Study of Center of Pressure (COP) in Gait Analysis of Elderly Women in Romania

The purpose of this study is to analyze the differences in the trajectory of the center of pressure, COP, in a group of 100 female volunteers aged 55 to 87, using the BioAnalysis software version 2.3.0 for data processing provided by AMTI's AccuGait System force plate. The trajectory of the COP during gait provides an additional tool in the assessment of foot pathology. Research has clarified the differences in trajectories of COP generated and controlled during locomotion, depending on the intensity of disturbances while walking. The aging process leads to a reduction of the movement capacity and the loss of balance, implicitly to a deviation of the center of pressure trajectory, leading to the clarification of a particular pathology. Evaluations of the centers of pressure trajectories of subjects participating in the study showed significant differences between normal and pathological gait. Research on the trajectory of the center of pressure is useful for human gait analysis and for a good understanding of the stability of subjects. In biomechanical evaluation by means of the inverse dynamics method, the force plate is a tool for assessing the interaction between the foot and the support surface, being an indispensable element. In the design of orthopedic footwear, biomechanical analysis is an essential element, so as to ensure a more efficient gait.