Purdue University Human Motor Behavior Group
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Identifying the behavior that results in tripping over a stationary, visible obstacle.

July 5, 2016

Our team has been examining the rare trials (approximately 1% of all trials) where the participant perceived a stationary, visible obstacle and attempted to clear the obstacle, but tripped on the obstacle. Inadvertent failures are typically discarded as there are too few observations, but we have developed a methodology to assess these failures. This research has demonstrated that older adults fail at about the same rate as young adults, but the older adult tends to contact the obstacle with the first limb to cross the obstacle (lead limb). Recovery from a lead limb contact is more difficult, which may partially explain the higher injury rate in older adults. This innovative approach supplements information gained from successful trials to more fully understand proactive control of adaptive gait and will lead to the development of trip-prevention interventions.

PI – Dr. Shirley Rietdyk
Students – Michel Heijnen, Sam Pontecorvo, Brittney Muir, Chris Rhea

Example trajectories of the lead and trail feet are shown.Failure to Clear an Object

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Purdue University
Human Motor Behavior Group
Department of Health and Kinesiology
800 W. Stadium Ave., West Lafayette, IN 47907
Phone: (765) 494-3170, Fax: (765) 496-1239
© 2016   An equal access/equal opportunity university. 

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