Lower extremity kinematics during forward heel-slip

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Most fall intervention studies attempted to improve the mobility, range of motion of upper and lower extremities, or all major muscle strengths. Yet, there has been little effort to identify movements or actions that may be mainly responsible for recovering from a slipping. It was imperative to link lower extremity kinematics in conjunction with the functional anatomy of lower extremity muscles during forward heel-slipping to identify what muscles should have been activated substantially if a person would have recovered from forward heel-slipping. OBJECTIVE: The present study investigated lower extremity movements, such as the ankle, knee, and hip rotations, which could contribute to falls from forward heel-slipping. Determining changes in positions of foot, shank, and thigh during slipping would provide information to develop the optimal training regimen or interventions that may be effective for improving a chance to recover from the postural disturbance. METHODS: Twenty healthy adults (24–68 years old) participated in this experiment. Among twenty participants, only eight participants’ data were analyzed in this study. The 3D position data were used to compute the sagittal foot, shank, and thigh angles and frontal thigh angle. RESULTS: The study results indicated that, during the period of slipping, the angles of the segments of the slipping leg were different from that of the foot, shank, and thigh when walking ordinarily over the dry surface in the present study. CONCLUSIONS: The characteristics or differences in the angular kinematics of lower extremity during unexpected slips in the present study demonstrate possible causes for slip-induced falls.

Provoking Artificial Slips and Trips towards Perturbation-Based Balance Training: A Narrative Review

“…Table 3 highlights the 29 studies that delivered slip-like perturbations in overground walking conditions. From these studies, 11 conducted their experiments with only young subjects [ 10 , 33 , 34 , 46 , 51 , 54 , 55 , 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 ], 13 with only older subjects [ 9 , 11 , 12 , 22 , 30 , 31 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 ], and 3 studies considered both young and older participants [ 52 , 53 , 56 ]. Additionally, one study allowed the enrolment of young and middle-aged participants (aged between 40 and 60) [ 57 ] while another manuscript considered young, middle-aged and older subjects [ 58 ].…”

“…Movable platforms were used in 19 studies [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 22 , 30 , 31 , 33 , 34 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 ], whereas slippery contaminant surfaces were the source of instability in 8 other articles [ 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 ]. Two additional papers described a novel robotic system that applied the perturbations [ 61 , 62 ].…”

“…Two additional papers described a novel robotic system that applied the perturbations [ 61 , 62 ]. While 19 studies induced slip-induced backward LOBs [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 22 , 30 , 31 , 33 , 34 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 62 ], 9 papers induced LOBs in an unconstrained direction [ 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 , 61 ]. Study [ 46 ] provoked LOBs in the forward, right and left directions.…”

“…Different contaminant solution compositions were used. Merril et al [ 53 ], Nazifi et al [ 54 ] and O’Connel et al [ 57 ] chose a glycerol and water mixture contaminant while Ziaei et al [ 55 ] and Kim et al [ 59 ] selected soapy water as the slippery solution. A single study [ 56 ] considered a mixture of water and jelly to induce the imbalance event.…”

A Systematic Review on the Biomechanics of Breakfall Technique (Ukemi) in Relation to Injury in Judo within the Adult Judoka Population

“…It is proposed that skill of breakfall technique can be determined by observation of upper and lower limb kinematics [ 62 , 63 ] in addition to head and neck kinematics. Avoidance of head contact on the tatami through Ukemi is key to preventing head and neck injury.…”