It's not a permanent problem. I fell down my stairs on Saturday morning, and my left knee swelled up to the size of my head. The Xrays showed no fractures. I'm in some pain, and my doctor wants me to stay off my feet until Tuesday, which is impossible to do as I'm single and have to do things for myself. Anyway, I bough a cane, but I can't figure out how to use it. I tried walking with the cane hitting the floor along side my bad leg to take the pressure off, but it feels clumsy. So, if anyone has had to use a cane and can tell me how it's done, I'd sure appreciate your help.