Graduation date: 2007
Presentation date: 2006-10-16
Normal gait of human is believed to be an adapted motor control result of optimal behavior of individual. Normal gait would be altered by aging or injury without being perceived. Subtle changes in gait which is not easy to detect, can cause many serious problems including joint pains and even unexpected falls. Finding out the gait parameters which can be an identifier of abnormal gait is main goal of this study. Gait parameters were compared between elderly participants who had different falling experiences. Relatively easy temporal and spatial gait parameters were measured and used for side way direction faller identification. As a new method of calculating kinetics, forward dynamics method combined with linearized feedback control (FDMLFC) was developed and used for the consumed mechanical work calculation.