The influence of walking aids on hemiplegic gait

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the influence of different types of walking aid on the temporal-distance (T-D) parameters of hemiplegic gait. Twenty hemiplegic subjects who were able to walk independently took part in the study. The subjects’gait was measured as they walked with no aid, a stick of normal height, a high stick and a tripod. The response to different walking conditions was varied, but the subjects could be divided into three groups based on their response. Eleven (55%) subjects tended to walk best without an aid, 5 (25%) subjects showed no difference between the conditions, and 4 (20%) subjects tended to perform better with an aid than without one. None of the aids emerged as the aid of choice but the tripod tended to produce a worse gait than the other two aids.

Severity of hemiplegia, overall gait performance and type of aid normally used were compared in each response group. It was concluded that the severity of hemiplegia was an important determinant of the subjects’response to different walking aids. For people with a relatively mild hemiplegia and who were ‘good walkers’, the use of an aid was either detrimental or had no effect on gait, whereas for those with a more severe hemiplegia and who were ‘poor walkers’, the use of an aid had a beneficial effect on gait.