Visuomotor control in elderly people with sensory impairment in the lower limbs during obstacle crossing

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K24331
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0909:Sports sciences, physical education, health sciences, and related fields
• Research Institution: Morinomiya University of Medical Sciences (2021); Osaka Yukioka College of Health Science (2019-2020)
• Principal Investigator: Kunimune Sho 森ノ宮医療大学, 保健医療学部, 助教 (50848554)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-08-30 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 視覚運動制御 / 高齢者 / 障害物跨ぎ動作 / 感覚 / 転倒

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aimed to elucidate the role of visuomotor control during obstacle crossing in elderly people with proprioceptive disorder of the lower limbs.
Prior to participant recruitment for this study, it was necessary to investigate sex differences on visuomotor control. Results suggested that both sexes had similar visuomotor control for toe clearance of the lead limb when crossing obstacles. This was followed by an investigation on visuomotor control during crossing of elderly people with proprioceptive disorder in the lower limbs. Only cases with the mildest proprioceptive disorder of the lower limbs had results similar to those of healthy participants. In future, intervention studies aiming to characterize the association between proprioceptive disorders and visuomotor control during obstacle crossing may be required.

Free Research Field

リハビリテーション科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は対象者数が少ないながらも、実際に固有感覚障害を有する症例を対象とした貴重な実験的研究であり、学術的意義が大きい。本研究結果より、日常生活が自立していても下肢の固有感覚障害があれば、障害物跨ぎ動作における視覚運動制御が変化する可能性が考えられた。また、その視覚運動制御には性差を認めないことも明らかになった。
これらの知見は、「躓き」および「転倒」予防介入を発展させるために重要な知見である。今後は介入研究を実施していくことで効果的な転倒予防プログラムを提案していきたい。