体育科学25：129−35.1997

高齢男性の自由歩行における「振子効率」

金子公宥　淵本隆文　森本剛史*　山本明美

Mechanical power and efficiency during normal walking in elderly men Masahiro KANEKO, Takafumi FUCHIMOTO, Takeshi MORIMOTO* and Akemi YAMAMOTO

Human walking can be explained as a pendular motion, transforming potential energy (Ep) into kinetic energy (Ek) and vice versa (Cavagna et al, 1976). Mechanical energy during normal walking was calculated from ground reaction forces in 11 elderly men 71-89 years of age, and compared with those in a relatively younger age subjects 19-37 years of age. From the kinematic parameters recorded during normal walking, the elderly group was characterized by a slower walking speed, shorter step length, Ionger double support time, and shorter single support time than the younger group. In terms of energetics, external mechanical power per unit body mass was significantly smaller in the elderly, and highly positively correlated with speed of normal walking of individuals of both groups. Pendular efficiency (PEF) was defined as 100% if the energy transfer between Ep and Ek were complete as in a pendulum. The mean value of PEF in the elderly was not significantly different from that in the younger group. The PEF values of individuals, however, correlated negatively with walking speed in the younger group, whereas in the elderly group, PEF values tended to correlate positively. These results suggest that speed of normal walking in the elderly is related more closely to muscular power than to pendular efficiency,

(Rep Res Cent Phys Ed. 25 : 129-135, 1997)

「動作の緩慢さ（SloWneSS）が高齢者の特徴」5)と言われているが、自由歩行の速度もその例にもれず加齢とともに直線的14)または曲線的4,6,10)に低下する。この歩行速度の低下には歩幅と歩調の両者の低下が関わっているが、その影響力は歩幅の方が大きい5,8,13)。歩幅の低下に関係する要因としては、片脚支持期の低下5,10,13)、下肢の関節運動における運動域の低10,13,19,20)や関節モーメントの低下17,18)などが指摘されている。このように、高齢者の歩行に関してはKinematicsやKineticsの見地から多くの研究がなされているが、Energeticsからみた研究はきわめて少ない。

大阪体育大学スポーツ生理・バイオメカニクス研究室Department of Physiology and Biomechanics，Osaka University of Health and Sport Sciences

*社会福祉法人日本ライトハウス視覚障害者リハビリテーションセンターNippon Lighthouse Rehabilitation Center of Visual Impairment

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