• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.165-172
• /
• 2006

The purpose of this study was to determine effects of 12-week wearing of unstable shoe on the standing posture and gait mechanics. Nine healthy men were asked to wear the unstable shoes for 12-week and walk for 30 minute everyday. Their standing posture and gait mechanics were measured before and after treatment. Standing posture was measured for each side(anterior, posterior, lateral) for standing position. And gait analysis was measured joint angle of a right lower limb between first right heel contact and second right heel contact. Kinematic data were collected using video camera at 30 frame per seconds. Statistical analysis was paired t-test(p<.05) to compare before training with after that. A head tilt angle was significantly decreased for posterior side(p<.05). The angle of between center of line and surface was significantly decreased at midstance and take off during walking(p<.05). Ankle dorsiflexion significantly increased at heel contact2(p<.05) and ankle plantarflexion significantly increased at midstance and midswing(p<.05). The increase of ankle dorsiflexion showed that our results consisted with previous study. In conclusion, there was not large significant difference in static standing posture but joint angle of lower limb represented many changes with increasing of ankle motion during walking. These were of benefit to body by increasing leg muscle activity but it was necessary for man having a ankle problem to consider. Further studies concerning optimum outsole angle of unstable shoes are necessary.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
• /
• v.28 no.6
• /
• pp.687-693
• /
• 2011

Spring-mass models have been widely accepted to explain the basic dynamics of human gait. Researchers found that the leg stiffness increased with gait speed to increase energy efficiency. However, the difference of leg stiffness change with gait speed between the young and the elderly has not been verified yet. In this study, we calculated the lower limb stiffness of the elderly using walking model with an axial spring. Vertical stiffness was defined as the ratio of the vertical force change to the vertical displacement change. Seven young and eight elderly subjects participated to the test. The subjects walked on a 12 meter long, 1 meter wide walkway at four different gait speeds, ranging from their self-selected speed to maximum speed randomly. Kinetic and kinematic data were collected using three force plates and motion capture cameras, respectively. The vertical stiffness of the two groups increased as a function of walking speed. Maximum walking speed of the elderly was slower than that of the young, yet the walking speed correlated well with the optimal stiffness that maximizes propulsion energy in both groups. The results may imply that human may use apparent limb stiffness to optimize energy based on spring-like leg mechanics.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.54 no.5
• /
• pp.937-953
• /
• 2015

This paper investigates the load model for single footfall trace of human walking. A large amount of single person walking load tests were conducted using the three-dimensional gait analysis system. Based on the experimental data, Fourier series functions were adopted to model single footfall trace in three directions, i.e. along walking direction, direction perpendicular to the walking path and vertical direction. Function parameters such as trace duration time, number of Fourier series orders, dynamic load factors (DLFs) and phase angles were determined from the experimental records. Stochastic models were then suggested by treating walking rates, duration time and DLFs as independent random variables, whose probability density functions were obtained from experimental data. Simulation procedures using the stochastic models are presented with examples. The simulated single footfall traces are similar to the experimental records.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.413-421
• /
• 2015

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate biomechanical changes of the lower limb including dynamic stability with changes in illumination (300Lx, 150Lx, and 5Lx) and slope (level and $15^{\circ}$ downhill) as risk factors for elderly falls. Method : Fifteen elderly females were selected for this study. Seven infrared cameras (Proreflex MCU 240: Qualisys, Sweden) and an instrumented treadmill (Bertec, USA) surrounded by illumination regulators and lights to change the levels of illumination were used to collect the data. A One-Way ANOVA with repeated measures using SPSS 12.0 was used to analyze statistical differences by the changes in illumination and slope. Statistical significance was set at ${\alpha}=.05$. Results : No differences in the joint movement of the lower limbs were found with changes in illumination (p>.05). The maximum plantar flexion movement of the ankle joints appeared to be greater at 5Lx compared to 300Lx during slope gait (p<.05). Additionally, maximum extension movement of the hip joints appeared to be greater at 5Lx and 150Lx compared to 300Lx during slope gait (p<.05). The maximum COM-COP angular velocity (direction to medial side of the body) of dynamic stability appeared to be smaller at 150Lx and 300Lx compared to 5Lx during level gait (p<.05). The minimum COM-COP angular velocity (direction to lateral side to the body) of dynamic stability appeared smaller at 150Lx compared to 5Lx during level gait (p<.05). Conclusion : In conclusion, elderly people use a stabilization strategy that reduces walk speed and dynamic stability as darkness increases. Therefore, the changes in illumination during gait induce the changes in gait mechanics which may increase the levels of biomechanical risk in elderly falls.

• Korean Journal of Computational Design and Engineering
• /
• v.16 no.6
• /
• pp.391-396
• /
• 2011

Gait is walking attitude and indicating state. The body's gait is a good mix in the center of body mechanics and exercises to wake up gently at the same time switch is a pass which is complicated at legs various joints. The shifting action what swing phase and stance phase rhythmic movement of body. One from piece moves with different dot. Especially plain walking and stair walking as a vehicle has been used frequently. Characteristics of the stair walking while the balanced the horizontal and vertical movement. Stair walking often takes place in everyday. It requires large range more than walking at plain in the moment and joint range of gait motion. And consistently applied to joints and various types of loads at legs joint may involve joint disorders. In this study, spastic cerebral palsy existing artificial limbs for disabled people when developing calibration equinus deformity patients induce muscle pain when walking on stairs independently, to reduce the research. Comparing the characteristics of the walking up the stairs for analysis patellofemoral joint pain as a result it is to provide engineering data.

• Advances in robotics research
• /
• v.2 no.2
• /
• pp.151-159
• /
• 2018

The evolution of bipedal robots was the foundation stone for development of Humanoid robots. The highly complex and non-linear dynamic of human walking made it very difficult for researchers to simulate the gait patterns under different conditions. Simple controllers were developed initially using basic mechanics like Linear Inverted Pendulum (LIP) model and later on advanced into complex control systems with dynamic stability with the help of high accuracy feedback systems and efficient real-time optimization algorithms. This paper illustrates a number of significant mathematical models and controllers developed so far in the field of bipeds and humanoids. The key facts and ideas are extracted and categorized in order to describe it in a comprehensible structure.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.9-14
• /
• 2018

The purpose of this study was to privide basic data for footwear development according to walking mechanics by comparing gait cycle difference between barefoot walking and walking shoes. The walking period was measured in 30 normal adult women with no foot deformity and abnormality. The first subject walked in sneakers and measured the cycle. And then, the subjects walked barefoot and the period was measured to obtain data. The data were taken form corresponding paired T-test. The results were as follows: In barefoot walking, the stance phase left side(p <.001), right side(p <.005), the loading response left side(p <.009), right side(p <.002) ), the pre-swing left side(p <.002), right side (p <.011), the double stance phase(p <.004) were increased and the mid-stance left side (p <.016), right side(p. 001), the swing phase left side(p<.001) was decreased. This suggests that barefoot walking increases the input of various senses of the foot, which makes stable walking possible. It is necessary to improve shoes based on the walking cycle in the future.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.79-82
• /
• 2017

Metatarsalgia is one of the most common causes of patients complaining of pain in their feet. This pain is the plantar forefoot, including the second to fourth metatarsal heads and arises from either mechanical or iatrogenic causes. On the other hand, it is frequently accompanied by a deformity of the toes as well as of the first and fifth rays. The pain has a variety of causes, and sometimes the cause is difficult to distinguish. The variability of possible causative factors necessitates an individualized approach to treatment. To determine these causes, this paper presents an overview of the gait mechanics, plantar pressure, and the classification according to the etiology.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.46 no.2
• /
• pp.179-196
• /
• 2013

An experimentally measured single footfall trace (SFT) from a walking subject needs to be extended into a continuous force curve, which can then be used as load for floor vibration serviceability assessment, or on which further analysis like discrete Fourier transform can be conducted. This paper investigates the accuracy, applicability and parametrical sensitivity of four extension methods, Methods I to IV, which extends the SFT into a continuous time history by the walking step rate, stride time, double support proportion and the double support time, respectively. Performance of the four methods was assessed by comparing their results with the experimentally obtained reference footfall traces in the time and frequency domain, and by comparing the vibrational response of a concrete slab subjected to the extended traces to that of reference traces. The effect of the extension parameter on each method was also explored through parametrical analysis. This study finds that, in general, Method I and II perform better than Method III and IV, and all of the four methods are sensitive to their extension parameter. When reliable information of walking rate or gait period is available in the test, Methods I or II is a better choice. Otherwise, Method III, with the suggested extension parameter of double support time proportion, is recommended.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.393-399
• /
• 2015

Objective : This study was conducted with an aim to use it as basic data for developing assistive devices, such as insoles that can suppress the progress of degenerative diseases and strategies, to improve early degenerative diseases by assessing walking characteristics of farm workers who were classified as KL-grade in the perspective of motor mechanics. Method : 38 male and female adults who complained of knee joint pain for more than six months were selected, and they were classified according to KL-grade. KL-grade was assessed by an orthopaedic specialist and an occupational environment health specialist. Filming equipment (FX-1, CASIO, Japan) and a ground reaction force system (AMTI OR6, AMTI, USA) were used to identify ground reaction force characteristics, and WOMAC was used for a pain rating scale. Results : There was a difference between the right and left side (axis-X) according to KL-grade, and when the grade was higher, the internal ground reaction force was also higher. Changes in COP were not affected by KL-grade of the knee joint, but it tended to increase as the grade increased. There were differences in the time required for limb support while walking according to the grades, and when the grade was higher, walking was more inefficient with long braking force and short propulsion forces. Also, pain rating scale, the right and left side, and COP changes while in support phase were related. Conclusion : There was a partial, statically significant difference in KL-grade and ground reaction force occurring during the support phase, and there were differences in ground reaction forces according to the grades of degenerative arthritis in the knee joint, indicating that this study is worthy as basic data for future studies.