Effect of Contralateral Cane Use on Whole-Body Angular Momentum in the Frontal Plane During Walking

This study aims to clarify how using a cane affects the amplitude of whole-body angular momentum (WBAM) about the body’s center of mass in the frontal plane during walking in older adults. Twenty older adults participated in the study, walking under two conditions: (1) without a cane and (2) with a cane. WBAM range (WBAMR) in the frontal plane was calculated as the difference between the minimum and maximum values over one gait cycle. To identify biomechanical factors affecting WBAM, we examined peak moment arms from the body’s center of mass to the center of pressure in the mediolateral direction and peak vertical ground reaction force (GRF). Variables were assessed using paired t-tests for normally distributed data and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test for non- normally distributed data. WBAMR was significantly smaller when walking with a cane compared to walking without one. The peak mediolateral moment arms during the second steps and peak vertical GRF during the first steps were significantly larger without a cane than with one. WBAM amplitude decreased throughout the gait cycle when using a cane. Our findings demonstrate that using a cane reduces WBAM amplitude in the frontal plane across the gait cycle, thereby enhancing mediolateral dynamic balance in older adults during walking.