A Preliminary Investigation into the Effects of Different Mobility Aids on the Kinematics of the Trunk and Pelvis in the Elderly

The objective of this study was to quantify the kinematic characteristics of the trunk, thorax, and pelvis in older individuals using three common mobility aids. By measuring spatiotemporal parameters, foot displacements, center of mass amplitudes, ranges of motion, and maximum motion angles, we analyzed the motor performance of eight elderly people in four gait tasks: walking independently (WI), and assisted walking with a single cane (SC), a walking frame (WF), and a rolling walker (RW). The results showed that subjects employed diverse trunk movement strategies across the three assisted gait patterns. Four participants experienced the maximum trunk and thorax flexion angles and the maximum pelvis anterior tilt angle when using the WF, whereas two showed similar peak angles with the RW. These findings suggest a potential risk of back injury for individuals using mobility aids and provide important biomechanical insights for personalized gait rehabilitation strategies.