Can Treadmill Slip-Perturbation Training Reduce Longer-Term Fall Risk Upon Overground Slip Exposure?
in Journal of Applied BiomechanicsThe purpose was to examine and compare the longer-term generalization between 2 different practice dosages for a single-session treadmill slip-perturbation training when reexposed to an overground slip 6 months later. A total of 45 older adults were conveniently assigned to either 24 or 40 slip-like treadmill perturbation trials or a third control group. Overground slips were given immediately after initial training, and at 6 months after initial training in order to examine immediate and longer-term effects. The performance (center of mass stability and vertical limb support) and fall percentage from the laboratory-induced overground slips (at initial posttraining and at 6 mo) were measured and compared between groups. Both treadmill slip-perturbation groups showed immediate generalization at the initial posttraining test and longer-term generalization at the 6-month retest. The higher-practice-dosage group performed significantly better than the control group (P < .05), with no difference between the lower-practice-dosage and the control groups at the 6-month retest (P > .05). A single session of treadmill slip-perturbation training showed a positive effect for reducing older adults’ fall risk for laboratory-induced overground slips. A higher-practice dosage of treadmill slip perturbations could be more beneficial for further reducing fall risk.
Lee, Bhatt, Y. Wang, S. Wang, and Pai are with the Department of Physical Therapy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA. Lee and Y. Wang are also with the Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Applied Health Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA. Liu is with the Center for Mobility and Rehabilitation Engineering Research, Kessler Foundation, West Orange, NJ, USA.
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