| Project/Area Number |
09680135
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
体育学
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| Research Institution | Osaka University of Health and Sport Sciences |
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Principal Investigator |
KANEKO Masahiro Osaka University of Health and Sport Sciences Department of Physical Education, Professor, 体育学部, 教授 (00067232)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
SHISHIKURA Yasuo Osaka University of Health and Sport Sciences Department of Physical Education, Professor, 体育学部, 教授 (60067254)
YAMAZAKI Takeshi Osaka University of Health and Sport Sciences Department of Physical Education, Professor, 体育学部, 教授 (50067237)
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| Project Period (FY) |
1997 – 1998
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| Project Status |
Completed (Fiscal Year 1998)
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| Budget Amount *help |
¥3,200,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,200,000)
Fiscal Year 1998: ¥1,400,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,400,000)
Fiscal Year 1997: ¥1,800,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,800,000)
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| Keywords | walking / elderly / step length / walking speed / step rate / 力学的エネルギー |
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| Research Abstract |
This study examined the pendular motion characteristics of walking at various speeds. In addition to a self-selected speed and a maximal speed, 37 elderly women aged 65-85 years old walked at 5 fixed speeds and 21 women 18-25 years of age walked at 11 fixed speeds. The fixed walking pace was directed by a moving light-band of the pacemaker. From the ground reaction forces recorded using force plates, the external work was obtained by adding increments in the curves of total energy. The pendular efficiency ws also calculated using 100% to indicate complete energy transfer between kinetic and potential energy. The external power in unit body mass increased with walking speed, and tended to be less in the elderly group at a given speed. The pendular efficiency (PEF) changed with speed in a convex fashion, exhibiting a maximum at an intermediate speed. The maximal PEF values and walking speed at which PEF reached a maximum were virually the same in both the elderly and younger age groups. However, PEF values in the elderly decreased drastically compared to that in the younger group as the walking speed shifted from the optimal speed. A kinematic analysis revealed that the elderly tended to walk with a shorter step length and an increased step rate at high speeds, and with a longer step length and slower step rate at very low speeds of walking. These characteristics of the elderly might be attributed to reduced physical fitness due to aging. Walking ability of elderly women who participated in a sport club activities were higher than the ordinary elderly. Physical fitness, consisting of musclar strength, muscular power, ability, flexibility and balance, were higher in the sport group than in the ordinary group. In conclusion, it was suggested that participation in sport club would increase in walking ability and physical fitness.
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