Ergonomic walking aid

Abstract

An ergonomic cane uses the user's hand as the socket portion of a ball and socket hinge. In use the hand and wrist remain stationary as the ball shaped handle rotates within the hand to eliminate stress on body parts. A narrow stem connects the ball shaped handle to the cane-leg to allow fingers to straddle comfortably. The ball shaped handle may be shock mounted to soften impact with the ground. The cane has a length adjustment feature.

1 . A walking cane comprising:
 a ball shaped handle member;   a cane-leg member with a foot attached to a lower end of the cane-leg; and   a stem member narrower than said cane-leg member connecting said ball shaped handle member to said cane-leg member, the stem member being immediately adjacent the ball shaped handle member and thereby adapted to provide a space between said ball shaped handle member and said cane-leg member to allow a user's fingers to pass freely;   wherein said ball shaped handle member is adapted to form a ball and socket hinge in the grasp of a user's hand.   
     
     
         2 . The cane of  claim 1  wherein said stem member is resiliently mounted to said cane-leg member to permit axial movement of the ball shaped handle member relative to the cane-leg member. 
     
     
         3 . The cane of  claim 1  wherein the ball shaped handle member is egg shaped. 
     
     
         4 . The cane of  claim 1  wherein said ball shaped handle member is freely rotatable in relation to said cane-leg member. 
     
     
         5 . A walking cane comprising:
 a ball shaped handle member;   a tubular cane-leg member with a foot attached; and   a stem member having a first end and a second end;   wherein the first end of said stem member is held fixed in said ball shaped handle member and the second end of said stem member is resiliently supported for axial movement within the tubular cane-leg member; and   wherein the stem member is narrower than the cane-leg member and immediately adjacent the ball shaped handle member such that the stem member is adapted to provide a space between said ball shaped handle member and said cane-leg member to allow a user's fingers to pass freely.   
     
     
         6 . The cane of  claim 5  wherein said ball shaped handle member is freely rotatable in relation to said tubular cane-leg member. 
     
     
         7 - 9 . (canceled)