Gait help: How and where to carry a cane, and why.

Test Question from this photo:

This lady on the right is using her cane and purse correctly IF, she has a degenerative hip on the RIGHT or LEFT ?

Answer: LEFT hip

Why, because the cane in the right hand pressing down creates a ground reactive force back up through the cane, helping to tip her torso to the left, the passive cane-generated lean in effect reduces the left gluteus medius compressive load across a painful degenerative hip. Result, less painful gait.

But, she is also brilliant to use the purse in the left hand, to effectively PULL her torso over the left hip (again, limiting g.medius joint compressive forces through more passive means).
End result, less compressive pain loading across a degenerative joint.
*IF we were her daughter we would help by putting a 10 pound brick in the purse, just to help of course.

IF she however has a painful degenerative right hip, school her.