title: The Effect of Lightly Gripping a Cane on the Dynamic Balance Control.
abstract: The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effect of lightly gripping a cane on the Functional Reach Test (FRT) to evaluate dynamic balance. 21 healthy men (19±1 years) were asked to perform the FRT three times. The standard FRT was performed in the first and third trials. In the second trial, participants in a light-grip group (n = 11) were told to lightly grip (but to not apply force for mechanical support) the cane during the FRT. Participants in a depend-on-cane group (n = 10) were told to perform the FRT while supporting their weight with the cane. FRT is improved by not only supporting a person's own weight with a cane but also just lightly gripping the cane. These findings would be helpful in the development of a useful application to improve the human movement using a haptic sensory supplementation for activities of daily living.
authors: Department of Sports Science, Faculty of Sports Science, Kyushu Kyoritsu University, 1-8 Jiyugaoka, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu-city, Fukuoka, 807-8585, Japan.
authors: Kazushige
authors: K
authors: Oshita
authors: Graduate School of Human Development and Environment, Kobe University, 3-11, Tsurukabuto, Nada-ku, Kobe-city, Hyogo, 657-8501, Japan.
authors: Sumio
authors: S
authors: Yano
keywords: Dynamic balance; functional reach test; haptic sensory information; light touch.