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Age-Related Differences in Head Impact during Experimentally Induced Sideways Falls
Tyler A Wood1, Yaejin Moon1, Ruopeng Sun1
1Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 906 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
Biomed Research International
|May 31, 2019
Summary
Older adults experience more head impacts during falls than younger adults. Head impacts increase head acceleration, suggesting a higher risk for traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) in older individuals due to age-related changes.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Gerontology
- Neurology
Background:
- Falls are a significant cause of injury, particularly among older adults.
- Understanding head impact dynamics during falls is crucial for injury prevention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the incidence of head impacts and head acceleration during experimentally induced falls in relation to age.
- To compare head impact rates and acceleration between young and older adults.
Main Methods:
- 15 young adults and 10 older adults participated in 6 experimentally induced sideways falls onto a crash pad.
- Head impacts were recorded via video analysis, and head acceleration was measured using motion capture data.
- A total of 147 falls were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Older adults had a significantly higher proportion of head impacts (34.5%) compared to young adults (11.4%).
- Head impacts, regardless of age, resulted in significantly greater head acceleration than falls without head impact.
- Statistical analysis confirmed older adults' increased head impact proportion (X^2(1) = 11.445, p = 0.001).
Conclusions:
- Older adults are more prone to head impacts during sideways falls.
- Head impacts lead to increased head acceleration, a key factor in traumatic brain injuries (TBIs).
- Age-related neuromuscular changes in head control may elevate the risk of fall-related TBIs, warranting further research into underlying mechanisms.
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