CHANGE OF KINETIC LOWER EXTREMITY JOINT VARIABLES DURING UP- AND DOWNHILL WALKING ON DIFFERENTLY INCLINED SLOPES

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Lower extremity joint loads in level and downhill walking are reported in several papers (e.g. Kuster et al., 1995, Schwameder et al., 2000). The change of load distribution, however, between the ankle-, knee- and hip joint depending on slope inclination in up- and downhill walking are still not sufficiently presented. Thus the purpose of this study was to determine kinetic variables at the three main lower extremity joints as a function of both, declination and inclination of the slope.