冷却による下腿筋紡錘機能低下状態での不整地歩行変化

抄録

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of an uneven surface on muscle spindle function in lower-leg muscles during walking. Subjects included 10 healthy young adult males. Normal and high-speed walking motion was measured on two surfaces:an even surface and an uneven surface. Healthy and reduced muscle spindle function conditions were compared. The ice immersion approach was applied on the lower-leg muscles as a method of reducing muscle spindle function. By varying the material from which the surface was made (sponge or hard acrylic), changes in the surface were induced. During high-speed walking on this uneven surface, the standard deviation for step width increased significantly (p<0.05). In the reduced muscle spindle function condition, velocity increased when subjects stepped on the sponge (p<0.01). In addition, adjustment of step length significantly reduced. The increased standard deviation for step width suggested instability of gait. Therefore we concluded that muscle spindle function is important in order to walk on the uneven surface. The increased velocity after subjects stepped on the sponge portion of the surface and the reduced adjustment in step length suggested that muscle spindle function is important for the purpose of walking on uneven surfaces.