Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Common protective movements govern unexpected falls from standing height

E T Hsiao1, S N Robinovitch

  • 1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, San Francisco General Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, 94110, USA.

Journal of Biomechanics
|May 22, 1998
PubMed
Summary

Elderly individuals possess effective movement strategies to prevent hip fractures during falls. Research shows specific body movements, like arm and trunk adjustments, help share impact energy and avoid serious injury.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Orthostatic cardiovascular responses to postural sway and discreet counterpressure maneuvers.

Autonomic neuroscience : basic & clinical·2025
Same author

Effects of hip muscle activation on the stiffness and energy absorption of the trochanteric soft tissue during impact in sideways falls.

Journal of the mechanical behavior of biomedical materials·2022
Same author

Development of a stick-on hip protector: A multiple methods study to improve hip protector design for older adults in the acute care environment.

Journal of rehabilitation and assistive technologies engineering·2019
Same author

Effect of pelvis impact angle on stresses at the femoral neck during falls.

Journal of biomechanics·2018
Same author

Effect of neck flexor muscle activation on impact velocity of the head during backward falls in young adults.

Clinical biomechanics (Bristol, Avon)·2017
Same author

Risk factors for hip impact during real-life falls captured on video in long-term care.

Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA·2015

Area of Science:

  • Biomechanics
  • Gerontology
  • Injury Prevention

Background:

  • Falls are common in the elderly, yet hip fractures are infrequent, suggesting protective mechanisms.
  • Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for developing fall prevention strategies and reducing injury severity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the body segment movements employed by individuals to prevent injury during simulated falls.
  • To identify specific movement strategies that contribute to safe landing and impact force distribution.

Main Methods:

  • Subjects (22-35 years) were placed on a translating mattress to induce falls.
  • Body segment movements were measured during anterior, posterior, and lateral perturbations.
  • Timing of body part impacts (pelvis, wrist) and trunk rotation were analyzed.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • Falls were more likely following anterior foot translation compared to other directions.
  • Upper extremity movements synchronized pelvic and wrist impacts (38 ms interval) to share energy.
  • Trunk rotation in lateral falls protected the lateral hip from impact.

Conclusions:

  • Fall-induced movements are not random but involve repeatable strategies for safe landing.
  • These strategies include energy sharing via upper extremity use and protective trunk rotation.
  • Insights into these protective movements can inform fall injury prevention research.