A Study of Mechanical Energy Flow and the Strategy of Walking with Backpack Loads

• Main Authors: Kuan-Hung Chen, 陳寬宏
• Other Authors: 章良渭
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2013
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/60995820510293400845

碩士 === 國立臺灣大學 === 醫學工程學研究所 === 101 === Backpack load carriage induces metabolic cost and changes walking strategy. Local weight redistribution leads to changing entire transmission pattern of internal loads and power. The aim of this study is to investigate the strategy of walking with backpack loads through energy flow model, and to provide clinical recommendations for backpack load. The energy flow analysis would be a tool on observing the internal energy management during human locomotion. Eight healthy young adults were recruited in our study. Subjects walked along 10-meter walkway with shoes at self-selected speed under the five load conditions: 0%, 10%, 15%, 20%, and 25% of the participant''s body weight. Mechanical energy flow model was constructed based on human motion data and inverse dynamics. Our finding showed that increasing backpack load causes a significant interflow between trunk and legs due to greater energy capacity of upper body, and these extra interflow are generated/absorbed by the hip and knee of stance leg.