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Category

Rehabilitation

Document Type

Paper

Abstract

This study assessed the body’s kinematic responses to unpredictable gait perturbations repeatedly induced by a fall-inducing technology platform in young and older adults. Ten young adults (young group) and ten older adults (older group) completed two trials with the gait perturbation (i.e., trip). Maximum trunk flexion angle, maximum right hip flexion angle, and minimum whole-body center of mass (COM) position quantified the body’s kinematic responses for a pre-trip period and a recovery period. The results showed that both groups significantly increased maximum trunk flexion angle and maximum right hip flexion angle during the recovery period compared to the pre-trip period. The young group showed a significantly decreased minimum COM position during the recovery period compared to the pre-trip period. Our findings can inform perturbation-based gait training in young and older adults to improve the body’s responses for fall reduction and prevention.

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