In vivo hip pressures during cane and load-carrying gait.

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypotheses that carrying a load reduces hip contact pressure ipsilateral to the load and that using a cane when carrying a load further reduces hip contact pressure.
METHODS: A Moore-type endoprosthesis with 13 femoral-head pressure transducers was implanted in a human subject following a Garden III fracture. Hip contact pressures were measured during unaided, cane-aided, and load-carrying gait over two years.
RESULTS: Relative to unloaded gait, contact pressures increased significantly when ipsilateral to the carried load. Using a contralateral cane when carrying the load reduced ipsilateral posterior-superior contact pressure; however, the hip contralateral to the load experienced significantly higher than normal pressures.
CONCLUSIONS: Ipsilaterally carried loads may not always provide stress protection of the arthritic hip. Using a cane opposite to the load may aid in restoring normal pressures to the ipsilateral hip, but may expose the contralateral hip to a significant stress burden.