Abstract
The long-term goal of this research is to design sportswear for elderly persons. In this study, we investigated the influence of four different shapes of sportswear (long-sleeved or sleeveless and zippered or zipper less) on dressing motions of young and dummy elderly persons. We experimentally prepared kits for dummy elderly persons. And psychological burdens and motions of young and dummy elderly persons dressing them were measured by sensory test and motion analysis. Subjects in the elderly-condition group felt greater psychological burden than those in the young-condition group while wearing the sportswear. Moreover, the psychological burden was greater in the case of the two clothing samples with long sleeves. When the test subjects put their arm through the sleeves of the clothing samples, the movement distance at three points (the acromion, lateral epicondyle of the humerus, and radial styloid process) were measured. In the case of the elderly-condition group, the movement distances at the radial styloid process were longer in the case of the two clothing samples with long sleeves. The results of motion analysis were in accordance with those of the psychological test.
