노인의 넘어짐 경험에 따른 보행능력과 균형능력 비교

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the effects of falling experience on gait ability and balance ability in the elderly women utilizing new instruments with high validity to measure gait ability and balance in the lower extremities. Forty six elderly women were volunteered to participate in the study as subjects. They were divided into two groups, i.e., falling experienced group(FG: n=24) and non-falling experienced group(NFG: n=22). The collected data were calculated with falling experience group and non-falling experience group utilizing independent t-test with repeated measures. Variables related to physique, gait ability(Temporal parameters and Spatial parameters) and balance ability were measured and compared between the two groups. There was no significant difference between the two groups in all variables of step time, gait cycle time, single support time, double support time, ambulation time, velocity, and mean normalized velocity. in the case of spatial parameters, step length(left, right), stride length(left), step/extremity ratio(left), and funcional ambulatory profiles of gait, were significantly lower in FG than NFG. In addition, FG showed signifiantly lower. in the case of level 2, there was a significant differencce in overall, Anterior･Posterior, Medial･Lateral. in level 4, there was a significant difference between Medial･Lateral. it was concluded that low step length, stride length, funcional ambulatory profiles due to the experience of falling, and a decrease in balance ability on unstable ground. Therefore, the results of this study are expected to be helpful as basic data for constructing an exercise program for improving spatial walking ability and balance ability on unstable ground in planning an exercise program for preventing falls in elderly women.