1989 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Kinematic Analysis of Gait Patterns of the Blind
| Project/Area Number |
63450012
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research (B)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Research Field |
Psychology
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| Research Institution | Institution of Special Education, University of Tsukuba |
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Principal Investigator |
NAKATA Hideo Associate Professor, Institute of Special Education, University of Tsukuba., 心身障害学系, 助教授 (80133023)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
SAKAMOTO Yoichi Orientation and Mobility Specialist, National Rehabilitation Center for the Phys, 生活訓練専門職
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| Project Period (FY) |
1988 – 1989
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| Keywords | gait / visually impaired / EMG / late blind / adapted gait / footswitch / leg muscle / telemetry |
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| Research Abstract |
The purpose of this investigation was to examine the leg muscle EMG- pattern and footswitch data obtained from visually impaired and sighted subjects during gait. Five late blind, five partially sighted and twenty sighted subjects took part in the experiment. Each subject was asked to walk a 10m at his normal walking speed in a room. Sighted subjects had 5 trials in both eyes open and eyes blindfolded conditions. Visually impaired subjects were tested 5 times without a long cane. The EMGs of the medial head of gastrocnemius, the tibialis anterior, the rectus femoris and the biceps femoris of one leg were recorded using surface electrodes. The EMGS, the signals of the goniometer and the footswitches were transferred to a tape recorder by means of telemetry. Cadence, time of support, time of swing and walking velocity were measured using the footswitches which indicated the first moment of ground contact with the ball or heel of the foot. It was found that the gait of late blind subjects shows a continuous activation in the tibialis anterior EMG and an increase of activation in the rectus femoris EMG. The gait of late blind subjects is similar to that of blindfolded sighted subjects and is quite different from that observed in sighted subjects with eyes open. That is, late blind subjects might have acquired an adapted gait skill in order to walk safely and independently. These muscular activities of lower extremities in late blind subjects may decrease mechanical efficiency and increase the amount of energy expended during locomotor movements.
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