INTRODUCTION

The city of Ann Arbor, like any city, is full of staircases: in houses, dormitories, educational buildings, stores, and of course at the football stadium. In a time where technology makes it easy for people to lead completely sedentary lifestyles, walking up stairs is much less popular than taking the elevator. Conversely, walking down a few flights of stairs is not thought to be as strenuous. According to Townsend, et al. (1978), however, a higher degree of joint movement is actually required while descending stairs than ascending stairs. As biomechanics students, we are interested in this difference, specifically the mechanics of the upper leg. These findings can also be useful in the rehabilitation setting. The extra force and range of motion required to ascend/descend stairs must be considered when advising patients about their activities.

This project examines the movements of ascending and descending stairs from the sagittal plane. We will pay particular attention to the shoulder, hip, knee, and ankle joints. By comparing the movements of these joints, we hope to discover the difference in range of motion between these two activities. We hope to verify the findings of Townsend, et al., and see what limitations this imposes upon a patient in the rehabilitation setting.