Question

in trendelenburg gait, holding a cane in the contralateral hand helps reduce joint reactive forces through the affected hip by: moving the center of gravity posterior to the second sacral vertebra ensuring equal hip height in scoliosis assessment reducing hip abductor muscle pull increasing hip flexion pull to aid walking

Explanation:

In Trendelenburg gait, the hip abductor muscles are weak. Holding a cane in the contralateral hand creates a counter - force. This counter - force reduces the need for the weak hip abductor muscles to work as hard (i.e., reduces the hip abductor muscle pull). Reducing the muscle pull in turn reduces the joint reactive forces through the affected hip.

• Moving the center of gravity posterior to the second sacral vertebra is not relevant to the mechanism of reducing hip joint reactive forces in this context.
• Ensuring equal hip height in scoliosis assessment is a different clinical assessment and not related to the force - reducing mechanism in Trendelenburg gait with cane use.
• Increasing hip flexion pull to aid walking is not the mechanism by which cane use reduces joint reactive forces in Trendelenburg gait.

Answer:

Reducing hip abductor muscle pull