Characterisation of lower limb loading during sports movements in active older adults using a 'super force plate' facility

已经有充分的证据表明，保持活跃到老年对健康，健康和保持独立的好处。这导致越来越多的老年人参与体育运动，每周有340万55岁以上的人参加体育运动（自2006年以来增加了28%）。然而，尽管记录的好处，很少有人知道的运动模式和关节负荷经历了这一人群在体育活动。需要这些知识来创建特定的支持，以帮助人们保持更长时间的活跃。该项目将涉及定制一个新的最先进的研究设施（vsimulators.co.uk），以重新创建运动环境，收集有关活跃的老年人在执行运动任务（如停止，扭转，跳跃和转弯）时运动模式的详细信息。这是此类项目中的第一个。它将提供一个独特的设施和程序，以获得新的知识，这些知识可用于制定一套具体的支持，以促进活跃的老年人安全地进行体育运动和锻炼。该催化剂项目的主要目的是评估使用新研究设施的可行性，该设施包括3.6平方米的力敏地板，监控整个区域运动的摄像头和虚拟现实能力，以准确再现活跃老年人的完整体育运动。这将通过将新设施中收集的数据与在运动环境中进行的类似运动收集的数据进行比较来实现。该项目将提供有关鞋底和地板表面之间的典型力以及该人群在运动任务期间膝关节和踝关节所经历的负载的新知识，并将通过与行业和学术合作伙伴的合作，为该设施的未来应用奠定基础。这种新设施和方法已经确定的一个目标应用将是与项目合作伙伴Cosyfeet（萨默塞特，英国）合作，专门为参与运动和锻炼的老年人设计的鞋类的开发。运动鞋和表面的研究以前主要集中在年轻人群。预计老年人所需的鞋类特征将不同于年轻人所需的特征。衰老过程影响我们进行动态运动的能力，老年人在进行网球、壁球、羽毛球和无挡板篮球等运动任务时，关节活动范围通常受到限制，移动速度更慢，距离更短。这对鞋提出了不同的要求，从而影响了安全性能所需的特性。鞋类的设计优先级也可能受到老龄化人口特征的影响，例如由于足部健康挑战或与骨关节炎变化相关的慢性膝关节疼痛而更加关注舒适度。目前，在选择运动鞋时有许多选择，但帮助活跃的老年人选择运动鞋的理想特性的知识是不可用的。设施的发展，提供新的知识的运动策略的老年人执行体育任务，将有助于我们了解关节负荷量，缓冲的水平和量的鞋表面抓地力适合这个人口。 总之，提供一个详细调查从事体育活动的老年人口具体体育任务的设施，将改变健康老龄化领域，最终能够提供安全舒适条件的建议，以便利这一不断增长的人口继续开展活动，增进健康和福祉，提高生活质量和寿命。

There is already well documented evidence to show the benefits of staying active into older age on health, wellness and maintaining independence. This has led to a growing population of older adults engaging with sport and exercise, with 3.4 million over-55s taking part in sport on a weekly basis (up 28% since 2006). However, despite the documented benefits, little is known about the movement patterns and joint loading experienced by this population during sport-specific activity. This knowledge is required to create specific support to help people to stay active for longer. This project will involve the customisation of a new state-of-the-art research facility (vsimulators.co.uk) to recreate sports settings for the collection of detailed information on the movement patterns of active older adults when performing sports tasks such as stopping, twisting, jumping and turning. This is the first such project of its kind. It will provide a unique facility and procedures to obtain new knowledge that can be applied to the development of a suite of specific support for the safe performance of sport and exercise for active older adults. The main aim of this catalyst project will be to assess the feasibility of using the new research facility comprising 3.6-m square force-sensitive floor, cameras to monitor movement throughout the entire area and ability for virtual reality, to accurately reproduce complete sports movements for active older adults. This will be achieved by comparing data collected in the new facility with data collected for similar movements performed in sport settings. The project will provide new knowledge on the typical forces between the shoe sole and the floor surface and the loads experienced by the knee and ankle joints of this population during sports tasks, and will form the foundation for future applications of the facility through collaboration with industry and academic partners. One target application already identified for this new facility and method will be the development of footwear specifically designed for older adults participating in sport and exercise, working in collaboration with project partner Cosyfeet (Somerset, UK). Studies of sports shoes and surfaces have previously focused on younger populations. It is anticipated that the desirable characteristics of footwear for older adults will differ from those for younger populations. The process of ageing influences our ability to perform dynamic sports movements, with older adults typically experiencing a restricted range of joint motion, moving more slowly and travelling shorter distances when performing sports tasks such as those observed in tennis, squash, badminton and netball. This places different demands on footwear, thus influencing the required characteristics for safe performance. The design priorities for footwear may also be influenced by characteristics of the ageing population, such as greater focus on comfort due to foot health challenges or chronic knee pain associated with osteoarthritic changes. Currently there are numerous options available when selecting footwear for sports, but knowledge of the desirable characteristics to help active older adults select footwear to wear for sports is not available. The development of a facility to provide new knowledge of the movement strategies of older adults performing sports tasks will help us to understand the amount of joint loading, the level of cushioning and the amount of shoe-surface grip suitable for this population. In summary, the provision of a facility for the detailed investigation of sport-specific tasks for the active older population will transform the field of healthy ageing by ultimately allowing the provision of recommendations for safe and comfortable conditions to facilitate continued activity for this growing population, enhancing health and wellbeing and improving quality of life and longevity.