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Slipping cane and crutch tips. Part I--static performance of current devices.
Bulletin of Prosthetics Research
|January 1, 1977
Summary
Cane and crutch tips were tested for slip resistance on ice and soapy tiles. Few tips provide adequate safety, especially on slick surfaces, highlighting the need for improved designs for mobility aids.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Materials Science
- Assistive Technology
Background:
- Mobility aids like canes and crutches are crucial for individuals with balance and walking impairments.
- The performance of the tips on these devices is critical for user safety, particularly on slippery surfaces.
- Existing cane and crutch tips exhibit variable performance, necessitating objective evaluation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the slip resistance of commercially available cane and crutch tips.
- To determine the performance of these tips on icy and soapy tile surfaces under varying loads.
- To identify factors influencing slip performance and assess user safety.
Main Methods:
- Testing of various cane and crutch tips on ice-rink ice and soapy tile surfaces.
- Application of varying axial (thrust) loads during testing.
- Measurement of the slip angle (angle between vertical and cane axis) at which slippage occurs.
Main Results:
- On ice, some tips approached the desirable 25-degree slip angle at low temperatures, but only one was deemed safe under all ice conditions.
- On rough, soapy tile, some tips performed adequately, but none were acceptable on slick, soapy tile.
- No consistent relationship was found between slip performance on ice versus soapy tile.
- Slip angle did not show a simple correlation with thrust load or contact area.
Conclusions:
- Current cane and crutch tips offer limited safety, particularly on slick surfaces.
- Performance on ice does not predict performance on wet, soapy tiles.
- There is a need for the development of more reliable and universally safe mobility aid tips.