Assessment of the effects of white cane variables on step symmetry of blind individuals

BACKGROUND: Step symmetry is an important feature of human gait and is often regarded as a key index of healthy individuals’ walking. This study evaluated the effects of height, white cane technique, and cane tip on symmetrical gait in blind individuals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty blind and ten sighted subjects, aged 15–38 years, participated in this study. The harmonic ratio (HR) and improved HR (iHR) were measured by trunk accelerometer as gait symmetry index in three axes: anteroposterior (AP), vertical, and mediolateral of the body. These parameters were measured in the sighted group in open-eye conditions and in the blind group in five experimental conditions with different two heights (standard and long), two tips (pencil and roller), and two techniques (two-point touch and constant contact) of white cane when they walked in the 6-m path. RESULTS: There was a significant difference between HR and iHR of the blind and sighted group, which indicates a significant reduction of symmetry loss in the blind group. Among the five different conditions studied in the group of blind people, an increase was observed in the HR and the iHR on the AP axis during the application of a standard cane with a roller tip, which indicated an increase in symmetry. CONCLUSION: Based on the results, a long cane with a pencil tip and a standard cane with a roller tip in the constant contact technique can increase step symmetry.