Mechanisms of failed recovery following postural perturbations on a motorized treadmill mimic those associated with an actual forward trip.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the recovery strategies employed during a treadmill acceleration task, to determine if mechanisms that contributed to failed recoveries on a motorized treadmill are the same general biomechanical mechanisms that contributed to falls from a trip, and to determine if failed recovery responses could be modified to allow for successful recoveries on subsequent trials.

DESIGN: A motorized treadmill was used to induce postural perturbations in healthy older adults.

BACKGROUND: Previously, we induced trips in older adults to identify the mechanisms of failed recovery. However, inducing trips is not a clinically practical test for identifying older adults who are predisposed to falling.

METHODS: Safety-harnessed older adults stood on a treadmill that was accelerated from 0 to 0.89 m/s to impose a postural perturbation. Recoveries were classified as successful (n=42) or failed (n=23). Selected biomechanical variables were calculated using motion analysis methods.

RESULTS: Initial failed recoveries had slower reaction times, shorter step lengths, and greater trunk flexion angles and velocities. Subjects who failed on the initial attempt modified their recovery strategy to successfully recover. The biomechanics of these recoveries resembled those used by subjects who successfully recovered on their initial attempt.

CONCLUSIONS: The biomechanical mechanisms involved with a failed treadmill recovery mimic those responsible for failed recoveries from an induced trip. Subjects who failed on their initial recovery response made modifications allowing successful recoveries on subsequent attempts.

RELEVANCE: This protocol may be useful as a testing and rehabilitation tool for fall recovery.