Safe(r) Landing by Older People: A Matter of Complexity

Maintaining balance is a complex motor problem that requires coordinated contributions from multiple biological systems. Aging inevitably lessens the fidelity of biological systems, which can result in an increased risk of falling and associated injuries. It is advantageous to land safely, but falls manifest in diverse ways, so different motor solutions are required to land safely. However, without considerable practice, it is difficult to recall the appropriate motor solution for a fall and then apply it effectively in the brief duration before hitting the ground. A complex systems perspective provides a lens through which to view the problem of safe(r) landing. It may be possible to use motor analogies to promote degeneracy within the perceptual motor system so that, regardless of the direction in which an older person falls, their body self-organizes to land with less likelihood of injury.