My neuropathy started 50 plus years ago, but really went south ten years ago. My story is about the progression from using a cane to being wheelchair bound. Canes did not work real well given the leg would just go 'out' as one or more nerve impulses failed in their journey from the brain to the muscle. I was using a roller walker (Amazon) for five years, or a shopping cart in the big box stores. I was still going straight down at times. Once it got to stage 4 and falling 1 to 3 times per day, my neurologist wanted me in a wheelchair. In my research, I found that a wheelchair caused a significant decrease in longevity. I definitely wanted to stay out of the chair for as long as possible. The Mayo Clinic states that leg braces are an option. I bought an off-the-shelf KAFO (Knee, Ankle, Foot Orthotic) from Amazon as a trial. I had no falls over a two week period. That was enough to convince my neurologist to issue me a prescription for a pair of custom leg braces. The OTS brace slipped down enough that the axis did not match up to my knee axis, causing pain. Medicare covers the cost of the braces, to include the C Brace which includes electronics to help with gait and helps stiffen the brace at the start of a fall. I bought a set of walking sticks to go with the braces and am learning to walk with them. I'll report back in a month when I have some real experience with the braces.