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KMID : 1211620180130040001
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Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
2018 Volume.13 No. 4 p.1 ~ p.8
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Effect of Carrying Weight on the Gait of Elderly Women when using a Walking Assistant Vehicle
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Roh Hyo-Lyun
Son Sung-Min
Kwag Sung-Won
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Abstract
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PURPOSE: This study was conducted to analyze the effects of carrying weight on the gait of elderly women using a walking-assistant vehicle (WAV) as the weight increased.
METHODS: A total of 30 elderly women living in the local community were included as subjects and instructed to walk 50 m using a WAV loaded with sandbags corresponding to 0%, 5%, 10%, or 15% of their mean weight. The subjects’ gait was analyzed using a gait analyzer to measure stride length, step length, step width, and gait time.
RESULTS: Stride and step lengths were longest when carrying 5% of their weight and shortest when carrying 15% of their mean body weight. Step width and gait time were lowest when carrying weights corresponding to 5% and highest for 15% of their mean body weight. When observing gait with a WAV, the gait time was greatly affected by weights, with carrying weight equivalent to 5% of the body weight positively affected the gait with a WAV, whereas carrying weights of >15% resulted in slower gait speed.
CONCLUSION: When walking with a WAV, an appropriate carrying weight of approximately 5% of the body weight stabilizes gait, while a weight of 15% leads decreased gait efficiency. Therefore, when using a WAV during outdoor activities, elderly women should add some weight to the WAV; however, the carrying weight should be <15% of the body weight.
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KEYWORD
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Elderly women, Gait, Walking assistant
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