以負重模擬老年女性下肢動作研究

Abstract

近年已有研究嘗試以年輕人負重來模擬老年人步態，但至今模擬結果仍未與真實老年人步態比較，且方法設計上亦有許多爭議。目的：檢測分析年輕人、中年人和老年人下肢肌力，並建立年輕人模擬中、老年人動作時所需的負重比率，同時發展出利用年輕人負重的方法，來模擬老年人肌肉功能退化的狀況，以瞭解老年人行動能力上的缺失情形。方法：招募健康女性受試者共36名，年輕人（21.42 ± 1.62歲）、中年人（52.42 ± 2.39歲）和老年人（71.08 ± 3.37歲）各12名，分別以（一）下肢肌力檢測；（二）一般動作分析；（三）模擬動作分析，來進行實驗。結果：中年人、老年人相對於年輕人之下肢肌力檢測數值，得知中年人肌力退化率為22.8%；老年人則為32.31%。而在一般步行、上下登階和坐站行走的各個動作參數中，模擬族群在實驗中的整體趨勢和真實族群所呈現的動作老化現象是一致的。結論：以年輕人負重方式僅可模擬出老年人的一般步行動作，而上下登階和坐站行走則難以模擬。此外，由步態分析參數結果發現，人類老化的關鍵期在中年過後，且骨盆和大腿周遭肌群很可能是下肢老化最為明顯的部位。In recent years, researchers have tried the method of load carrying on the younger people to simulate the elderly gait. However, the stimulation results have yet to be compared with the real elderly gait, and this experimental design is also debatable. Purpose: This study is conducted for the following purposes: First, analyzing the muscle strength of lower limbs for people at different ages. Second, develop the simulation method by different loads for the degradation of muscle strength, and thus understand the mobility impairment in elderly individuals. Methods: The subjects are 36 healthy women who are evenly divided into three groups based on their ages. They are young (21.42 ± 1.62 years), middle-aged (52.42 ± 2.39 years), and elder (71.08 ± 3.37 years). Subjects are examined through the followin: (a) the muscle strength of lower limbs; (b) normal gait analysis; (c) simulation gait analysis. Results: Based on the numerical value of the lower limbs muscle strength for the young subjects, the degradation rates of the muscle strength of the middle-aged and the elderly are 22.80% and 32.31% respectively. Most of the parameters in normal walk, sit-to-stand walk, and step test in simulation matched up with those in real conditions, concerning aging phenomenon in this experiment. Conclusion: The load carrying on the young people can simulate the normal walk of the elder, but can not fully simulate the sit-to-stand walk and step test of the elder. Besides, the result shows the decrease in pelvic and leg muscle strength become obvious in the middle-aged group which need to be carefully reviewed for the aging problem in the future.