Wrist support for White Stick User
A client who is blind and experiences arthritic joints and a weak grip was finding it increasingly difficult and painful to hold and use her White Stick. The primary objective was to develop a practical modification that would reduce strain on her hands while preserving the essential functionality of the stick, particularly for detecting obstacles and navigating steps.
The Challenge
While attaching the White Stick to a Carpal tunnel-type wrist support allowed the client to sweep comfortably without needing a strong grip, a new issue arose:
To negotiate steps, the client needed to rotate the stick into a vertical position to accurately detect the location and height of each step. The original design of the White Stick and wrist support did not accommodate this movement.
Additionally, the stick’s internal construction posed limitations:
- The internal bore of the existing handle, which contained an elastic cord, was too narrow to accept a 6mm Ball Lock Pin while retaining strength.
- The four sections of the stick relied on precise 11-degree tapered joints to stay rigid when assembled—any deviation risked making the stick unstable or unusable.
The solution
To enable rotation and maintain structural integrity, the following modifications were made:
- The handle was replaced with a length of thick-walled PVC tubing to accommodate the Ball Lock Pin.
- A brass insert was machined and fixed into the PVC tube to replicate the original 11-degree taper, ensuring compatibility with the other sections of the stick.
- A Ball Lock Pin was installed through the handle at the correct position, allowing the stick to rotate when needed and still be released from the wrist strap.
- A heat-moulded plastic clip was designed and fixed to the wrist support using bookbinding screws. These screws passed through the plastic clip, the metal strip that holds the stick, and the fabric of the wrist support—securing all components as a single unit. The screws also maintained a low profile, sitting nearly flush with the inside of the wrist support for comfort.
The benefit
The final adaptation allowed the client to sweep comfortably using the wrist-mounted stick while also being able to rotate it into a vertical position for detecting steps—addressing both of her key mobility needs. The mechanism ensured that the stick remained secure, functional, and comfortable to use.
The client is thrilled with the adaptation and has provided her own account of the solution here.
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