Clarifying the mechanism of gait disturbance under outdoor enviroment in patients with hemiparesis due to stroke

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K17665
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 59010:Rehabilitation science-related
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Sekiguchi Yusuke 東北大学, 大学病院, 理学療法士 (60535095)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 歩行 / 脳卒中片麻痺 / 非対称性 / 身体活動量 / 適応 / 不整地 / 協調性 / 歩行速度

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The first study examined the relationship between walking speed and kinetic control by coordination among lower limb joints. Increase of walking speed caused temporal control of propulsion by kinetic coordination among lower limb joints during walking in healthy young adults. On the other hand, the kinetic coordination among lower limb joints during walking in patients with hemiparesis due to stroke with high walking speed showed control of lower limb support rather than control of propulsion.
The second study examined the relationship between the walking activity in daily life and the kinematics during gait in patients with hemiparesis when walking on uneven terrain. We found that the patients with high activity had a greater increase in step length on the paretic side and knee extension on the non-paretic side when walking on uneven terrain.

Free Research Field

歩行解析

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

健常者や脳卒中片麻痺患者において歩行速度により、下肢の各関節で発揮された力がどのように制御されているかを明らかにすることで、将来的に脳卒中片麻痺患者の歩行支援を行うウエアラブル型ロボット装具を作製する際の基礎的な知見となり得る。また、地域社会での身体活動量が高い脳卒中片麻痺の症例は、不整地でどのような歩き方をしているかを明らかにすることで、新たなトレーニング方法や装具を創出する知見となり得る。