Differences in the load applied to knee joints of patients with osteoarthritis of the knee in indoor and outdoor environments

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K19372
• 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: Yaguchi Haruki 東北大学, 大学病院, 理学療法士 (10750060)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 変形性膝関節症 / 歩行解析 / ウェアラブルセンサ / 屋内歩行 / 屋外歩行 / バイオメカニクス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Using a wearable motion analyzer, we investigated the characteristics of gait at indoors and outdoors in persons with knee osteoarthritis. The subjects were 19 knee osteoarthritis cases and 20 healthy elderly subjects. Shoes equipped with load cells and inertial sensors were used for gait analysis. Straight line walking was performed indoors and outdoors on the same day. The results showed that there was no interaction between the measurement environment and the measurement limb in the knee and hip kinematic variables. The main effects were significant differences in maximum knee flexion angle and maximum hip flexion angle between the measurement limbs for the healthy subjects and the affected and contralateral sides, and significant differences in maximum hip extension angle between measurement environments. There were no significant differences in locomotor characteristics during walking between indoor and outdoor environments between knee osteoarthritis and healthy elderly subjects.

Free Research Field

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Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、変形性膝関節症症例を対象に、屋内と屋外で同一動作解析システムを用いて歩行解析を行った初めての報告である。今まで日常生活環境の違い、特に屋内と屋外環境による歩行への影響については、解明されていなかった。今回の短距離の平地歩行では、運動学的パラメータの解析結果から、変形性膝関節症症例と健常高齢者間での有意差はみられたもの、屋内と屋外環境の相違による有意な違いはみられなかった。このことから、歩行の運動処方として屋外環境においても屋内に準じたものを利用できる可能性がある。今回、日常生活場面での歩行解析を行えたことは、非常に意義の大きいものになる。