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Walking Aids for Enabling Activity and Participation: A Systematic Review
Kim Bertrand1, Marie-Hélène Raymond, William C Miller
1From the Université de Montréal, Faculty of Medicine, School of Rehabilitation, Montreal, Quebec, Canada (KB, M-HR, LD); Rehabilitation Research Program, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (WCM); Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (WCM); School of Health and Exercise Sciences, Faculty of Health and Social Development, University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada (KAMG); and Research Centre, Institut Universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal, CIUSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada (LD).
Walking aids like canes and walkers can help adults with physical disabilities engage in activities. However, their effectiveness depends on device characteristics, user integration, and overcoming environmental barriers.
Area of Science:
- Rehabilitation Science
- Assistive Technology
- Disability Studies
Background:
- Adults with physical disabilities often use walking aids (canes, crutches, walkers, rollators) to enhance mobility.
- Understanding how these devices impact activity and participation is crucial for improving quality of life.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review evidence on whether and how walking aids enable activity and participation in adults with physical disabilities.
- To identify factors influencing the effectiveness of walking aids.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature review of studies published since 2008.
- Included quantitative and qualitative designs from multiple databases (Medline, Embase, PsychInfo, CINAHL, Web of Science).
- Extracted data on participants, device use, outcomes, and participation domains; assessed evidence level and quality.
Main Results:
- Thirteen studies were included, focusing on canes, rollators, or multiple walking aid types.
- Mobility was the most studied participation domain.
- Walking aids showed both positive and negative outcomes, influenced by device features, usage context, environment, and user acceptance.
Conclusions:
- Walking aids can enable activity and participation when integrated into daily life.
- Effectiveness is contingent on the user's ability to navigate obstacles and incorporate the device.
- Further high-quality research is necessary to establish definitive conclusions on walking aid effectiveness.
