Knee Strength Capabilities and Slip Severity

• Autores: Sarah A. Wyszomierski, April J. Chambers, Rakié Cham
• Localización: Journal of applied biomechanics, ISSN-e 1543-2688, ISSN 1065-8483, Vol. 25, Nº. 2, 2009, págs. 140-148
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • Slips and falls are a serious public health con­cern in older populations. Reduced muscle strength is associated with increased age and fall incidence. Understanding the relationships between specific joint muscle strength charac­teristics and propensity to slip is important to identify biomechanical factors responsible for slip-initiated falls and to improve slip/fall pre­vention programs. Knee corrective moments generated during slipping assist in balance recovery. Therefore, the study goal was to investigate the relationship between knee flex­ion/extension strength and slip severity. Iso­metric knee flexion/extension peak torque and rate of torque development (RTD) of the slip­ping leg were measured in 29 young and 28 older healthy subjects. Motion data were col­lected for an unexpected slip during self-paced walking. Peak slip velocity (PSV) of the slip­ping heel served as a slip severity measure. Within-sex and age group regressions relating gait speed-controlled PSV to strength of the slipping leg revealed significant inverse PSV-knee extension peak torque and PSV-knee flex­ion/extension RTD relationships in young males only. Differences in PSV-strength rela­tionships between sex and age groups may be caused by greater ranges of strength capabili­ties in young males. In conclusion, the ability to generate higher, more rapid knee flexion/ extension muscle moments (greater peak torque/RTD) may assist in recovery from severe slips.