Effects of Aging on the Biomechanics of Slips and Falls

描述(申请人提供)：与滑倒和跌倒有关的伤害 事故对工业来说是一个重大问题，无论是从人的角度来看 痛苦和经济损失。现有的证据已经确定了几个老化 与滑倒和跌倒事故相关的影响，但尚未解释确定 老年人滑倒和跌倒事故的可能性较高的原因。在……里面 这一建议是与衰老相关的内在变化，如步态适应， 肌肉骨骼和感觉退化及其对启动的影响， 滑倒和坠落的检测和恢复过程将被评估为 回答为什么老年人暴露在更高的可能性 滑倒导致的坠落。拟议研究的目的是调查变化 在行走和从与增长相关的滑倒中恢复的能力 年龄。建议进行一项实验，以测量下肢的恶化程度 老年人的肌肉力量激活率和感觉功能 个体在正常和异常状态下对几个生物力学参数的影响 条件。实验的自变量将包括：年龄组 (3级--18岁至35岁、40岁至60岁、65岁或以上)和下限 表面(2层-油性乙烯基瓷砖和室外地毯)。生物力学 测量的参数包括：腿筋肌肉激活率、水平 脚跟接触速度、摩擦需求、滑动距离和关节反作用力 瞬间(脚踝、膝盖和臀部)。在实验之前，一个感官组织 测试(SOT)和肌肉控制测试(MCT)将对所有受试者进行 获取有关本体感觉、视觉和水泡的信息 功能以及肌肉控制反应)次数。等长和等速 将进行测试以评估腿部力量。据推测，年龄较大的 成年人的肌肉骨骼和感觉退化将限制 平衡关节反作用力矩以减少节段性运动 从滑倒和跌倒中恢复，并使老年人接触到更高的 滑倒和跌倒事故的可能性。这些信息将使工程师能够 设计更好的工作环境和工作，以减少失足和 为老龄化的劳动力所吸引。此外，它将提供关于以下方面的信息 可能的干预策略(肌肉强化和平衡练习) 以改善老年工人的动态平衡。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Injuries associated with slip and fall accidents pose a significant problem to industry, both in terms of human suffering and economic losses. Existing evidence has identified several aging effects related to slip and fall accidents, yet has not explained determining causes of older individual's higher likelihood of slip and fall accidents. In this proposal, intrinsic changes associated with aging such as gait adaptation, musculoskeletal and sensory degradation and its effect on the initiation, detection, and recovery processes of slips and falls will be evaluated to answer the question of why older adults are exposed to a higher likelihood of slip-induced falls. The aim of the proposed research is to investigate changes in walking and the ability to recover from slips associated with increasing age. An experiment is proposed to measure how deterioration of lower extremity muscular strength activation rate, and sensory functions among older individuals affect several biomechanical parameters under normal and abnormal conditions. Independent variables for the experiment will include; age groups (3 levels - l8 to about 35 years, 40-60 years, and 65 years or over), and floor surfaces (2 levels - oily vinyl tiles and outdoor carpet). Biomechanical parameters measured will include: hamstrings muscle activation rate, horizontal heel contact velocity, friction demands, slip distances, and the joint reactive moments (ankle, knee, and hip). Prior to the experiment, a sensory organization test (SOT) and muscle control test (MCT) will be performed on all subjects to obtain information concerning the proprioceptive, visual, and vesicular functions as well as muscle control reaction) times. Isometric and isokinetic tests will be performed to evaluate leg strength. It is hypothesized that older adults' musculoskeletal and sensory degradation will constrain the counterbalancing joint reactive moments to reduce segmental motion during recovery from slips and falls, and expose older individuals to a higher likelihood of slip and fall accidents. This information will allow engineers to design better work environments and jobs to reduce the incidence of slips and falls for an aging workforce. Additionally, it will provide information on possible intervention strategies (muscle strengthening and balance exercises) for improving dynamic equilibrium in older workers.