Mechanism of "smoothness" of motion of patients with hip disease by entropy

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K01549
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Rehabilitation science/Welfare engineering
• Research Institution: Kyushu University of Nursing and Social Welfare
• Principal Investigator: Katoh Hiroshi 九州看護福祉大学, 看護福祉学部, 教授 (90368712)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 動きの滑らかさ / entropy / 力学的エネルギー / 歩行 / 変形性股関節症

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between the "smoothness" of movements during walking and the mechanical energy characteristics of the lower limbs in healthy subject and patient with OA. As a result, the entropy of patient with OA was higher than that of healthy subject in all three axial directions. Furthermore, in the stance phase, the patient with OA showed a waveform in which the polarity of the segment moment power at the distal thigh segment and the proximal shank segment was switched more frequently than that in the healthy subject. From the above, it was suggested that the high value of entropy may reflect the inefficiency of this energy flow.

Free Research Field

理学療法

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

エネルギーには「質の良いエネルギー」と「質の悪いエネルギー」がある．質の良いエネルギーとは，より多くの仕事ができるエネルギーである．つまり，小さな筋力で効率よく重心の移動が行えれば，質の良いエネルギーと言える．人は動作の特性に合わせ，筋力を発揮する際に隣接するセグメント間でエネルギーの移動を行い効率的な仕事をしている．そして，本研究結果から，効率の良いエネルギーの移動では，動作そのものが滑らかであることが示された．今後の理学療法においては，小さな力でも多くの仕事ができる質の高いエネルギーの獲得を目指した新たな視点での筋のトレーニング法の確立が求められる．