Human resilience to forward falls: adaptation and transfer of stability control

PhD Thesis


Werth, J. (2023). Human resilience to forward falls: adaptation and transfer of stability control. PhD Thesis London South Bank University School of Applied Sciences https://doi.org/10.18744/lsbu.933zq
AuthorsWerth, J.
TypePhD Thesis
Abstract

Scoping fall resilience requires knowledge of factors enabling the neuromotor system to transfer stability control between different postural perturbations. This thesis addressed this objective in comprising three different studies on adults across
the lifespan. The first study examined the intra- and inter-session reliability of recovery performance across 97 participants at several research centres using two different protocols of a clinical assessment method (lean-and-release task) simulating sudden anterior stability loss, i.e. gradual increase to maximal forward-lean angle vs. predefined lean angle. Independent of the protocol used and participants’ age, reliable assessment of common stability recovery performance
parameters using the lean-and-release task could be confirmed. The second study used single exposures to both lean-and-release and a treadmill-based gait trip to investigate the association of recovery performance between unpractised perturbations. We revealed that recovery performance in one task could not significantly explain performance in the other task, indicating limited transfer of fall-resisting skills for anterior perturbations. The third study examined factors (particularly practising stability recovery responses with different perturbation magnitudes) that could elicit or limit transfer to unpractised perturbations.
Participants walking on a treadmill were exposed to eight trip perturbations of either low or high magnitude or walked unperturbed (control group). To investigate transfer to unpractised anterior perturbations following walking tasks, all participants underwent a lean-and-release task and an overground trip. Adaptation in stability to repeated gait-perturbations did not lead to enhanced stability recovery in the lean-and-release task but did improve overground trip performance, independent of the practised perturbation magnitude. Lower limb joint angle differences between treadmill- and lean-and-release perturbations for the swing phase of recovery steps were more prolonged and greater as opposed to the comparison of the two gait perturbation tasks. In conclusion, the current work indicates that practising stability control enhances human resilience to unpractised perturbations which is not necessarily dependent on the perturbation magnitude but may partly be subject to similarity in motor response patterns between tasks.

Year2023
PublisherLondon South Bank University
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.18744/lsbu.933zq
File
License
File Access Level
Open
Publication dates
Print27 Jan 2023
Publication process dates
Deposited15 Feb 2023
Funder/ClientGerman Social Accident Insurance
Additional information

This doctoral project was financially supported by the German Social Accident Insurance Institution for the trade and logistics industry (BGHW) and the Sport and Exercise Science Research Centre (SESRC) at London South Bank University.

Permalink -

https://openresearch.lsbu.ac.uk/item/933zq

Download files


File
  • 136
    total views
  • 105
    total downloads
  • 5
    views this month
  • 0
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

A wearable sensor and framework for accurate remote monitoring of human motion
Gießler, M., Werth, J., Waltersberger, B. and Karamanidis, K. (2024). A wearable sensor and framework for accurate remote monitoring of human motion. Communications Engineering. 3 (20). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44172-024-00168-6
Enhancement of awareness through feedback does not lead to interlimb transfer of obstacle crossing in virtual reality.
Weber, A, Hartmann, U, Werth, J, Epro, G, Seeley, J, Nickel, P and Karamanidis, K (2023). Enhancement of awareness through feedback does not lead to interlimb transfer of obstacle crossing in virtual reality. Journal of Biomechanics. 153, p. 111600. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiomech.2023.111600
Differences in motor response to stability perturbations limit fall-resisting skill transfer
Werth, J., Epro, G., König, M., A. Santuz, Seeley, J., A. Arampatzis and Karamanidis, K. (2022). Differences in motor response to stability perturbations limit fall-resisting skill transfer. Scientific Reports. 12, p. 21901. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-26474-7
Limited transfer and retention of locomotor adaptations from virtual reality obstacle avoidance to the physical world.
Weber, A., Hartmann, U., Werth, J., Epro, G., Seeley, J., Nickel, P. and Karamanidis, K. (2022). Limited transfer and retention of locomotor adaptations from virtual reality obstacle avoidance to the physical world. Scientific Reports. 12 (1), p. 19655. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-24085-w
Reliability and Accuracy of a Time-Efficient Method for the Assessment of Achilles Tendon Mechanical Properties by Ultrasonography
Hunter, S., Werth, J., Werth, J., Lambrianides, Y., Smith, K., Karamanidis, K. and Epro, G. (2022). Reliability and Accuracy of a Time-Efficient Method for the Assessment of Achilles Tendon Mechanical Properties by Ultrasonography. Sensors. 22 (7), p. e2549. https://doi.org/10.3390/s22072549
Differences in muscle synergies among recovery responses limit inter-task generalisation of stability performance
Koenig, M., Santuz, A., Epro, G., Werth, J., Arampatzis, A. and Karamanidis, K. (2022). Differences in muscle synergies among recovery responses limit inter-task generalisation of stability performance. Human Movement Science. 82, p. 102937. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.humov.2022.102937
Head-Mounted and Hand-Held Displays Diminish the Effectiveness of Fall-Resisting Skills
Weber, A., Werth, J., Epro, G., Friemert, Daniel, Hartmann, Ulrich, Lambrianides, Y., Seeley, J., Nickel, Peter and Karamanidis, K. (2022). Head-Mounted and Hand-Held Displays Diminish the Effectiveness of Fall-Resisting Skills. Sensors. 22 (1), p. e344. https://doi.org/10.3390/s22010344
The ability to increase the base of support and recover stability is limited in its generalisation for different balance perturbation tasks
Bosquee, J., Werth, J., Epro, G., Hülsdünker, T., Potthast, W., Meijer, K., Ellegast, R. and Karamanidis, K. (2021). The ability to increase the base of support and recover stability is limited in its generalisation for different balance perturbation tasks. European Review of Aging and Physical Activity. 18, p. 20. https://doi.org/10.1186/s11556-021-00274-w
Stability recovery performance in adults over a wide age range: A multicentre reliability analysis using different lean-and-release test protocols.
Werth, J., Bohm, S, Klenk, J, König, M, Sczuka, K S, Schroll, A, Epro, G., Mandla-Liebsch, M, Rapp, K, Potthast, W, Arampatzis, A and Karamanidis, K. (2021). Stability recovery performance in adults over a wide age range: A multicentre reliability analysis using different lean-and-release test protocols. Journal of Biomechanics. 125, p. 110584. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiomech.2021.110584
Obstacle avoidance training in virtual environments leads to limb-specific locomotor adaptations but not to interlimb transfer in healthy young adults.
Weber, A., Friemert, D, Hartmann, U, Epro, G, Seeley, J, Werth, J., Nickel, P and Karamanidis, K (2021). Obstacle avoidance training in virtual environments leads to limb-specific locomotor adaptations but not to interlimb transfer in healthy young adults. Journal of Biomechanics. 120, p. 110357. https://doi.org/S0021-9290(21)00137-8
Evidence that ageing does not influence the uniformity of the muscle-tendon unit adaptation in master sprinters.
Epro, G., König, M., James, D., Lambrianides, Y, Werth, J., Hunter, S and Karamanidis, K. (2021). Evidence that ageing does not influence the uniformity of the muscle-tendon unit adaptation in master sprinters. Journal of Biomechanics. 120, p. 110364. https://doi.org/S0021-9290(21)00144-5