Effects of Localized Muscle Fatigue on Risks of Occupational Slips and Falls

Details

• Personal Author:
  Lockhart TE
• Description:
  Injuries associated with slip and fall accidents continue to pose a significant burden to industry, both in terms of human suffering and economic losses. A majority of occupational falls leading to injuries and deaths are a result of foot slippage and are typically experienced by laborers. The literature provides convincing arguments that localized muscle fatigue can disrupt the quality of the signal from the periphery for effective balance control during slip perturbations, and increase the risk of slips and falls. In this study, localized muscle fatigue and its effect on gait and balance leading to increased fall risks were investigated. This information can provide a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in fall recovery and slip initiating characteristics that may influence prevention strategies associated with occupational falls. Two laboratory studies were conducted to quantify the effects of localized muscle fatigue on slip propensity and balance recovery. The first experiment evaluated the effects of localized muscle fatigue on the slip initiation process while walking over a non-slippery surface. Distal limb muscles (ankle plantarflexors, knee extensors) and a combination of ankle, knee, and hip muscles were fatigued independently on different weeks. Additionally, the effects of floor inclination, load carriage, work pace (i.e., walking speed) and age was ascertained. The second experiment evaluated the effects of localized muscle fatigue on the balance recovery process following slips induced by walking on an unexpectedly slippery surface. Distal limb muscles as well as proximal muscles (i.e., low back) were fatigued independently on different weeks. The effects of floor inclination, work pace, and age was ascertained. The work addresses several NORA Priority Areas in the context of work-related traumatic falls. The main Priority Areas are: 1) Risk Assessment Methods; 2) Control Technology; and 3) Intervention Effectiveness Research. In this final report, the specific aims concerning the "slip-initiation" characteristics as well as the "slip/fall-recovery" characteristics will be discussed in lieu of gait changes associated with lower leg localized muscle fatigue and, slip propensity changes associated with two different types of lower extremity muscle fatigue conditions (i.e., squat and leg extensions on the Biodex). Additionally, most recent results regarding the ankle fatigue condition are introduced. Future researches concerning the slip initiation characteristics are further elaborated. Afterwards, the effects of fatigue on slip recovery characteristics are further explored. Here, two studies are discussed in lieu of fall recovery responses to a slip perturbation associated with quadriceps fatigue and back muscle fatigue conditions. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Accidental Falls Accidents Biomechanical Phenomena Musculoskeletal System Occupational Health Occupational Injuries Safety
• Keywords:
  Biomechanics Falls Lower Extremities Muscle Function Occupational Accidents Risk Assessment Slips, Trips, And Falls STF Walking Surfaces
• Series:
  Grant Final Reports
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Final Grant Report
• Place as Subject:
  Arizona ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 9 ; Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  OEP - Office of Extramural Programs
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-118
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20055425
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB2019-100836
• Citation:
  Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, R01-OH-009222, 2014 Nov; :1-118
• Contact Point Address:
  Thurmon E. Lockhart, Ph.D. (PI), Grado Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Virginia Tech, 250 Durham Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2015
• NORA Priority Area:
  Construction ; Services
• Performing Organization:
  Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20090901
• Source Full Name:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• End Date:
  20140831
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:147dfd711dc6d07b4530bffa4eb63b0459bd01ebd3c02efce50eb701febc6e008254c5017b0ac401452d0b5a100c99ee4dfe91a7d396c77ad44f37806e6aacf8
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/218847/cdc_218847_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 2.79 MB ]