Effect of arm swaying from wearing a self-applied arm sling with a loop on walking and other mobility skills.

Abstract

[Purpose] This study aimed to investigate how wearing a self-applied arm sling with a loop during rising, standing up, and walking affects the magnitude of arm swaying and activities among elderly individuals compared with wearing a triangular bandage. [Participants and Methods] Fourteen elderly individuals participated in the study. The methods involved attaching a triaxial accelerometer to an arm wearing a triangular bandage or arm sling and conducting a 5-m walk test, sit-to-stand test five times, and rising up. We then calculated the time required for each action, and the acceleration, vibration intensity, and coefficient of variation of the affected arm; these were then compared between the two groups. [Results] All the participants were able to put on the arm sling with a loop. The step rate with a triangular bandage was higher than that without one. Swaying in the front/back direction in standing up was greater with the triangular bandage. [Conclusion] The self-applied arm sling with a loop was shown to have less front/back swaying during standing up. Wearing a triangular bandage may have narrowed the stride and increased the step rate due to discomfort. This result should be applied with caution, because it remains unclear whether arm slings with loops are advantageous.