A novel system for introducing precisely-controlled unanticipated gait perturbations for the study of stumble recovery

摘要

BackgroundThe experimental study of stumble recovery is essential to better understanding the reflexive mechanisms that help prevent falls as well as the deficiencies in fall-prone populations. This study would benefit from a system that can introduce perturbations that: 1) are realistic (e.g., obstacle disrupting the foot in swing phase), 2) are unanticipated by subjects, 3) are controllable in their timing, and 4) allow for kinematic and kinetic evaluation.