Priorities and thresholds of sensations to detect falls during walking - a basic examination for preventing falls

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The elderly’s fall accidents develop into secondary disabilities, including the possibility of becoming bedridden due to fall-related fracture, disuse syndrome, etc. Consequently, such accidents can prove devastating to the elderly. This study examined to obtain useful findings for preventing falls of the elderly through a basic examination to clarify the mechanisms of sensing falls. A quasi-visual stimulus of a fall (screen image projected on a head-mounted display system) did not induce participants’ movement to avoid a fall. Then a degree of contribution of the visual system on postural stability during various standing conditions was examined. The visual contribution differed with sanding conditions. The visual contribution to postural stability may slightly smaller during dynamic compared to that during a quiet or static stance.