How Older Adults can Avoid Falls via Proactive and Reactive Gait Adaptability: A Brief Introduction

To understand and intervene on the problem of falls among older adults, we must consider in what ways falls can be avoided. In this chapter, we discuss how people can avoid obstacle-induced falls like trips and slips via proactive and reactive gait adaptation. We introduce each concept and detail how gait adaptation pre and post contact with obstacles can be implemented in order to avoid or reduce falls risk. We also discuss how ageing may affect proactive and reactive gait adaptation and adaptability, particularly in the context of the sensory systems and movement execution. We conclude each section with some thoughts on interventions to improve these skills in older adults. Overall, both proactive and reactive gait adaptation to acute balance-threatening obstacles appear to be compromised with ageing. However, healthy older adults demonstrate the ability to improve in both aspects and this retained adaptability with ageing drives interest and research on these task-specific approaches to fall prevention.