Investigation into the Relationships between the Trunk and Lower Leg Inclination and Speed in Standing up from a Chair and Sitting Down

Abstract

[Purpose] We investigated the relationship between the trunk and lower leg angles and speed in standing up from a chair and sitting down, as well as the characteristics of the elderly in standing up from a chair and sitting down. [Subjects] The subjects were 10 young persons and 16 elderly persons. [Method] Standing up from a seat with no backrest from the upright sitting position and sitting down again in the upright sitting position from the standing position as a continuous movement with a 3D motion analysis system, and calculated the speed of movement and the anterior inclinations of the trunk and lower legs. [Results] Compared to the young persons group, in the standing and sitting movements, the elderly had significantly larger lower leg angles and significantly slower movement speeds. In addition, in the within group comparison, the elderly group had a sitting movement speed which was significantly slower than the standing movement speed. In both groups, there were no significant correlations between any of the items. [Conclusion] We consider larger lower leg anterior angles and slower movements than the young are characteristics of the elderly.