ABSTRACT
Objective To explore dynamic characteristics of the gait for the elderly with different fall risks before and after obstacle crossing. Methods Twenty-seven elderly people in community were graded as fall risk by using the time up and go test and five-time sit to stand test. The plantar pressure parameters of the elderly before and after obstacle crossing were measured and analyzed by foot pressure measurement system. Results There was no significant difference in the characteristic value of bimodal curve of overall plantar pressure between the high and low fall risk groups before and after obstacle crossing(P>0.05). The center of pressure (COP) trajectory in X direction of high fall risk group after obstacle crossing was significantly greater than that of low fall risk group (P0.05). Conclusions The support time of the elderly with high fall risk is longer than that of the elderly with low fall risk during obstacle crossing, the peak pressure of plantar metatarsal region of the crossing leg increases, and the plantar COP curve shows asymmetry, with an increase in transverse range of the coronal plane. In clinical evaluation, plantar pressure characteristics of people with fall risks during obstacle crossing should be focused on.
ABSTRACT
Objective To explore the aging characteristics of the gait movement stability of the elderly,so as to provide theoretical guidance for their fall prevention.Methods Fifty-eight elderly participants (ranging in age from 60 to 90) were given the instrumented timed up and go (iTUG) test including walking gait,turning-back and sit-standing using a wearable test system APDM Mobility LabTM (made in USA).Results Significant differences were found in the time of TUG and iTUG between the elderly in their sixties and those no less than 80,as well as between those in the seventies and six-ties;while there were no significant differences between people no less than 80 and those between six-ty and seventy.Moreover,both the above times increased with their age.There were significant differences among the three groups in the step gait parameters including the step length,speed and and several mobile ability indexes (P＜0.05).These parameters showed a tendency of decrease with the increase of the age.There was no significant difference among the three age groups in body-related motion parameters (P＞0.05).However,significant differences were found in turning parameters between people no less than 80 years and 60-70 years age group (P＞0.05),but not between those no less than 80 and those in their sixties (P＜0.05).No significant differences were found in sit-standing parameters,sit-to-stand duration and sit-to-stand range of motion of the trunk among the different age groups (P＞0.05).However,there were significant differences between the elderly no less than 80 and the other two age groups in turn-to-sit peak volecity (TTSPV) and turn-to-sit duration (P＜0.05).Significant differences were also found in the range of motion of the trunk (ROMT) between the elderly aged 60～70 and the other two groups (P＜0.05).The ROMT decreased with the increase of age.Conclusions The gait movement stability of the elderly has obvious aging characteristics and tends to decrease with age,especially in the aspect of longitudinal linear motion control ability.The lateral movement control competency is of weak correlation with age after 70,indicating that the age of 70 may be the critical age of high fall risks.