BIOMECHANICAL ANALYSIS OF WALKER-ASSISTED GAIT

描述（改编自申请人的摘要）：丧失移动性和 与此相关的自给自足的丧失对 老年人和社会。 1987年，国家卫生统计中心 报告说，老年人更有可能有行走问题， 比任何其他个人护理活动都要多。 通常，老年人可以 使用助行器等辅助设备重建部分自给自足。 尽管助行器是老年人常用的辅助设备， 存在关于步行者使用的生物力学的数据。 本研究的目的 是评估不同残疾的老年人如何使用 行尸 这项研究的长期目标是开发出更好的步行者 设计并在步行者的使用中变得更加博学。 参与的受试者 研究中将包括老年人谁可以走没有使用 （“正常步态”组），需要辅助器具的老年人 轮椅助行器的使用 使用标准的（无轮的）步行者进行步行。 我们将（1） 执行完整的3D运动学分析（包括上肢、躯干 和下肢），2） 获得下肢七个关键肌群的肌电图数据， 四肢，并收集施加到仪器的力的数据 步行者的上肢。 将选择受试者以尽量减少 年龄和残疾等因素造成的混杂效应。 数据 用仪器化步行者获得的测量值将包括 施加到每个步行者手柄上的力和扭矩的方向（在 三个正交方向）。 三维运动学 数据将包括最大和最小主要关节角度以及 步行活动。 将分析肌电图数据的时间和 个体之间的差异。 广泛的描述性数据 将进行分析，以记录运动学、肌电图和 步行者使用者的动力（施加在步行者上的力）模式。 ANOVA 模型将用于确定组间差异（无步行者vs 标准步行者与轮式步行者以及单侧与双侧缺陷）。 它 预计在统计学上， 团体。

DESCRIPTION (Adapted from the Applicant's Abstract): Loss of mobility and the associated loss of self- sufficiency have a dramatic impact on the elderly and on society. In 1987, the National Center for Health Statistics reported that the elderly were more likely to have problems with walking than with any other personal care activity. Often, elderly individuals can reestablish partial self-sufficiency with assistive devices such as walkers. Even though walkers are common assistive devices used by the elderly, little data exist on the biomechanics of walker use. The objective of this study is to evaluate how older individuals with differing disabilities use walkers. The long-range goal of the study is to develop better walker designs and become more knowledgeable in walker use. Subjects participating in the study will include elderly individuals who can walk without the use of assistive device ("normal gait" group), elderly individuals who require the use of a wheel-walker for ambulation and elderly individuals who require the use of a standard (non-wheeled) walker for ambulation. We will 1) perform a complete 3D kinematic analysis (including upper extremities, trunk and lower extremities) of each subject during level ground ambulation, 2) obtain electromyographic data of seven key muscle groups of the lower extremities, and gather data on the forces applied to the instrumented walker by the upper extremities. Subjects will be chosen to minimize confounding effects caused by factors such as age and disabilities. Data obtained with the instrumented walker will include the magnitude and the direction of the forces and torques applied to each walker handle (in the three orthogonal directions) throughout the full gait cycle. 3D kinematic data will include maximum and minimum major joint angles and timing of walking events. Electromyographic data will be analyzed for temporal and amplitude differences among individuals. Extensive descriptive data analysis will be performed to document the kinematic, electromyographic and kinetic (forces applied on the walker) patterns of walker users. ANOVA models will be used to determine differences among groups (no walker vs standard walker vs wheel-walker and unilateral vs bilateral deficits). It is expected that there will be statistically significant differences among the groups.