ABSTRACT
Objective:To explore the influence of constrained arms swing on temporal and spatial gait parameters in healthy young adults.Method:Thirty-six healthy young persons (18 male,18 female;age:22.72±3.54 years;height:167.35±9.15 cm;weight:63.62±16.29 kg) were recruited for this study.All subjects received gait analysis by the Gait Watch analyses system.All subjects walked combined with 10 walking conditions (the arms swinging naturally,the arms constrained in front of the abdomen,the arms constrained in back of the abdomen,the left arm constrained in body side,the left arm constrained in front of the abdomen,the left arm constrained in back of the abdomen,the right arm constrained in body side,the right arm constrained in front of the abdomen and the right arm constrained in back of the abdomen).Walking conditions were randomly set during the experiment.The differences of the temporal and spatial gait parameters were analyzed and compared.Result:There was not significant difference of the temporal and spatial gait parameters (gait cycle,stride frequency,stride length,step velocity,step length,left step,right step,double support phase) between arm constrained and the arms swinging naturally.The left support phase and left swing phase showed significantly difference with the left arm constrained in body side,the left arm constrained in front of the abdomen and the left arm constrained in back of the abdomen compared with arms swinging naturally.The right support phase and right swing phase showed significantly difference with the left arm constrained in back of the abdomen,the right arm constrained in body side,the right arm constrained in front of the abdomen and the right arm constrained in back of the abdomen compared with arms swinging naturally.Conclusion:The left support phase was shorten and left swing phase was prolonged with the left arm constrained,while the right support phase was prolonged and right swing phase was shorten with the right arm constrained.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of variations in arm swing during gait on movement of the trunk and pelvis. During the gait task, the angle of the trunk and pelvic rotation were analyzed according to arm swing conditions. METHODS: Seventeen healthy males participated in this study. All subjects were analyzed for gait on a treadmill three times each under three different types of arm swing conditions – natural arm swing, restricted arm swing using a phone, restricted swing in both arms. 3-D motion analysis systems were used to collect and analyze the kinematic data of trunk and pelvic movements, and repeated one-way ANOVA was used to compare the trunk and pelvic kinematic data and symmetry index. The level of significance was α=0.05. RESULTS: The results showed kinematic differences in trunk and pelvic during gait based on the arm swing conditions. Specifically, there were significant differences in trunk rotation, left and right trunk rotation and symmetry index of trunk rotation during gait among the three arm swing conditions. ROM was used to calculate a symmetry index (SI) based on the average left and right trunk rotation in which a value closer to zero indicated better balance. The SI obtained for arm swing restricted with the phone was closer to –1 than the other conditions. CONCLUSION: Restricted arm swing due to use of a phone had the possibility to induce instability of postural control while walking, which could be seen to suggest a risk of falling during gait.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Accidental Falls , Arm , Cell Phone , Gait , Pelvis , WalkingABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to speculate the role of arm swing during gait through the comparison of energy consumption and kinematic data between the arm restriction and free arm swing METHOD: 20 healthy male adults were recruited as subjects. The kinematic data including upper trunk and oxygen consumption were compared at three different walking speeds (2 km/hr, 4 km/hr, 6 km/hr) between with and without arm restriction. RESULTS: The oxygen consumption rate with arm restriction was significantly increased at fast speed walking (6 km/hr) comparing that without arm restriction. We found the significant difference of anterior-tilt angle, range of motion (ROM) in the coronal and transverse plane of upper trunk, anterior pelvic tilting angle, ROM of pelvis in coronal and transverse plane, maximal flexion angle of hip, ROM of hip in the coronal plane, and the external rotation angle at single support time in the transverse plane of hip between with and without arm restriction at fast walking speed (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: These results revealed that arm restriction while walking resulted in the minimal, significant changes of energy consumption, and kinematic data. Therefore, arm swing on gait was considered to have roles on energy conservation at fast walking, and on getting better limb advancement and stability.