Proposal for Cane Tip Position to Achieve Both High Stability and Low Joint Torque Using Inverse Dynamics Analysis in T-Cane Gait

T-cane is a primary method used to prevent falls. Although canes effectively increase stability and reduce load, the specific position of the cane tip that maximizes these effects is not yet clear. Furthermore, the cane tip position that enhances effectiveness may also increase the burden on the user. In this study, we used the center of pressure (CoP) as an indicator of stability and shoulder joint adduction torque as an indicator of burden. In this study, we propose a cane tip position that increases the stability of the cane user, but does not increase the burden, through experiment. The experiment involved healthy young male participants. The results confirmed that the CoP increased with the cane tip position. The shoulder joint adduction torque increased with the cane tip position and then remained constant. The results suggest that the participants can walk with higher stability per load when the cane tip was positioned 30 cm in front of the right foot on the ground.