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Effects of a robotic walking exercise on walking performance in community‐dwelling elderly adults
Author(s) -
Shimada Hiroyuki,
Hirata Takashi,
Kimura Yuichi,
Naka Takako,
Kikuchi Keishiro,
Oda Keiichi,
Ishii Kenji,
Ishiwata Kiichi,
Suzuki Takao
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
geriatrics and gerontology international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.823
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1447-0594
pISSN - 1444-1586
DOI - 10.1111/j.1447-0594.2009.00546.x
Subject(s) - medicine , physical medicine and rehabilitation , gait , stride , preferred walking speed , physical therapy , power walking , elderly people , gerontology
Background: Reduced gait speed and stride length are characteristic of gait in elderly people and increase their dependency on assistance. We developed a robotic stride assistance system (SAS) to automatically control the walk ratio during walking. Our aim was to quantify the effects of a walking exercise with the SAS on walking performance and glucose metabolism during walking in community‐dwelling elderly adults. Methods: For 3 months, 15 women (72–85 years old) performed the walking exercise twice weekly for 90 min/session. We assessed walking for 5 m at a comfortable speed before and after the intervention. Positron emission tomography with [ 18 F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) was used to assess muscle activity during an unassisted 50‐min walk. Results: Walking speed was improved by the intervention and FDG uptake by the gluteus minimus, gluteus medius and rectus femoris, and pelvic muscles (iliacus and gluteus muscles) were reduced. Conclusion: These results suggest that a walking intervention program using an applied robotic system is useful for improving the walking ability and the efficiency of muscle activities during walking in the elderly.