Also referred to as a walking cane, a walking stick is a tool designed to assist in walking, provide stability or maintain a suitable posture. Walking canes come in various designs, shapes, and sizes depending on the personal preference of the user it can either be for self-defense or as a fashion accessory (skip straight to the walking stick size charts).
Hikers also use walking sticks known as hiking poles or hiking sticks for several reasons for example in tropical forests to clear out thick bushes or spider webs or to maintain their balance when crossing steep terrain.
Related: Ski pole size advice with easy to use size charts, Golf Clubs Size Chart
What is the average Walking stick size (summarized) ?
- The recommended stick height for children or shorter adults is a 41-inch stick.
- The recommended stick height for adults whose height is under 5’4” is a 48-inch stick.
- The recommended stick height for adults whose heights lie between 5’4” and 5’11” is a 55-inch stick.
- The recommended stick height for adults surpassing 5’11” is a 58-inch stick.
Table of content
- Types of Walking Sticks
- Walking Stick Size Chart and Guide
- How to choose the right walking stick size for you
Types of Walking Sticks
- Quad stick – The base has four-pronged stoppers that provide stability when you walk slowly ensuring all four stoppers touch the ground concurrently.
- Folding stick – It is portable and can be folded numerously to fit in a bag. Moreover, it’s a height-adjustable walking stick therefore you can choose a length that suits you.
- Standard walking stick – This is a regular stick with a T or crook handle. Since it’s a common type it has many designs; therefore, an individual can choose the ideal stick for them.
Walking sticks come in a wide variety of sizes therefore choosing the correct size is important because it influences the posture and comfortability of the user. Having the correct height will assist the user to have balance and comfort while using it.
Learn More About Different Types of Walking Sticks (video)
Related: Merrell Shoe Size Chart, Hoka Shoes Size Chart for Men and women, Columbia Shoe Size Chart for walking, hiking and daily footwear, Salomon Shoe Size Chart
Walking Stick Size Chart and Guide
The table below is a representation of a walking cane’s length in comparison to a user’s height:
Your height in cm and inch | Cane length in cm and inch | Your height in cm and inch | Cane length in cm and inch | Your height in cm and inch | Cane length in cm and inch | Your height in cm and inch | Cane length in cm and inch |
150 cm 59.0 inches | 77 cm 30.3 inches | 160 cm 62.9 inches | 82 cm32.2 inches | 170 cm 66.9 inches | 87 cm 34.2 inches | 180 cm 70.8 inches | 92 cm 36.2 inches |
152 cm 59.8 inches | 78 cm 30.7 inches | 162 cm 63.7 inches | 83 cm 32.6 inches | 172 cm 67.7 inches | 88 cm34.6 inches | 182 cm 71.6 inches | 93 cm 36.6 inches |
154 cm 60.6 inches | 79 cm 31.1 inches | 164 cm 64.5 inches | 84 cm 33.0 inches | 174 cm 68.5 inches | 89 cm 35.0 inches | 184 cm 72.4 inches | 94 cm 37.0 inches |
156 cm 61.4 inches | 80 cm 31.4 inches | 166 cm 65.3 inches | 85 cm 33.4 inches | 176 cm 69.2 inches | 90 cm 35.4 inches | 186 cm 73.2 inches | 95 cm 37.4 inches |
158 cm 62.2 inches | 81 cm 31.8 inches | 168 cm 66.1 inches | 86 cm 33.8 inches | 178 cm 70.0 inches | 91 cm 35.8 inches | 188 cm 74.0 inches | 96 cm 37.7 inches |
Walking stick length conversion chart vs user height
The table below illustrates the height of a user and the walking stick length:
Height foot/inch and cm | Stick length in cm and inches |
5’0’’ 152 cm | 23 – 24 inches 58 – 61 cm |
5’1’’ 155 cm | 24 – 25 inches 61 – 64 cm |
5’2’’ 157 cm | 25 – 26 inches 64 – 66 cm |
5’3’’ 160 cm | 26 – 27 inches 66 – 69 cm |
5’4’’ 163 cm | 27 – 28 inches 69 – 71 cm |
5’5’’ 165 cm | 28 – 29 inches 71 – 74 cm |
5’6’’ 168 cm | 29 – 30 inches 74 – 76 cm |
5’7’’ 170 cm | 30 – 31 inches 76 – 79 cm |
5’8’’ 173 cm | 31 – 32 inches 79 – 81 cm |
5’9’’ 175 cm | 32 – 33 inches 81 – 84 cm |
5’10’’ 178 cm | 33 – 34 inches 84 – 86 cm |
5’11’’ 180 cm | 34 – 35 inches 86 – 89 cm |
6’0’’ 183 cm | 35 – 36 inches 89 – 91 cm |
6’1’’ 185 cm | 36 – 37 inches 91 – 94 cm |
6’2’’ 188 cm | 37 – 38 inches 94 – 97 cm |
6’3’’ 191 cm | 38 – 39 inches 97 – 99 cm |
Walking Pole/ stick length vs Users height
The table below shows the height of an individual and the length of a hiking pole:
User height in cm | User height in inches | Pole length in inches | Pole length in cm |
124 – 132 cm | 4’1 – 4’4 inches | 38 inches | 95 cm |
138 – 142 cm | 4’5 – 4’8 inches | 40 inches | 100 cm |
145 – 152 cm | 4’9 – 5’0 inches | 42 inches | 105 cm |
155 – 160 cm | 5’1 – 5’3 inches | 44 inches | 110 cm |
162 – 167 cm | 5’4 – 5’6 inches | 46 inches | 115 cm |
170 – 175 cm | 5’7 – 5’9 inches | 48 inches | 120 cm |
178 – 183 cm | 5’10 – 6’0 inches | 50 inches | 125 cm |
185 – 190 cm | 6’1 – 6’3 inches | 52 inches | 130 cm |
193 – 198 cm | 6’4 – 6’6 inches | 54 inches | 135 cm |
200 cm + | 6’7 inches + | 56 inches | 140 cm |
How to choose the right walking stick size for you
When purchasing a walking stick it is imperative to have the right stick height to avoid straining your body or putting it under stress since they are designed to decrease the weight on the injured leg and provide balance.
In addition, the handle provides support for the placement of the hand, therefore, the style design which can either be crook, t-shaped, swan neck, ergonomic or offset should be comfortable and offer support to the arm.
What size should a walking stick be?
The size of a walking stick depends on the preference of an individual, what might be comfortable for one person might be uncomfortable for another therefore finding the exact height suitable for you is important.
The following are measurements starting from kids walking sticks to adult walking sticks.
- The recommended stick height for children or shorter adults is a 41-inch stick.
- The recommended stick height for adults whose height is under 5’4” is a 48-inch stick.
- The recommended stick height for adults whose heights lie between 5’4” and 5’11” is a 55-inch stick.
- The recommended stick height for adults whose heights surpass 5’11” is a 58-inch stick.
Moreover, the standard height for walking canes for adults who are starting to use them is 37 inches and for taller people is 40 inches. To achieve the cane size one has to stand in an upright position with your arms resting on your side and allow someone to measure the height range from the ground to your wrist.
How to measure a walking stick?
The wrong height of a walking stick can be detrimental and lead to shoulder, back pain, and joint pain. A longer height will make your shoulder to be too high and a shorter height will make your back slouch
Apart from measuring the user’s height from arms-length to the ground, you can also measure the length of the walking stick while wearing your normal walking shoes from the handle top part where it ends to the bottom part with a rubber lining.
Furthermore, ensure the position of your wrist is at a comfortable position and get the measurements to suit the right height for your stick. Lastly, a handy guide provided by various vendors shows a list comparison of the different diameters of sticks and the matching user heights help one to choose the perfect height.
After finding the right size, one can pick the design of the walking stick or cane they prefer.
More About the Walking Stick Size Guide explained (video)
Conclusion
A walking stick is a tool used by individuals to aid in walking. It has helped people who either have physical disabilities, trekkers, and hikers, or people who see it as a fashion accessory and hobbyist.
In addition, they have a wide range of sizes, shapes, colors, designs, and functionalities. In the past, they were mostly made of different types of wood but nowadays they can also be metallic and have an adjustable height to suit the user.
Each of them is fitted with a rubber lining at the foot of the stick to provide a steady balance.
In this section we have discovered that size is essential when choosing the type of stick you want. Finding the right length is a major impact on the results one wants to achieve, especially for those injured or the elderly who need assistance in walking.
In reality, it would be beneficial to have the right size for walking for whatever purpose the user might have.
If you enjoyed reading this article, please feel free t leave a comment below!
Picture in this post by Miikka Luotio on Unsplash
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