Select assistive devices
Match the right assistive device: crutch, brace, or cane: to a patient's specific limitation.
- Naming the limitation: Choosing a device starts with stating exactly what the patient cannot do, so a student must name the limitation first.
- What each device does: A crutch, brace, and cane each solve a different problem, so a student must know each device's job.
Prerequisites are inferred: pending teacher review.
Re-learn the skill with worked practice and clear examples.
Pick an assistive device by matching its job to the limitation: no weight on a leg points to crutches; an unstable joint points to a brace; mild imbalance points to a cane.
A patient broke a bone in the foot and is told to put no weight on that foot at all. Which device fits the limitation best?
Reviewed- A.A cane
- B.Crutches
- C.A wrist brace
- D.No device is needed
Show the worked solution ▾
Answer: B. Crutches
- Step 1: Name the limitation: The patient must keep all weight off the injured foot: they are non-weight-bearing.
- Step 2: Match the device: Crutches carry the body's weight through the arms so the foot takes none, which fits a non-weight-bearing order.
Why it's right: Crutches shift weight off the foot through the arms, which is exactly what a non-weight-bearing limitation requires.
- A: A cane still lets weight fall on the foot, so it can't keep it weight-free.
- C: A wrist brace steadies the wrist, which is not the injured part.
- D: Walking with no device would put weight on the broken foot.
Aligned to HBS: matching device to need · reading level ~grade 9
- A discharge nurse hands a non-weight-bearing patient crutches, not a cane, so no load reaches the healing bone.
Fill these in as you work through the lesson.
- Assistive device (a tool that makes up for a limitation):
- Crutch (shifts weight off a leg through the arms):
- Brace (holds a joint steady):
- Cane (gives extra balance and a little support):
To pick a device, first name the patient's , then choose the device whose matches it.
- Define assistive device in your own words.
- Describe one limitation a brace solves that a cane does not.
- Explain why a patient who cannot put any weight on a foot needs crutches rather than a cane.
A patient is allowed to put no weight at all on the right foot for six weeks. Name the limitation, then choose between a cane, a brace, and crutches and justify the choice.