BIOMECHANICAL ANALYSIS OF WALKER-ASSISTED GAIT

描述(改编自申请人的摘要)：行动不便和 随之而来的自给自足的丧失对 老年人对社会的影响。1987年，国家卫生统计中心 报道称，老年人更有可能出现行走问题 比任何其他个人护理活动都要好。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，但很少有 关于助行器使用的生物力学数据已经存在。这项研究的目的是 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培养更好的步行者 设计并对助行器的使用有更多的了解。参与主体 这项研究将包括那些不使用电脑就能走路的老年人。 辅助装置(“正常步态”组)，老年人需要 轮式助行器用于步行和需要的老年人 使用标准的(无轮的)步行器进行行走。我们会1) 执行完整的3D运动学分析(包括上肢、躯干 每个受试者在平地行走时的肢体)，2) 获取下腹部7个关键肌群的肌电数据 四肢，并收集有关应用于仪器的力的数据 步行者的上肢。主题将被选择为最小化 年龄和残疾等因素造成的混杂影响。数据 使用仪表式步行器获得的数据将包括震级和 应用于每个助行器手柄的力和扭矩的方向(在 三个垂直方向)贯穿整个步态周期。三维运动学 数据将包括最大和最小主要关节角度以及 徒步活动。肌电数据将被分析为时间和 个体间的幅度差异。广泛的描述性数据 将进行分析以记录运动学、肌电图学和 助行器使用者的运动(施加在助行器上的力)模式。方差分析 将使用模型来确定不同组之间的差异(无步行者与 标准步行者VS方向盘步行者和单侧VS双边赤字)。它 预计将在统计上有显著差异 这些团体。

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.