Are patients with hemiplegic stroke really walking with a cane fitted at the greater trochanter?

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to determine the cane lengths currently used by patients with hemiplegic stroke for ambulatory assistance. The sample consisted of 116 adults with hemiplegic stroke. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square test for trend were conducted to examine the distributions of cane lengths, which were classified as follows: reaching >2 cm below the greater trochanter (GT), reaching from <2 cm below to <2 cm above the GT, or reaching >2 cm above the GT. Cane lengths reaching >2 cm above the GT were most common (range 62%–88%). No difference in mean cane length was found with respect to gender, age, time elapsed after stroke, nature of pathology (infarction, hemorrhage), paralyzed region (left, right), cane type (mono or four-point), or those responsible for deciding cane lengths (clinicians, patients, family members). These findings mean patients with hemiplegic stroke are actually using canes longer than conventionally proposed cane lengths.

KEYWORDS:

• cane length
• greater trochanter
• hemiplegia
• walking

Conflict of interest

The author declares that he has no proprietary, commercial, or financial interests that could be construed to have inappropriately influenced this study.