Biomaterial Database

Canes, crutches and walkers. 1991

B M Joyce, and R L Kirby

Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Canes, crutches and walkers are safe and effective but generally underutilized therapeutic tools. These aids are most helpful to patients who have an unstable gait, whose muscles are weak or who require a reduction in the load on weight-bearing structures. An understanding of the biomechanics of ambulation aids provides insights into how and when these devices should be prescribed. The patient must have sufficient strength, balance and coordination to master the aid and should be trained to use it correctly.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D002183	Canes	Sticks used as walking aids. The canes may have three or four prongs at the end of the shaft.	Walking Sticks,Cane,Stick, Walking,Sticks, Walking,Walking Stick
D003257	Consumer Product Safety	The sum total of measures taken and regulatory policies enacted to ensure the safe use of consumer products.	Safety, Consumer Product,Product Approval,Product Approvals,Product Safety, Consumer
D003446	Crutches	Wooden or metal staffs designed to aid a person in walking. (UMDNS,1999)
D004389	Durable Medical Equipment	Devices which are very resistant to wear and may be used over a long period of time. They include items such as wheelchairs, hospital beds, artificial limbs, etc.	Equipment, Medical, Durable,Equipment, Durable Medical,Medical Equipment, Durable
D004867	Equipment Design	Methods and patterns of fabricating machines and related hardware.	Design, Equipment,Device Design,Medical Device Design,Design, Medical Device,Designs, Medical Device,Device Design, Medical,Device Designs, Medical,Medical Device Designs,Design, Device,Designs, Device,Designs, Equipment,Device Designs,Equipment Designs
D005684	Gait	Manner or style of walking.	Gaits
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001696	Biomechanical Phenomena	The properties, processes, and behavior of biological systems under the action of mechanical forces.	Biomechanics,Kinematics,Biomechanic Phenomena,Mechanobiological Phenomena,Biomechanic,Biomechanic Phenomenas,Phenomena, Biomechanic,Phenomena, Biomechanical,Phenomena, Mechanobiological,Phenomenas, Biomechanic
D014853	Walkers	Walking aids generally having two handgrips and four legs.	Walker