NCT05092932

Walking Aid Assessment, Arm Strength and Force Under the Foot in Normal Subjects

Normative Research of Walking Aid Selection in Normal Subjects

• Status: Completed
• Phase: —
• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 40 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of Saskatchewan · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: —
• Healthy volunteers: —

Summary

This study will collect biomedical performance data on walking characteristics in normal, healthy people when walking with walking aids and when walking unaided. Data will be used for independent reporting and for comparison to matched people with pathological conditions. Data collected will including walking ability, balance, force under the feet when walking and muscle strength.

Detailed description

Young adults often tolerate the increased energy expenditure, coordination, and stance limb discomfort associated with walking aids for non-weightbearing ambulation. It is not clear how walking aid selection affects stance limb plantar force, walking speed, perceived exertion, and device preference in adults over 50 years of age.. This project is a prospective randomized crossover study using healthy adults, aged over 50 years, with no use of walking aids within 5 years. Participants will walk 200 m under 4 randomized conditions: single non-weightbearing ambulation using crutches, a walker, a wheeled knee walker, and unaided walking. An in-shoe sensor will measure stance limb plantar force, a stopwatch will be used to time each walk, a hand held dynamometer will measure arm muscle strength, perceived exertion will be reported using the BORG CR-10 scale, and device preference will be identified.

Conditions

• Healthy
• Physical Examination
• Middle Age
• Aged
• Young Adult
• Adolescent
• Gait

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Normal Foot Force	LoadSol Insoles will be inserted into the participants shoes. The device measures the pressure distribution on the bottom of the foot. Participants will then be asked to walk normally, use crutches, use a walker, and use a wheeled knee scooter. The pressure placed throughout the foot will be analyzed and compared under different conditions. This testing will take approximately 10 minutes.

Timeline

• Start date: 2020-01-01
• Primary completion: 2023-10-28
• Completion: 2023-12-31
• First posted: 2021-10-26
• Last updated: 2024-05-09

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Canada