Movement strategies by older adults for avoiding injury in falls
Robinovitch, S
Simon Fraser University (Vancouver, Canada)
Falls cause 95% of hip fractures and 80% of traumatic brain injuries in older adults. However, most falls in older adults do not cause serious injury. This talk will focus on movement strategies for avoiding injury during falls. Drawing on video footage of real-life falls by older adults in long-term care homes, I will discuss how injurious and non-injurious falls differ in upper limb bracing, rotation during descent, and core and neck muscle activation. I will also present evidence on how movement strategies for safe landing are tailored to the environmental and situational contexts of falls.