Guided positional stabilization: a hypothesis on the role of targeted interfaces in enhancing upright stability among...

Elderly adults are at a higher risk of falls due to many reasons including issues in balance, coordination and overall sensory responsiveness. Falls ultimately threaten health and result in the fear of falling this causes restricted mobility and further decrease in health. Although there are traditional interventions such as railings, walkers or balance therapy which aim to reduce falls, they often function on compensatory mechanisms with little for postural regulation. We hypothesize that Guided Positional Stabilization (GZ) which use light strategically situated contact interfaces, can improve upright stability in frail elderly individuals by stimulating proprioceptive and tactile pathways. GZ is not a support aid rather a neurosensory framework that engages the nervous system in reactive and anticipatory balance corrections. Learning from concepts in biomechanics, neuroscience and geriatrics, this article presents the design requirements, theory, and possible clinical applications of GZ in fall prevention. We also put forward a pilot research agenda for testing the effectiveness of GZ in real world environments.