• Physical Therapy Korea
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.43-51
• /
• 2002

Physiological Cost Index (PCI) of walking has been widely used to predict oxygen consumption in healthy subjects or patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the predictability of physiological cost index of walking for the amount of exercise and cardiac function. Walking exercise was conducted in 67 healthy children (age 4-12) with a self-selected comfortable walking speed on the level surface. Walking speed was calculated, and heart rate was measured before and immediately after the walking. PCI was calculated for statistical analysis. The results were as follows; 1) The walking speed tends to increase and PCI of walking tends to decrease with age. There was significant difference in walking speed and PCI of walking among three age groups (p<.05). The change of walking heart rate tends to decrease with age, however, there was no significant difference among three age groups. 2) Linear regression equation between walking speed and age was 'Y (walking speed) = 2.124X (age) + 48.286' ($R^2$=.337), (p=.00). 3) The walking heart rate tends to decrease with age. Linear regression equation between walking heart rate and age was 'Y (walking heart rate) = 143.346 - 2.63X (age)' ($R^2$=.3425), (p=.00). 4) The walking heart rate decreased as body surface area (BSA) increased. Linear regression equation between walking heart rate and BSA was 'Y (walking heart rate) = 149.830 - 27.115X (BSA)' ($R^2$=.3066), (p=.00). In conclusion, these equations and PCI could be useful to quantify the variation of energy expenditure of children with pathological gait when compared with age-matched healthy children.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.223-230
• /
• 2012

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to analyze weight bearing of cane and affected foot at different speeds during walking. Methods : Thirteen subjects (6 males, 7 females) with stroke enrolled in the study. A foot sensor and an instrumented cane were integrated to analyze the vertical peak force on the affected foot and the cane. Results : The applied vertical peak force on the cane were $12.02{\pm}4.80%$ (slow speed), $7.97{\pm}3.95%$ (comfortable speed), and $6.86{\pm}3.30%$ (fast speed) body weight, respectively. The results indicated significantly lower vertical peak force on the affected foot in the low speed walking condition when compared to the fast walking (p<.05) and the comfortable walking (p<.05) conditions. The correlations between TUG and vertical peak force on the cane and affected foot were .71, and -.70 (p<.01). There was a higher correlation between the vertical peak force on the cane and affected foot were -.87(p<.01). Conclusion : In conclusion, slower walking speed applied greater vertical peak force on the cane. On the contray, slower walking speed applied less vertical peak force on the affected foot. Further studies, duration of force should be measured at different speeds during walking in lower and higher functioning hemiparetic subjects, as its use may mask underlying gait impairment.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• v.25 no.5
• /
• pp.252-259
• /
• 2013

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of progressive body weight decrease combined with increasing level of overground walking speed training for patients with chronic stroke. Methods: Eighteen subjects with chronic stroke were composed of the control group (5% body weight support combined with increasing speed training) and the experimental group (progressive body weight decrease with increasing speed training); three sets, three times per week over a period of four weeks. Results: Significant differences in terms of comfortable gait speed (CGS) and the rate of change of CGS were observed between the control and experimental groups (p<0.05). However, no significant difference in the dynamic gait index was observed between the control and experimental groups (p>0.05). A significant difference in the 6 minute walking test (6MWT) was observed for the experimental group, and a significant difference in the rate of change for the 6MWT was observed between the control and experimental groups (p<0.05). Conclusion: The progressive body weight decrease combined with increasing in level of overground walking speed training may be a better and more effective method for community walking and reintegration.

• Journal of Korean Society of Transportation
• /
• v.24 no.4 s.90
• /
• pp.43-53
• /
• 2006

Pedestrian countdown signals were newly introduced to make Pedestrians feel more comfortable and safer in crossing the streets This Paper analysed pedestrian walking-speed through a before-after behavior study Data was collected from 22 sites. and the total number of pedestrians was 19,800. The results showed that the average Pedestrian walking-speed of existing pedestrian signal, an inverted triangle countdown signal and a numeric countdown signal were 1.44, 1.39 and 1.42m/sec. The difference between the three methods was statistically significant. The results showed that the distribution of the walking-speed of existing signal. an inverted triangle countdown signal and a numeric countdown signal were statistically Erlang(0.117, 10) distribution. Weibull(1.17, 3.72) distribution and Gamma(0.137, 8.18) distribution at 95% confidence level.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
• /
• v.10 no.4
• /
• pp.25-31
• /
• 2015

PURPOSE: Previous studies have shown that healthy young adults reduced gait velocity during texting or talking while walking. It was reported that increasing number of pedestrian accidents were related to distract the environmental attention. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of texting and texting while listening to music on gait parameters. METHODS: Texting and listening to music while walking were assessed in two dual-task condition using 35 healthy young adults. The outcome measurements were assessed in terms of spatiotemporal gait parameters in three walking conditions, namely, comfortable walking speed, walking while texting, and walking while texting and listening to music. To avoid learning effect, subjects were individually blinded to assessment schedule and space. The changes between the three walking conditions were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA. RESULTS: When comparing the two dual-task conditions with the single-task condition, it was found that dual-task interference was increased in almost gait velocity, cadence, stride length, step time, double limb support, and single limb support. In addition, walking while texting and listening to music condition negatively was affected gait speed, stride length, and step time more than the texting only condition. CONCLUSION: Walking while texting and listening to music as well as waling while texting may decrease pedestrian safety when crossing streets by diverting the person's attention away from the street environment.

• PNF and Movement
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.27-35
• /
• 2023

Purpose: Hallux valgus (HV) is one of the most common chronic foot disorders, occurring when the first toe deviates laterally toward the other toe. HV impairs muscle strength and affects gait function (postural sway and gait speed). Thus, this study aims to investigate using the FDM system the effect of wearing braces on gait while wearing a virtual reality (VR) device. Methods: This study was conducted on 28 healthy adults with HV of 15 degrees or more. To compare differences in walking, depending on whether a toe brace can be worn, the subject walked without wearing anything, walked after wearing the VR device, and walked after wearing the VR device and the toe brace, and the FDM system was used for the gait ability measurement analysis. Results: As a result of a one-way repeated analysis of variance, the walking speed-related variables (cadence, velocity, etc.) in the HV group were higher during comfortable walking. In addition, walking while wearing a VR device and walking while wearing a VR device and a toe brace demonstrated more significant values in terms of six gait parameters (double stance phase, loading response, stage, stage, stage, and stage). The maximum pressure of the forefoot was significantly reduced when walking while wearing a VR device and a toe brace compared to comfortable walking, but in all variables, there was no statistically significant difference between walking while wearing a VR device and walking while wearing a VR device and a toe brace. Conclusion: Orthosis with a VR device during gait (OVG) and gait with a VR device (GVR) affect gait in HV patients. However, there was no significant difference between GVR and OVG. Thus, it is necessary to conduct experiments on various HV angles and increase the duration of wearing the toe brace.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
• /
• v.14 no.6
• /
• pp.439-448
• /
• 2016

The population over 65 years old is 12.7% of total population in 2014 and Korea is going to be an aged society in the near future. The transportation vulnerable including the aged should be guaranteed in walking mobility under safe and comfortable environment for their socio-economic activities. For the era of fusion and convergence this paper investigated the characteristics of walking accidents related to the aged pedestrians and analyzed the aged-oriented walking factors with a reaction time and a walking speed at crosswalks in Yeosu. In the results, the crashes for the aged occur at 9.9% of total crashes and the fatalities of the aged are 40.3% of total fatalities in 2014. The 47.4% of the aged fatalities is also attributed to vehicle-to-pedestrian accidents. The 49.3% of all pedestrian fatalities occurs at the aged pedestrians with a very high proportion. The reaction time and walking speed for the aged were determined as the values located at the lower 15%-tile of the elderly physical ability. It is shown that the reaction time is 4.56 seconds and the walking speed is 0.76 m/s in the case of Yeosu. From two factors' standpoint, the walking environment at crosswalks in Yeosu is inappropriate for the aged.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
• /
• v.13 no.10
• /
• pp.444-451
• /
• 2013

The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes in temporospatial variables in healthy elderly and healthy adults during usual walking, narrow base walking and centerline-guided walking. Twenty healthy elderly and nineteen healthy adults were participated in this study. In each conditions, the subjects were walked on a 6m walkway at comfortable self-selected speeds under three conditions : (1) usual walking, (2) walking within a 50% of the distance between the subject's ASIS (3) walking along a centerline. GAITRite system was used for kinematic analysis to assess the temporospatial variables. There were no significant changes in healthy adults(p>.05), but walking speed, cadence, H-H base support, functional ambulation performance were significantly decreased progressively as pathway narrowed in elderly adults(p<.05). The results show that elderly people had more difficulty with walking on narrow pathway for fear of falling. This study provides data for use in basic research into safe walking and preventing falling for elderly.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
• /
• v.5 no.4
• /
• pp.543-549
• /
• 2010

Purpose : The study was designed to investigate the changes of plantar foot pressure by different loads during walking in flatfoot. Methods : Fifteen subjects with flatfoot were recruited along with their written informed consent. They were asked to walk on plate at a self-selected and comfortable speed with loads of 0, 5, 10, and 15kg. Three walking trials were obtained and then averaged for data analysis. Foot pressure were measured from RS-Scan system (RS-Scan system, RS scan Ltd., German) and contact area, maximum force were analyzed. Results : There were significant increases on midfoot and decreases on forefoot in contact area. And there were significant increases in maximum force of foot pressure of 2nd metatarsal bone and midfoot. Conclusion : These findings revealed that flatfoot increases risk factors of metatarsal bone with different loads. Therefore, patients of flatfoot must be careful during walking with loads or activities of daily living.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
• /
• v.65 no.2
• /
• pp.349-353
• /
• 2016

The purpose of this study was to investigate possible age differences in the attenuation of acceleration in the upper body (from pelvis through shoulder to head) during fast walking. Thirty young and 29 elderly subjects participated in this study. Wireless acceleration sensors were attached on head, shoulder, and pelvis. Subjects performed two trials of fast walking on a treadmill, where the fast speed was defined as 1.5 times of the comfortable speed. Root-mean-squared (RMS) accelerations of each axis were compared with age group and sensor position as independent factors. In the AP direction, the pelvis acceleration was greater in the young and the shoulder-to-head attenuation was also greater in the young (p<0.001), so that the head acceleration was comparable between age groups (p=0.581). In the ML direction, the pelvis acceleration was greater in the young and also the pelvis-to-shoulder attenuation was greater in the young (p<0.001), so that the head acceleration was greater in the elderly group (p<0.001). Insufficient attenuation ML acceleration in the elderly resulting in the greater acceleration in the head may deteriorate the balance control which utilize feedback signals from the sensory organs in head, e.g., vestibular and visual systems.