Po-Chan Yeh, Cherng-Yee Leung
The Graduate Institute of Design Science, Tatung University, 40, Chungshan N. Rd., Sec. 3 Taipei, 104, Taiwan.
Work. 2012;41 Suppl 1:2081-5. doi: 10.3233/WOR-2012-0434-2081.
Walker operation completely relies on the walker handle, however most marketed walkers possess two horizontal handles. Several researchers have suggested that horizontal handles might lead to wrist injury. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to assess the relevant design aspects of walker for elderly people. 28 elders participated in this study; when the experiment was started, subject walked on the tile for 3 meter distance twice by using walker. Data for analysis were selected at the corresponding wrist deviation and vertical force. The results showed that during walker using, the mean wrist deviation was greater than zero. The largest vertical force is significantly larger than the smallest one, and different wrist deviation occurred at three phases, the largest wrist deviation while raising walker is larger than the smallest one, however, no significant different was found between the largest and smallest wrist deviation while pressing walker. No significant correlation occurred between weight and wrist deviation. The correlation between weight and vertical force was significantly positive. With wrist deviation walker use may cause injury to upper-limb, however wrists remain in a neutral position during hand movement to prevent damage. The findings of this study should improve the design of walker handles to reduce the wrist deviations of users.
沃克助行器完全依赖于助行器把手，然而大多数市面上的助行器都有两个水平把手。几位研究人员指出，水平把手可能会导致手腕受伤。因此，本研究的目的是评估老年人用助行器的相关设计方面。28位老年人参与了本研究；实验开始时，受试者使用助行器在瓷砖地面上行走3米距离，往返两次。分析数据选取相应的手腕偏差和垂直力。结果显示，在使用助行器过程中，平均手腕偏差大于零。最大垂直力明显大于最小垂直力，且在三个阶段出现不同的手腕偏差，抬起助行器时最大手腕偏差大于最小手腕偏差，然而，按压助行器时最大和最小手腕偏差之间未发现显著差异。体重与手腕偏差之间无显著相关性。体重与垂直力之间的相关性显著为正。使用助行器时手腕偏差可能会导致上肢受伤，然而在手部移动过程中手腕保持在中立位置可防止损伤。本研究结果应能改进助行器把手的设计，以减少使用者的手腕偏差。
