Gait Characteristics Research Of The Elderly With Different Fall Risks

We chose 59 old people as the subjects in this study, in which no fall risk group of 31 people(10 male and 21 female), fall risk group of 28 people(9 male and 19 female). The subjects has carried on the plantar pressure test and the fixed-point three-dimensional video shooting, collecting the indexes such as foot morphological parameters, the change of plantar pressure center, standard peak pressure distribution, time to peak pressure and contact area of 10 plantar regions, joint angle during walking and so on. Through the statistical analysis of these data, we further researched gait characteristics of the elderly with different fall risks, providing certain theoretical basis and data support for future researches. Furthermore, according to the different gait characteristics of the elderly, we can evaluate their fall risk, and give specific guidance to their daily life and exercise. In this way, fall and damage will be reduced. So, this research has far-reaching significance to improve the health level and quality of life of the elderly.The main results:1. TUG value and mean velocity between the two groups have very significant difference.2. The elderly of fall risk group have higher flat feet, toe out proportion and lower strephenopodia proportion.3. Plantar pressure center curve of the elderly with fall risks is asymmetric between the double feet, and its change in X axis direction is greater than the elderly without fall risks.4. Compared with no fall risk group, standard peak pressure of the elderly with fall risks is higher in heel area and lower in 2-5 phalanges and metatarsal area.5. The 10 plantar regions of the elderly without fall risks contact with the ground in the order from the back to the front, and which of the elderly with fall risks don’t follow this rule.6. For the elderly of fall risk group, contact area of 10 plantar regions is uneven on a single foot. The difference of contact area of 10 plantar regions decreases between the double feet, and contact area of 2-5 phalanges significantly decreased.7. The difference between bilateral ankle angle of the elderly whit fall risks increases in touchdown moment. Ankle and hip angle in touchdown moment and ankle angle in push off moment decreases.The main conclusions:Certain gait characteristics can evaluate fall risk of the elderly.