Design and Development of Equipment Wrist and Forearm Physical Therapeutic in Elderly Persons

This paper describes design game and development exercise device for wrist and forearm of elder. In 2009, the number of the senior population has increased rapidly. The society has entered into an aging society. And senior population ages more than 80 years old have sickness, Organ degeneration and someone have a disability. Exercise is one of the important things that can keep the elderly have good health and reduce reliance should others. However, the senior population should not over the exercise. The design game and development of equipment for exercise wrist and forearm to the elderly person. To encourage older people to exercise more. Also, this device can apply to physical therapy for wrist and forearm of the patient. Results of goniometry, EMG and total earning score from playing games are increased due to more flexible effect to muscle after playing games. Furthermore, an extension of equipment and games will be developed for more exercise or physical therapy in other positions.

I. Introduction

The world is now stepping into “Aging Society.” It means that the ratio of older people in society is increasing up as compared to a whole population. Based on the definition provided by the United Nations (UN), if the population ages of 60 years old are more than 10 % or 65 years old more than 7 %. It means that the country is stepping into an Aging Society. In the 2013 report by UN world had the elder with age of 60 years old more than 841 million people or 12 % of the population. In the future of 2050, the number of elders in the world will increase. Most of the elder with higher age than 60 years old has the physical deterioration and the coordination between the brain and the muscles decreased. Therefore, exercise could be more important for elder persons because it makes them have a good health and slow down the degeneration of organs. As found in the elderly, the joints of the bones and muscles are changing and affect to warping and movement not streamlined and painfully could make elders do not want to exercise.