| Budget Amount *help |
¥2,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,300,000)
Fiscal Year 1997: ¥100,000 (Direct Cost: ¥100,000)
Fiscal Year 1996: ¥400,000 (Direct Cost: ¥400,000)
Fiscal Year 1995: ¥1,800,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,800,000)
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| Research Abstract |
The purpose of this study was to investigate the deterioration of movements with aging, through the cross-and longitudinal-observation of elderly gait. The chracteristics of elderly gait were determined from folowing variables : 1 ; walking velocity, 2 ; stride length, 3 ; step frequency, 4 ; duration of, suport-, swing-, and double-support phases, and one walking cycle, and 5 ; kinematic variables, such as range of displacement and angles in knee and ankle joints.
99 healthy men and women aged 6O-94 of years were recruited for subjects. Each subject was asked to walk the length of a 8 meter walkway at self-selected walking pace. Walking pattern was recorded by high speed video-recorder. Coordinates of ear, shoulder, wrist, iliac, knee, ankle and toe were fed into microcomputer using digitizing method and analyzed.
With respect to walking speed, step length, flexion of knee joint, and vertical displacement of knee and toe, significant differences were obtained in cross and longitudinal observations. Compared with walking pattern of young people, 1 ; walking speed was slower, 2 ; step length was shorter, 3 ; flexion of knee joint is narrower, and 4 ; vertical displacement of knee and toe during swing phase were lower.
A weakness of muscle strength in lower extrimity occuring with aging may be one of the mechanism for presenile walking pattern. Muscle training is necessary for mobility even a elderly.
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