give that a try. Thanks for the idea!

  I just switched to a cane that is about 4 inches shorter than I am since I am too fast of a walker for one that is 8 inches shorter than my full height:) according to my O&M instructor so hopefully that will work quite well for me.
Chris

Dr. Christine M. Szostak
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Department of Social Sciences
Shorter University
Rome, Georgia
szostak.1 at osu.edu
cszostak at shorter.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Hyde, David W. (ESC) via blindtlk
Sent: Thursday, June 18, 2015 3:37 PM
To: 'Blind Talk Mailing List'
Cc: Hyde, David W. (ESC)
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Cane Gripping

Hi there. I know when I learned I had to keep that index finger extended. I really don't remember why, but I'm sure that it had something to do with control. When I went to a longer cane, I found that uncomfortable, so I simply rest the butt end of the cane in my hand, and hold on to it loosely. For me, this has had several benefits. First, because the cane is long, in don't worry about centering my hand on my body. After a few years, I felt like Quasi Moto. The cane is long enough to give full coverage. Secondly, if someone kicks it, or trips over it, and no matter how careful you are and how good of a pencil grip you have, they will, the cane leaves my hand. It absorbs the shock rather than me. 
The only absolute thing about cane travel is that it should hit things before you do. 

-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Szostak, Christine via blindtlk
Sent: Thursday, June 18, 2015 2:29 PM
To: Blind Talk Mailing List
Cc: Szostak, Christine
Subject: [Blindtlk] Cane Gripping

Hi All,
  I have kind of a silly question but just thought someone might have some suggestions.

  I have noticed that now that I am starting to use my cane a lot more, I am getting a  blister on my middle finger where it rubs up against the cane handle. In other words, with my index finger pointed out, my middle finger falls against the cane and as it moves back and forth  the fabric on the grip is rubbing up against my finger and is causing it to blister over time.

  Does anyone have any solutions such as a slightly alternative hand grip... to help keep this from happening? Any ideas or suggestions would be much appreciated:)!
Thanks in advance and have a wonderful (hopefully not too hot) day!
Chris

Dr. Christine M. Szostak
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Department of Social Sciences
Shorter University
Rome, Georgia
szostak.1 at osu.edu<mailto:szostak.1 at osu.edu>
cszostak at shorter.edu

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