When you have a bad hip you may find it helpful to use a cane. A cane can help take some of the weight off of your hip, it can help you balance and may enable you to walk greater distances. The cane lets you put some of the weight on your good side, which would otherwise fall on your bad hip and cause you to limp.
Without the cane, your body may be unable to balance and may list to one side as you step forward. Mechanically, it is best to use the cane in the hand opposite the side of your bad hip. Try it on both sides, but you will find that the opposite side works best. Using the cane on the opposite side allows you to transfer weight to the good side and to walk more easily.
If your hip pain is not too bad, you may only want to use the cane for walking long distances. As the disease becomes more advanced, you may want to use the cane all the time. Most people use a cane with a single tip, a straight cane.A quad cane has a platform at the base and four tips called prongs.
This may have greater stability if your balance is poor. Many people choose to use a four prong cane during the time when they are recovering from surgery. If the pain becomes really severe, then you may even consider using crutches or a walker. Remember that a cane can help you walk and go about your daily activities, but it does not truly relieve the arthritis pain.