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5 - Biomechanics of Balance and Falling

from Part I - Epidemiology and Risk Factors for Falls

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 November 2021

By
Daina L. Sturnieks
Edited by
Stephen R. Lord ,
Catherine Sherrington  and
Vasi Naganathan
Stephen R. Lord
Affiliation:
Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney
Catherine Sherrington
Affiliation:
Sydney Medical School
Vasi Naganathan
Affiliation:
Concord Hospital
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Summary

In biomechanical terms, balance control is the maintenance of the body’s centre of mass (COM: the point around which the body’s mass is equally distributed) within the limits of the base of support (BOS: the area circumscribed by parts of the body that are in contact with a support surface) in the horizontal plane. Simply put, the vertical line of gravity acting through the COM (also termed the centre of gravity), must remain within the BOS for a body to remain in postural equilibrium. Falling is the loss of balance control, i.e. when the vertical projection of the COM moves beyond the BOS. Without a successful balance-correcting response or external intervention to arrest the falling state and regain postural equilibrium, a fall (to the ground or some other lower level) will result. Biomechanical investigations have sought to understand falling by characterizing balance control while standing, walking, during postural transitions, and following unexpected perturbations. These studies complement epidemiological and physiological investigations of fall risk. Findings can help to inform the development of intervention strategies and in turn, biomechanical investigations can enable the evaluation of their effects.

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Type
Chapter
Information
Falls in Older People
Risk Factors, Strategies for Prevention and Implications for Practice
 , pp. 105 - 118
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2021

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