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Do You Hold Onto Furniture When You Walk?

Do You Hold Onto Furniture When You Walk?

If you reach for walls, counters, or furniture when you walk, you may be doing it to feel more steady. This is sometimes called furniture walking or furniture cruising.

Needing support while you walk can be a sign that your balance needs attention, even if you have never fallen. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) includes holding onto furniture while walking as a sign of poor balance in its fall-risk screening for older adults.

An example of furniture walking.

Is It Safe to Hold Onto Furniture When You Walk?

Furniture may help you feel steady for a moment, but it is not a reliable walking aid. A chair may slide, a table may move, or there may not be something to hold onto when you need it.

If you need support while walking, a cane, walker, or other walking aid may be a safer choice. The right device should be chosen and fitted by a healthcare professional with training in selecting and fitting walking aids.

Why Am I Holding Onto Furniture?

There are many reasons you may feel unsteady. Balance problems can be related to:

Holding onto furniture tells us that you may need more support while walking, but it does not tell us why. A healthcare provider can help find the cause.

What Should I Do Instead?

If you do not feel safe walking without support, do not test yourself by letting go of the furniture.

Talk to a healthcare provider about your balance. A physical therapist can check how you walk and determine whether a walking aid may help. If you need a cane or walker, they can also make sure it is the right size and teach you how to use it safely.

Make Your Home Safer

A few changes can make it easier to move around your home safely:

  • Keep walking paths clear.
  • Remove loose rugs and clutter.
  • Make sure rooms, hallways, and stairs are well lit.
  • Use secure handrails on stairs.
  • Add grab bars where needed, especially in the bathroom.

These are consistent with fall-prevention recommendations from the National Institute on Aging and CDC.

When Should I Get  Help?

Talk to a healthcare provider if you:

  • Regularly hold onto furniture or walls when walking.
  • Often feel dizzy or unsteady.
  • Have started avoiding activities because you are worried about falling.
  • Have had a near-fall or fall.
  • Notice that your balance is getting worse.

You do not need to wait until you fall to get help. Difficulties with walking and balance are recognized fall-risk factors, and finding the cause can help guide the right treatment.

Who Can Help?

A healthcare provider trained in dizziness and balance can evaluate your symptoms and help determine what may be making you unsteady. Treatment will depend on the cause and may include vestibular rehabilitation, balance exercises, changes to your home, or a walking aid. 

Key Takeaways

  • Holding onto furniture while walking can be a sign of a balance problem.
  • Furniture is not a reliable replacement for a properly fitted walking aid.
  • You do not have to fall before asking for help.
  • Finding out why you feel unsteady is the first step toward walking more safely.

Resources and References