| Canes | | | | |
| Standard | Improves balance, most are adjustable | Should not be used for more than minimal weight-bearing; curved handle may be difficult to grasp and may cause carpal tunnel syndrome; may be uncomfortable to use for patients with hand abnormalities; weight-bearing line is behind the cane shaft, which can make it less supportive | Mild ataxia (sensory, vestibular, or visual), mild lower limb arthritis | $10 to $20 |
| Offset | More supportive than a standard cane, appropriate for intermittent weight-bearing, handgrip is more comfortable than a standard cane and puts less pressure on the hand and wrist, most are adjustable | Often used incorrectly (backward) | Moderate lower limb arthritis | $15 to $40 |
| Quadripod | Larger base of support than other canes, can bear more weight, stands on its own, most are adjustable | Slightly heavier than other canes; awkward to use with all four legs on the ground simultaneously; some types may not fit on stairs | Hemiparesis | $15 to $40 |
| Crutches | | | | |
| Axillary | Able to off-load 80% to 100% of weight from a lower limb, inexpensive | Difficult to learn how to use, requires substantial energy expenditure and upper body strength, risk of axillary nerve or artery compression, patient unable to use hands while operating | Lower limb fracture or injury | $16 to $30 |
| Platform | Includes a forearm pad that can be used to bear weight rather than the hand | Difficult to learn how to use | Wrist fracture, rheumatoid arthritis | $75 to $100 |
| Forearm (Lofstrand) | Forearm cuff and handpiece used for weight-bearing; frees hands without having to drop crutch; less cumbersome to use, particularly on stairs | Permits only occasional weight-bearing | Cerebral palsy, paraparesis | $40 to $100 |
| Walkers | | | | |
| Standard walker (no wheels) | Most stable walker, folds easily | Needs to be lifted up with each step; slower, less natural gait | Severe myopathy or neuropathy, cerebellar ataxia, lower limb fractures | $20 to $60 |
| Two-wheel rolling walker | Maintains normal gait pattern, does not need to be lifted up with each step | Large turning arc, less stable than standard walker | Lower limb arthritis, pain, or injury; poor balance; severe myopathy or neuropathy; paraparesis; parkinsonism | $35 to $60 |
| Four-wheel rolling walker (rollator) | Easy to propel; highly maneuverable, with small turning arc; typically has a seat for resting and a basket | Should not be used for weight-bearing, less stable than two-wheel walker, does not fold easily | Generalized decreased endurance, spinal stenosis, moderate lower limb arthritis, lung disease, congestive heart failure | $50 to $100 |
| Manual | Improved long-distance mobility, complete off-loading of both lower limbs | Requires substantial energy expenditure and upper body strength, may cause injury to bony prominences and skin breakdown due to seat pressure | End-stage disease, severe lower limb arthritis, frailty, paraplegia | $100 to $200 |
| Power | Improved mobility and activities of daily living for those with severe disability | Powered by battery that needs to be charged, manual wheelchair needed for use during power outages or emergencies | End-stage disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, frailty, quadriplegia | $1,000 to > $2,500 |
