During ambulation,a patient complains of left hip pain when stepping forward with the right leg.You suspect that this is due to degenerative changes at the hip joint and wish to reduce the amount of compressive forces at the left hip joint during ambulation.When considering the mechanical forces acting on the left hip joint,which of the following would be most effective in reducing the hip joint compression force?
A) Using a cane in the right hand with a moment arm of 15 inches
B) Using a cane in the right hand with a moment arm of 20 inches
C) Using a cane in the left hand with a moment arm of 5 inches
D) It is not possible to distinguish between these answers with the information given.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

By using a cane in the right hand with a longer moment arm of 20 inches, the patient would be able to shift some of their weight to the cane and away from the left hip joint during ambulation. This would effectively reduce the compressive forces on the left hip joint. The other options have shorter moment arms or place the cane in the non-dominant hand which may not be as effective at reducing hip joint compression.

During Ambulation,a Patient Complains of Left Hip Pain When Stepping