Factors affecting loading responses during walking in unilateral transfemoral amputees

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K11338
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 59010:Rehabilitation science-related
• Research Institution: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Hobara Hiroaki 国立研究開発法人産業技術総合研究所, 情報・人間工学領域, 主任研究員 (40510673)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 義足 / 歩行 / バイオメカニクス / 非対称性 / リハビリテーション

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In the present study, unilateral transfemoral amputees (n=25) showed obvious bilaterally asymmetric gait features, especially, the magnitude of ground reaction forces, the external mechanical work, the center of pressure trajectories, and the vertical loading rate at the initial stance. These results are indicative of relevance to the elevated risk of musculoskeletal impairments, such as chronic back pain, and knee osteoarthritis, which is often observed in the unilateral transfemoral amputees. On the other hand, we also found that the elevated impact loading on the intact limb may be mitigated through increased push-off at the late stance on the prosthetic limb. Further, microprocessor control knee joint may be able to a key technology to achieving these preferrable adaptations in unilateral transfemoral amputees.

Free Research Field

バイオメカニクス

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究を通じて，片側大腿切断者25名からなる大規模な歩行データを取得することができた．同データは2.0 km/hから5.5 km/の8段階速度で計測を行っており，個人属性も詳細に記録しているが，こうしたデータセットは非常に珍しく，今後，日本国内における下肢切断者の歩行リハビリテーションの標準値になると考えられる．また，一側肢への過負荷蓄積が二次障害を誘発する可能性を明らかにしたという点から，各個人にあった義足パーツの選定，衝撃緩衝材を利用した義足部品の開発，非切断側への医療ケアといった，臨床的にも重要な知見を創出できたと考えている．