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Abstract

Many older adults utilize assistive walking devices for independent locomotion. However, walking devices put new constraints on one’s movement and navigation, and it is crucial that the user correctly perceive their new action capabilities. The present study investigated the effects of assistive walking devices on novice users’ perceptions of their ability to pass through a doorway. Participants used either a standard walker, a wheeled walker, a cane, or no device (control) while performing static and dynamic aperture passability judgments. Results showed that judgments of aperture passability were tailored to the participants’ widest frontal dimension, with walker users relying on the width of the walker and non-users relying on their shoulder width. While there was no difference in accuracy across walking devices, participants made more conservative judgments while in the dynamic phase, and this effect was more pronounced for the walker groups than the control group. Results of this study suggest that experience using the walking device is an important factor in ensuring new users understand their action capabilities and avoid injurious collisions and falls.

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Affordance Perception by Users of Assistive Walking Devices

Abstract

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