Dynamic Stability During Gate of Older Adults

Knutson, Andria

Dynamic Stability During Gate of Older Adults

Date

2016-04-01

Authors

Knutson, Andria

Organizational Units

Organizational Unit

Kinesiology

The Department of Kinesiology seeks to provide an ample knowledge of physical activity and active living to students both within and outside of the program; by providing knowledge of the role of movement and physical activity throughout the lifespan, it seeks to improve the lives of all members of the community. Its options for students enrolled in the department include: Athletic Training; Community and Public Health; Exercise Sciences; Pre-Health Professions; and Physical Education Teacher Licensure. The Department of Physical Education was founded in 1974 from the merger of the Department of Physical Education for Men and the Department of Physical Education for Women. In 1981 its name changed to the Department of Physical Education and Leisure Studies. In 1993 its name changed to the Department of Health and Human Performance. In 2007 its name changed to the Department of Kinesiology. Dates of Existence: 1974-present. Historical Names: Department of Physical Education (1974-1981), Department of Physical Education and Leisure Studies (1981-1993), Department of Health and Human Performance (1993-2007). Related Units: College of Human Sciences (parent college), College of Education (parent college, 1974 - 2005), Department of Physical Education for Women (predecessor) Department of Physical Education for Men

Series

Honors Projects and Posters

University Honors Program

The Honors project is potentially the most valuable component of an Honors education. Typically Honors students choose to do their projects in their area of study, but some will pick a topic of interest unrelated to their major.

The Honors Program requires that the project be presented at a poster presentation event. Poster presentations are held each semester. Most students present during their senior year, but may do so earlier if their honors project has been completed.

This site presents project descriptions and selected posters for Honors projects completed since the Fall 2015 semester.

Department

Kinesiology

Abstract

It has been found that older adults are at risk of falling in their homes, especially at night in low light situations. This study aimed to quantitatively evaluate the falling risk of older adults when walking in dim light on a few different surfaces that are relatable to a home environment. The 3 surfaces used include a normal (flat) condition, an uneven (with bumps) condition, and an inconsistent (on soft mats) condition. Male and Female participants over age 50 walked on each of the 3 surfaces in both light and dark conditions. During each phase, their balance was assessed based on the time it took for their center of pressure to reach the boundary of their shoe indicating instability. Data was collected using Novel Pedar In-sole sensors, and a time to boundary (TTB) analysis was performed to determine the results. A significant difference in the instability of certain conditions makes it possible to draw conclusions about the safety of home environments and make recommendations about how to improve them in order to decrease the risk of falling.