Article

Backward walking (BW) is a recently emerging exercise. However, limited studies
exist regarding the motion analysis of BW compared with that of forward walking
(FW). The present study identified the mechanisms of BW through kinetic analysis
and focused on BW time-reversed data. A three-dimensional motion capture system
was used to acquire the joint movements and to calculate the joint moments and
the powers during walking. Ground reaction force curves were acquired from force
plates. Each participant performed 10 FW trials and 40 BW trials with bare feet.
All data were analyzed using paired t-tests (p<0.05) to verify the significant
differences between FW and BW. In BW, since the progress is in the direction in
which the person cannot see, the walker's speed is generally decreased compared
to FW. As a result, the stride characteristics for each respective activity
showed significant differences. The characteristics of angular displacement in
all joints were almost identical in FW and time-reversed BW. However, selected
crucial points of joint angles were significantly different. The moment pattern
of the ankle joint was very similar in FW and time-reversed BW. In the knee and
the hip joint, the joint moment pattern of time-reversed BW was simpler than FW.
The joint power patterns of the ankle, the knee and the hip were different in FW
and BW. An original finding of this study was that the main propulsion and shock
absorption joint during BW is the ankle joint. The knee and hip joint did not
generate propulsion power.
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Langue : ANGLAIS