Gait Parameters as Predictors of Slip Severity in Younger and Older Adults

Details

• Personal Author:
  Cham R ; Chambers AJ ; Moyer BE ; Redfern MS
• Description:
  This study investigated the association between slip severity and pre-slip gait characteristics of younger and older subjects. Sixteen younger and eleven older healthy adults walked onto an unexpectedly slippery surface. Slip severity was categorized as either hazardous or non-hazardous using a 1.0 ms peak slip velocity threshold. The results showed that hazardous slips were associated with greater step lengths (normalized by leg length) (SLR), larger and more rapidly changing foot - floor angles (FFA) at heel strike, and increased cadence across the two subject groups. Older subjects were found to walk with shorter SLR and with smaller and more slowly changing FFA at heel strike compared to younger subjects. However, both younger and older subjects experienced hazardous slips at the same rate. A logistic regression model relating SLR and cadence to slip severity predicted that increased SLR and decreased cadence would result in increased probability of hazardous slip (R2 = 0.45, chi2 = 15.30, p<0.01). A second logistic regression model relating FFA with slip severity predicted that increased FFA would result in increased probability of hazardous slip (R2 = 0.53, chi2 = 16.55, p<0.01). These results suggest that gait characteristics prior to foot contact play an important role in the severity of an ensuing slip. The finding that older adults experienced hazardous slips at the same rate as young adults even though their SLR and FFA are smaller suggests that age is also playing a role in other aspects of postural control that impact slip severity. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Accident Prevention Accidents Accidents, Occupational Age Factors Biomechanical Phenomena Musculoskeletal System Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Accident-analysis Accident-prevention Age-factors Biomechanics Floors Hazards Injuries Models Posture Surface-properties
• ISSN:
  0014-0139
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 3 ; Pennsylvania
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  329-343
• Volume:
  49
• Issue:
  4
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20030458
• Citation:
  Ergonomics 2006 Mar; 49(4):329-343
• Contact Point Address:
  Human Movement and Balance Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, 749 Benedum Hall, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
• Email:
  bmoyer@pitt.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2006
• NORA Priority Area:
  Work Environment and Workforce: Special Populations
• Performing Organization:
  University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20020501
• Source Full Name:
  Ergonomics
• End Date:
  20050430
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:c00297f023aa8bb9d2c34c112228bc2c528911808fa9aa4190b1dc4a9a708e2cb107d98fc4c36ab1998bec2c90e30d5760fb117292e77543b6bf7f65f797632c
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/191061/cdc_191061_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.50 MB ]