A Study on the Distribution of Plantar Pressure in Adult Hemiplegia during Gait with the Use of Cane

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the plantar pressure distribution between the affected and unaffected side in adult hemiplegia during gait with the use of a quad-cane. Methods: Thirty-four stroke patients from 34 to 83 years of age were enrolled in this study, and in random order, all patients were asked to walk at their most comfortable speed three times along a walkway with the use of quad-cane over a period of three days. Plantar pressure distribution was measured with regard to foot contact pattern and center of pressure (CoP) trajectories during the stance phase, progressing from heel-strike to toe-off. The F-scan system was used to compare the foot pressure of the affected and unaffected sides. Results: A significant reduction in the total contact area, the width of fore foot (FF) and hind foot (HF), and anterior/posterior (AP) CoP trajectory of the affected side was found. However, contact pressure of the hind foot on the affected side during walking increased when compared to that on the unaffected side. Conclusion: We demonstrated that plantar pressure distribution on the affected side of adult hemiplegia patients was generally poorer than that on the unaffected side when these patients walked with cane assistance. However, the use of a quad-cane was shown to increase contact pressure of the hind foot on the affected side because weight can be borne on the affected side during heel-strike with use of the cane.