LAS VEGAS - September 2, 2008 - With more than one-third of Americans 65 and older experiencing a fall each year, a team of UNLV graduate student researchers are investigating new strategies that may improve stability and minimize the factors that lead to fall-related injuries. Of particular interest to the team are the effects of having elderly fall victims take a step back--literally.
Biomechanics masters students Jennifer Aldridge and Geoffrey Melcher are using the resources of the UNLV Sports Injury Research Center to explore the effects of retro, or backward, locomotion as an intervention to reduce postural sway (body movement while standing) in older adults.
Research has shown retrolocomotion to be an effective strategy for rehabilitating athletes, increasing knee joint range of motion and improving metabolic and cardiovascular functioning. While the benefits of retrolocomotion have been studied in young, healthy subjects, its use as a rehabilitation strategy may improve balance, awareness and overall walking confidence in elderly subjects as well.
"Falling is the leading cause of injury related hospitalization and death in the elderly population today," said Aldridge. "Retrolocomotion may be a simple and cost-effective way for older adults to maintain functional stability and keep up an active and healthy lifestyle."
During the one year study, a sample group of healthy adult participants between the ages of 60 and 80 engage in tri-weekly walking sessions for four weeks. Participants are randomly assigned into either a forward or retro locomotion group and undergo balance testing prior to, during and after the study. Researches test for improvement in stability, changes in range of motion and walking velocity in both groups.
Many factors contribute to fall injuries in older adults, including general decreases in muscle strength, especially in the hips; declining balance; reduced flexibility and range of motion; and a reduction in visual acuity and awareness. With annual costs due to fall injuries estimated to exceed $43 billion by 2020, an effective intervention strategy could both improve quality of life in individuals and reduce the demand on an already taxed healthcare system.
The study is funded in part through an equipment grant award the research team received as one of nine winners of the Bertec Balance Research Competition. Bertec is a leading manufacturer of force measurement devices, commonly used in academic research and clinical practice to gauge balance and postural sway. The project is conducted under the supervision of Kinesiology professor Janet Dufek and is part of a long term research goal of the UNLV Department of Kinesiology to explore the effect backward walking has on improving forward locomotion characteristics and reducing falls.
