Construction of fall prevention programs in elderly based on elucidation of inter-limb coordination during one-leg standing

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K19876
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 59010:Rehabilitation science-related
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University of Science
• Principal Investigator: Yoichiro Sato 北海道科学大学, 保健医療学部, 准教授 (20433518)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 転倒 / 予防 / 高齢者 / 転倒予防 / 足指 / 協調性 / 体節間協調性 / プログラム

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to clarify differences between young adults and older adults concerning the following two points: (1) to examine coordination of foot movement against body sway during one-legged standing, and (2) to examine coordinate relationship between foot and trunk movements during one-legged standing (OLS). We recorded pressures of foot toes and trunk movements during the OLS in healthy young and older adults. In foot coordination, the responses of hallux against body sway in the medial-lateral direction in the older adults were lower than those in the younger adults. In trunk movements, whereas the pelvis movement in the younger adults was anti-phase to the shoulder girdle movement, that in the older adults was in-phase. This finding suggests that the trunk movement may be attributed to OLS duration.

Free Research Field

身体教育学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

高齢者の転倒によって介護が必要になり、本人の生活の質（QOL）は著しく低下してしまいます。本研究では、転倒を予防するための運動プログラム立案を目標として、足指の機能と体幹（上半身）機能に注目して、バランス能力の指標の一つである片脚立ちでのそれらの役割について検討しました。結果として、足指は、特に母趾の機能の低下が高齢者でみられました。また、上半身ではバランスを取る時に若年者でみられるような柔軟な動きが高齢者ではみられませんでした。これらのことから、バランスをよくして転倒を未然に防ぐためには、親指を鍛えることと上半身を柔らかく使えるようになることが重要だとわかりました。