TY - JOUR
T1 - Comparison of gait characteristics with a single-tip cane, tripod cane, and quad cane
AU - Nolen, Jeff
AU - Liu, Hao
AU - Liu, Hui
AU - McGee, Margaret
AU - Grando, Victoria
PY - 2010/12/9
Y1 - 2010/12/9
N2 - The purpose of this study was to compare both the spatial and gait parameters under the following conditions: walking without a cane (WAC) and with three different types of canes (single tip cane (STC), tripod cane (TPC), and small base quad cane (SQC)). Nineteen young healthy subjects participated in this study by using the GAITRite® walkway. In the order of WAC, STC, TPC, and SQC, subjects demonstrated significant difference of decreased velocity, cadence, and increased stance and swing time (p < 0.001), but no significant difference for step and stride lengths (p > 0.050). Further, using a SQC resulted in a much slower velocity and cadence with more stance time than using an STC or TPC (all p < 0.008), but no such differences were observed between an STC and TPC (p > 0.05). These results indicate that walking with a SQC could be most stable but least efficient, while walking with an STC could be the most efficient but least stable. Walking with a TPC could be an appropriate choice when both walking efficiency and cane stability are considered.
AB - The purpose of this study was to compare both the spatial and gait parameters under the following conditions: walking without a cane (WAC) and with three different types of canes (single tip cane (STC), tripod cane (TPC), and small base quad cane (SQC)). Nineteen young healthy subjects participated in this study by using the GAITRite® walkway. In the order of WAC, STC, TPC, and SQC, subjects demonstrated significant difference of decreased velocity, cadence, and increased stance and swing time (p < 0.001), but no significant difference for step and stride lengths (p > 0.050). Further, using a SQC resulted in a much slower velocity and cadence with more stance time than using an STC or TPC (all p < 0.008), but no such differences were observed between an STC and TPC (p > 0.05). These results indicate that walking with a SQC could be most stable but least efficient, while walking with an STC could be the most efficient but least stable. Walking with a TPC could be an appropriate choice when both walking efficiency and cane stability are considered.
KW - aged
KW - assistive device
KW - balance
KW - posture
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=78650782031&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3109/02703181.2010.517620
DO - 10.3109/02703181.2010.517620
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:78650782031
SN - 0270-3181
VL - 28
SP - 387
EP - 395
JO - Physical and Occupational Therapy in Geriatrics
JF - Physical and Occupational Therapy in Geriatrics
IS - 4
ER -