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Long canes

 

Safety

A long cane helps the user to detect obstacles and hazards, drop-offs, ground level changes and stairs in the path of travel.

Information

A long cane provides information from the environment that assists orientation, such as tactual feedback. For example, the cane user can detect changes in surface textures between grass and concrete to follow a footpath.

Confidence

Many cane users experience an increase in confidence because they hesitate less about the safety of the next step.

Posture

A long cane improves the user's posture, because they don't need to feel the ground with their feet while travelling or walk with the head down to check the surface directly at their feet.

Identification

As most canes are coloured white with a red tip, they indicate to drivers and other pedestrians that the cane user may be unable to see objects or other people.

What are the long cane techniques?

As there are various cane techniques, our instructors help people with vision impairment to learn the right techniques based on their individual needs, ability and living environment. The duration of training will vary depending on these factors, and training takes place in the person's own living environment.

The most commonly used techniques are:

• Diagonal technique: The cane is held in front, and slightly diagonally across the body. The tip is in contact with the ground or just above. This technique can be used in familiar controlled environments, or by those with low vision.
  
• Touch technique: The cane tip is arced from side to side. When the left foot steps forward the cane sweeps to the right, and when the right foot steps forward the cane sweeps to the left. This technique allows safe travel in all environments by clearing the area for each step before it's taken.
  
• Constant contact technique: The cane is held in front and sweeps from side to side. The tip remains in contact with the ground. This technique is a variation of the touch technique, and allows for earlier detection of drop-offs and changes in the footpath.
  
• Shoreline technique: The cane is used to follow a line such as a wall, a fence or the edge of a footpath.
  

On the Stairs

A long cane allows people to locate and safely ascend and descend stairs. After making contact with the stairs, the person uses the cane to check the step width and height, and then proceeds with the cane always one step ahead of the footstep.

Using Public Transport

At train stations, the platform edge is located using the constant contact technique. When entering the train, the cane user listens for the opening door and people entering and exiting the carriage. They then use the shoreline technique along the train to locate the doorway.

When exiting the train, the person uses the cane to determine the gap width and height between the carriage and platform.

What are the different cane tips?

Different tips are used, depending on the preference of the cane user. The rural tip is usually preferred over the pencil tip because it has more ground surface contact, so it's easier to detect textures and doesn't get caught easily on uneven surfaces. The roller tip is popular with clients who prefer to use the constant contact technique, and the jumbo roller tip is particularly popular with bushwalkers.