Treadmill-based gait-slip training with reduced training volume could still prevent slip-related falls

Background: Treadmill-based gait-slip training shows to be effective in reducing the risk of slip-related falls. In previous relevant studies, the number of repeated slip perturbations ranged from 12 to 30. Research question: It is unclear if a reduced number of treadmill-slips can still yield adaptive strategies to lower the likelihood of falls after a slip over ground. This study examined if eight repeated slips on a treadmill reduced the risk of falls among young adults when they were exposed to a novel overground slip. Methods: Forty-three healthy young adults were randomized into either training or control group. The training group underwent an 8-slip perturbation training procedure on a treadmill while the control group received the same number of normal walking trials on the same treadmill. Following the training, both groups were exposed to an unrehearsed slip during overground walking. Their body's reactions to the novel overground slip were collected by a motion capture system. Results: The training group exhibited significantly better reactions to the slip than did the control group, evidenced by the lower fall proportion and improved dynamic stability at recovery foot touchdown during the overground slip. No improvement in dynamic stability was detected in the training group at the slipping foot touchdown and recovery foot liftoff. Significance: The results suggested that the shortened perturbation training program may be efficacious in improving responses to a novel overground slip but may not be as effective as protocols using greater number of slips. This study could provide guidance for selecting the number of slips for future perturbation-based training protocols.