Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the upper body in order to increase a propulsive force in the old`s walking. The subjects were each 10 males, the latter term of the aged and former term of the aged. There were three walking speeds of slow(about 5km/h), medium(about 6km/h), and maximum speed(about 7km/h). The subjects walking 11m were filmed the 5m section (from 3m to 8m) by 2-video cameras using three dimensional cinematography. And we computed different mechanical quantities and especially computed the relative momentum in order to achieve this study`s aim. In this study, we was able to acquire some knowledge. The step length and step frequency increased in proportion to the walking speed, and the faster walking speed, the shorter ratio of supporting time( both legs supporting time/one step length time). When it was one leg support phase, the torso was indicated to generate the momentum in order to produce the propulsive force of walking. The upper and lower body had a cooperative relation for walking such as keeping step rate with the arms to legs and maintaining the body balance. The opposition phase for upward-and-downward direction of the torso and arms in walking was functioned to prevent the increase rapidly toward vertical direction of the center of gravity. The arms had contributed to coordinate the tempo of legs and the posture maintenance of the upper body. And by absorbing the relative momentum from the upper torso with arms to the lower torso, it had the rhythmical movement on upward-and-downward direction reducing the vertical reaction force. On account of the relations of absorption and generation of the propulsive force and the production of vertical impulse in the lower torso when walking by maximum speed, it was showed that the function of lower torso was come up as important problem for the mechanical posture stability and propulsive force coordination.

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