PMID- 11869909
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20021018
LR  - 20191105
IS  - 0966-6362 (Print)
IS  - 0966-6362 (Linking)
VI  - 15
IP  - 2
DP  - 2002 Apr
TI  - Ground reaction forces and frictional demands during stair descent: effects of 
      age and illumination.
PG  - 153-8
AB  - Stair descent is an inherently risky and demanding task that older adults often 
      encounter in everyday life. It is believed that slip between the foot or shoe 
      sole and the stair surface may play a role in stair related falls, however, there 
      are no reports on slip resistance requirements for stair descent. The aim of this 
      study was to determine the required coefficient of friction (RCOF) necessary for 
      safe stair descent in 12 young and 12 older adults, under varied illuminance 
      conditions. The RCOF during stair descent was found to be comparable in magnitude 
      and time to that for overground walking, and thus, with adequate footwear and dry 
      stair surfaces, friction does not appear to be a major determinant of stair 
      safety. Illuminance level had little effect on the dependent variables quantified 
      in this study. However, the older participants demonstrated safer strategies than 
      the young during stair descent, as reflected by differences in the ground 
      reaction forces and lower RCOF.
FAU - Christina, Kathryn A
AU  - Christina KA
AD  - The Center for Locomotion Studies, Penn State University, Room 29, Recreation 
      Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
FAU - Cavanagh, Peter R
AU  - Cavanagh PR
LA  - eng
GR  - R01 AG140703/AG/NIA NIH HHS/United States
GR  - T32 AG00048/AG/NIA NIH HHS/United States
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
PL  - England
TA  - Gait Posture
JT  - Gait & posture
JID - 9416830
SB  - IM
MH  - *Activities of Daily Living
MH  - Adult
MH  - Aged
MH  - *Aging
MH  - Exercise
MH  - *Facility Design and Construction
MH  - Female
MH  - Friction
MH  - Humans
MH  - *Lighting/standards
MH  - Male
MH  - Risk Factors
MH  - *Safety
MH  - Stress, Mechanical
MH  - *Walking
OTO - NASA
OT  - Non-programmatic
EDAT- 2002/03/01 10:00
MHDA- 2002/10/19 04:00
CRDT- 2002/03/01 10:00
PHST- 2002/03/01 10:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2002/10/19 04:00 [medline]
PHST- 2002/03/01 10:00 [entrez]
AID - S0966636201001643 [pii]
AID - 10.1016/s0966-6362(01)00164-3 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Gait Posture. 2002 Apr;15(2):153-8. doi: 10.1016/s0966-6362(01)00164-3.