What is the patient cue for TTWB/TDWB?

What is the patient cue for TTWB/TDWB?

• A. Don't crush the eggshell
• B. Keep a heavy foot on the ground
• C. Push through the midfoot
• D. Use full weight on the limb

Answer: (A)

The idea behind this cue is to communicate minimal contact with the ground while keeping balance. For TTWB/TDWB, you want the patient to touch the floor very lightly with the toes or forefoot—enough to feel the ground but not to bear weight through the limb. The eggshell metaphor works well here: imagine the foot resting on a fragile shell that would crack under any substantial load. The patient should avoid crushing it, meaning no pressure or loading through the leg. This is why the other cues don’t fit: keeping a heavy foot on the ground would imply full or substantial weight bearing; pushing through the midfoot suggests loading through the entire foot; using full weight on the limb indicates complete weight bearing.

The idea behind this cue is to communicate minimal contact with the ground while keeping balance. For TTWB/TDWB, you want the patient to touch the floor very lightly with the toes or forefoot—enough to feel the ground but not to bear weight through the limb. The eggshell metaphor works well here: imagine the foot resting on a fragile shell that would crack under any substantial load. The patient should avoid crushing it, meaning no pressure or loading through the leg.

This is why the other cues don’t fit: keeping a heavy foot on the ground would imply full or substantial weight bearing; pushing through the midfoot suggests loading through the entire foot; using full weight on the limb indicates complete weight bearing.