I really screwed up my ankle yesterday after stepping in a pothole. I don’t need crutches, but I imagine a cane would be useful for a few days until I can put all my weight on it again. Problem is, I have no idea where to get one. Are there cane stores?
Man, I feel old.
A medical supply store would definitely have canes. CVS or the like might also.
Try going to your local chain pharmacy such as Osco, Walgreens or CVS; they tend to carry a few canes. If not there, some of the area Wal-Marts and Targets have one or two to sell.
Any medical supply store will have them.
http://www.medicalsupplygroup.com/CEXA728OO/product.aspx
Heres one online.
I got mine at Walgreen’s. Remember to keep your wrist close to your hip on the injured side, and press the end of the cane against your arch. That way your wrist won’t bear all the weight unsupported.
Any drugstore will have them. Cheapest: round hook top, wooden body, saw off the end to adjust length. More bucks: more comfortable flat top, plastic body, adjustable length for multiple users. More bucks still: collapsible plastic body conveniently folds can down to about 1 foot long. Choose yer poison. I recommend the collapsible one, it’s way more convenient. Even if you won’t be using it long, you never know when you might need it again.
I hear you on the age thing. Although I’m in pretty good shape I realized I should have a cane around in case of a gout attack or a back problem. I spent a few hours online figuring things out. Never felt so old in my life. Next purchase: one of those curly horns you see in old cartoons that are meant to indicate the hard of hearing.
Or, you can get a real cool one, with a silver head, nice wood, and some class, and flaunt it.
Oddly, most Pipe shops carry these, as well as some antique stores.
When my mom temporarily needed a cane after her hip replacement surgery, I got her a hiking pole instead: one of those adjustable-length ones with a removable rubber cap on the foot so it can be used either on trails or on sidewalks. It’s multipurpose: after she recovered from the surgery and stopped needing it as a cane for getting around in everyday circumstances, she can still use it when she goes hiking. They’re available at outdoor/camping equipment stores.
That’s a good idea!
What, no hidden sword?
I rescue canes, and paint them, then I sell them at craft fairs, or donate them when they don’t sell.
I have one that I didn’t paint since it’s beautiful without. It’s a dragon. I discovered it has a sword inside. It isn’t sharp, however. That one I’m keeping.
'bout 4 years ago I had an accident on my bike, went headfirst over the handlebars, fractured my thumb and bruised my hip. My local hospital loaned me a walking stick for free.
Illegal in CA. 
Medcial supply stores and gent’s stores. I’ve seen stores that sold both humidifiers and silver-headed canes. These aren’t necessarily more expensive.
Don’t feel too badly - when I was 28, I shattered my left tibia and fibula, resulting in years of surgery and rehab. Imagine my thrill upon graduating from crutches to a cane - I came home from Walgreens after physical therapy one day with my shiny-new blue aluminum cane, and was immediately telemarketed by a local cemetery, who thought I might be interested in “pre-need planning.” Sheesh, I wasn’t quite ready to die yet!
I fell last year while on vacation in Arizona (stupid, stupid me… somehow somersaulted down a flight of stairs). Ankle/foot were fine, but I had severe bruising and sore muscles on my upper leg. We went to an REI the next day and bought a collapsible trek pole because we were going to go to the Grand Canyon and I’d need some help on that terrain. And now we have a nice trek pole for Scout trips.
As for its usefulness in dealing with a foot injury, it might or might not give enough support compared with a regular cane. Depends on how much weight you really need to take off the foot - I don’t think it would have worked quite as well when I had a sprained ankle years ago (similarly graceful incident involving an escalator).
I am now the proud owner of a shiny brand new Rite-Aid brand adjustable-length aluminum walking cane.
Thanks for the help. My injuries appear to be healing at an astonishing rate. I’ll probably only need the cane for two or three days. w00t.
I was going to recommend Salvation Army or Goodwill stores. I regularly mess up my knees, ankles or what ever on a variety of stupid activities, skiing, riding my motorcycle, bicycling, stepping in potholes while jogging and even jumping over a fire hydrent. I have a cane in each of my vehicles (except my motorcycle - for that I have one of those fold-up ones for my backpack).
I also have a set of crutches around, just in case.
Isn’t a crutch used on the injured side if that leg cannot bear weight and a cane used on the uninjured side when the leg can bear some the weight?
Not if you’ve trashed your ankle. I’ve found that those can’t bear weight very well until almost healed.