Abstract
BACKGROUND: Traditional canes have no special functions besides weight support, and their long-term use may cause secondary damage to the musculoskeletal system and gait deviation. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the usability of the cane-combined weight support feedback device (CWSFD) to identify areas requiring improvement and the current level of satisfaction. METHODS: As a collet-type device, the CWSFD has a structure allowing attachment and detachment at the lower end of a traditional mono cane. To assess the level of satisfaction and areas of improvement regarding the novel CWSFD, a usability test was conducted on 10 physical therapists with ⩾ 20 years of clinical experience. The usability test comprised a satisfaction survey questionnaire to determine the level of satisfaction, and an in-depth interview to identify the points of improvement. RESULTS: The usability test demonstrated a moderate or higher level of satisfaction in all tested items, and the in-depth interview revealed that the device should have a lower weight with a greater diversity of feedback. CONCLUSIONS: We anticipate that by implementing the respective improvements, a novel device will be developed in the future; for its commercialization, studies to verify the clinical effectiveness are warranted.
Reference26 articles.
1. Effect of lower extremity muscle activity to the use of a variety of walking aids;Kim;Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society.,2015
2. The effects of falling and fear of falling on daily activity levels in the elderly residing in Korean rural community;Lee;J Korean Geriatr Soc.,2009
3. Usability Test for Motion Tracking Gait Assistive Walker;Hwang;J Korean Phys Ther Sci.,2023
4. Geriatric assistive devices;Bradley;Am Fam Physician.,2011
5. Son S-M, Choi Y-W, Kim C-S. articletitleEffect of motor functions of ipsilateral upper limb induced by long-term cane usage in chronic stroke patients. J Korean Soc Phys Ther. 2012; 24(2): 151-156.