• Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea Planning & Design
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• 제35권1호
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• pp.127-138
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• 2019

This study was to evaluate the walking speed of elderly people by using the travel route big data collected by travel diary and smart phone application. We analyzed the change of walking behavior in the residential street environments of the elderly whether they had a company or not. We interpreted the meaning based on previous studies. In addition, the characteristics of elderly people's use of the residential street environment were analyzed by comparing the change in spatial speed according to the companion. The result reveals that the usage patterns of the residential street environments change depending on whether they were accompanied or not. First, the elderly tend to do more social activities while walking alone than when they were accompanied. When they were accompanied the social activities occur in empty lot near the residential area. However, the social activities of the elderly occur in open space such as neighborhood park or playground while walking alone. Finally, This study has strength that it empirically analyzes the elderly's walking behavior and usage paths in small outdoor spaces, including residential streets.

• Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea Planning & Design
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• 제35권7호
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• pp.119-126
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• 2019

The active living of the elderly leads to improve their lives and enhance social networks. In the view of the active living, the walkability is an essential factor for the elderly's daily life. To support the active living, making age-friendly environment is important. Considering that the elderly mainly carry out activities through walking, making the age-friendly walking environment is a preliminary action. The existing studies applied various methods such as surveys by experts. In spite of the benefits in theirs, there is still a limitation that current walkability measurement methods did not incorporate the actual elderly's walking activity. Thus, the purposes of this study is to measure the elderly's walking quantitatively using a wearable sensor, and to investigate the feasibility of comparing several walking environments based on the data collected from the actual elderly's walking. To do this, experiment was conducted in four types environments with 22 senior subjects. The walkability was measured by walking stability represented quantitatively as Maximum Lyapunov Exponent (MaxLE). Through the experiment results, it was confirmed that the stability of the elderly walking was different according to the walking environment, which also meant that bodily responses (walking stability) is highly related to walkability. The results will provide an opportunity for the continuous diagnosis of walking environments, thereby enhancing the active living of the elderly.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.1-9
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• 2007

Walking is not only an essential component of the human mobility, but also is a good exercise. Inability to walk freely can reduce an individual's quality of life and independence substantially. Being a relatively low impact activity, walking is particularly good for the elderly and research has shown that regular walking in the elderly reduces the chance of fall-related injuries and mental diseases as well. In spite of the documented benefits of regular walking, it is still difficult to walk without the aid of assistive devices for the frail elderly who have lower extremity problems. Assistive walking devices(AWD), such as crutches, canes, hiking-poles, T-Poles and walkers, are often prescribed to the elderly to make their walking be safe and efficient. Many researchers have demonstrated the effects of AWDs such as reducing lower extremity loading, improved dynamic/gait stability, yet, no study has been done for gait pattern when the elderly gait with AWDs. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine whether T-Poles, one of the AWDs, change the elderly gait pattern. Eight community-dwelling female elderly participated in this study. Laboratory kinematics during walking with T-Poles(PW) and with out T-Poles(NPW) was assessed. PW showed significant increase in step width, stride length, gait velocity and decrease in swing time. No significances were found in lower body joint angles but meaningful trend and pattern were found. Maybe the reason was due to the participants. Our participants were healthy enough so that the effect of T-Poles was minimum. PW also showed typical gait phases which are no single support phase during a gait cycle. It indicates that walking with T-Poles may guarantee safe and confident walking to the frail elderly.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• 제4권2호
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• pp.67-76
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• 2016

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of a 5 week walking program on body composition and functional fitness, as well as its effects on anxiety and depression in elderly women by regular walking exercise(RWE), which helps to provide proper treatment program to them. Method : The 32 subjects who had a regular walking exercise in this research and randomly assigned into two groups, a walking group and a control group. 15 subjects in the experimental group who had RWE. The 17 subjects in the control group who did not have walking exercise. The members of exercise group had walking 50 minutes a day, three times a week, for 5 weeks in same conditions. Results : After RWE, The participants showed lower body weight, body fat mass, % fat, BMI, wast-hip ratio in the walking program. Muscle mass and basic metabolic rate significantly increased after completing the walking program. The health-related physical fitness of the walking group, flexibility and static balance ability were significantly increased. elderly women taking RWE showed significant decreases in the anxiety and depression levels. Conclusion : Findings of this study indicated that A RWE program had favorable effect on body composition, functional fitness, and depression and anxiety in elderly women. Future research needs to target various elderly women groups of a long period.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• 제15권4호
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• pp.613-619
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• 2013

This study compares the gait characteristics of elderly women during barefoot walking and walking with sneakers. We measured foot angles, max foot pressure, peak plantar pressure of each plantar region, velocity of Center of Pressure(COP), and axis shifting of COP with an RS-scan system. Elderly women's foot angles were narrower when walking with sneakers than when barefoot walking. We found that the subtalar joint angle (representing ankle joint flexibility) affected walking stability. Regarding the peak plantar pressure of each foot region, pressures were high in the medial regions and the pressures greatly varied depending on the region measured during barefoot walking. The COP moved significantly faster when walking with sneakers than barefoot walking and suggests that elderly women walked faster in sneakers. Axis shifting of the COP decreased during walking with sneakers and indicated that gait balance improved when walking with sneakers. The findings of the present study can be utilized as foundational data for elderly women's gait characteristics as well as data for the production of functional footwear. Future research that focuses on various types of shoes, age groups, and gender are recommended for the development of more functional footwear for stable gaits.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• 제13권10호
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• pp.444-451
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• 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 Architectural Institute of Korea Planning & Design
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• 제34권3호
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• pp.129-138
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to analyze the daily living area of the elderly using the vast amount of travel route data collected through smart phones. In order to analyze the utilization status of the elderly into the visiting area and the living area, the subway station influence area was typed based on the number and ratio of the elderly visiting and the elderly living there. The characteristics of the elderly visiting area and the living area of the subway station area were derived by analyzing the walking route data for the three types of subway station influence areas where the elderly visit and live. First, we derive the range of visiting area and living area of the elderly near the subway station. Second, we derive the characteristic of moving distance which causes the linked walking of the elderly. Third, destination distribution and facility utilization are influenced by the subject of use, movement pattern, and facility awareness.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 대한기계학회 2004년도 추계학술대회
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• pp.725-730
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• 2004

This paper has regarded mechanism design of cane-like passive type walking aid for the elderly using 3-RPS parallel manipulator. First, gait patterns of the elderly have been experimented. By means of motion capturing and image processing, we decided loaded forces and places of the cane when the elderly walked with a cane. Using these results we have developed a passive type walking aid. Second, the walking pattern has been simulated using dynamic analysis program, ADAMS and we find out the similarity between the real walking and the simulated walking. Finally after assuring the similarity, with adjusting the new mechanism design to the simulated walking we will decide whether the walking aid is safe and stable when the elderly walks with this cane-like walking aid. This paper will be basis for the development of the mechanism design applying 3-RPS parallel manipulator.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Health Science
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• 제5권1호
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• pp.816-824
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• 2017

Purpose. This study was classified into normal and demented elderly through K-MMSE. The purpose of this study was to analyze gait characteristics of normal elderly and demented peoples using GAITRite walking system. Methods. The subjects of this study were selected as elderly people receiving home visit physical therapy. An independent t-test was conducted to verify the statistical significance of the time-space variables of the elderly with dementia. Results. Step time(p=0.041), cycle time(p=0.037), distance(p=0.024), and cadence(p=0.048) were significantly shorter in the normal elderly than in the demented elderly on flat place. The mean age was significantly longer in normal elderly than in elderly persons with dementia. Step time(p=0.022), cycle time(p=0.023), distance(p=0.019), and cadence(p=0.015) were significantly shorter in the mat walking. The mean age was significantly longer in normal elderly than in elderly patients with dementia. Stretch time, cycle time, distance, and hair support time were significantly shorter in the mat walking. The mean age of the elderly was significantly longer than that of the elderly with dementia. The spinal support time, which is a spatial variable, was significantly shorter in the normal elderly than in the demented elderly. Conclusions. It compares the various gait characteristics of the normal and demented elderly people, thereby increasing the walking ability of the elderly person more effectively. This study should be utilized as basic data for preventing fall-down.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• 제10권3호
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• pp.1830-1833
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• 2019

Background: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) causes not only pain during walking but also walking disorders. Therefore, intervention for older patients with OA is important. Objective: To study investigated the effects of kinesio taping (KT) on pain and walking ability in elderly persons with knee OA. Design: One group, pre-post design Methods: This study enrolled 12 community-dwelling elderly people with knee OA. KT was applied on the surrounding structures, including the patellar and bilateral lateral ligaments. Assessment was made using the visual analog scale and GAITRite system to measure pain and walking ability during KT and non-KT conditions. Results: In this study, compared to the non-KT condition, the KT condition showed a significant improvement in walking ability and pain reduction during walking (velocity, cadence, step length, and stride length) (p < 0.05). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that knee KT has a positive effect on pain reduction and walking ability of the elderly with OA.