Scientists are tripping the elderly on purpose in a Chicago lab in an effort to better prevent senio
(28 Aug 2014) VOICE-OVER: IT'S NO ACCIDENT - RESEARCHERS ARE TRIPPING THIS 81-YEAR-OLD WOMAN ON PURPOSE. BUT MARY KAYE IS TAKING IT IN STRIDE. SHE'S LEARNED HOW NOT TO FALL, AFTER TOO MANY CLOSE ENCOUNTERS WITH CHICAGO'S CRUMBLING SIDEWALKS. SOUNDBITE (English) Mary Kaye, Study participant: "I fall forward, and I land on my face, and it's usually quite disastrous for my face." FALLS ARE A LEADING CAUSE OF INJURY AMONG THE ELDERLY, COST 30-BILLION A YEAR TO TREAT, AND CAN SPIRAL SENIORS INTO POOR HEALTH AND DISABILITY. SO RESEARCHERS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS-CHICAGO ARE TEACHING OLDER ADULTS HOW TO CATCH THEMSELVES IN NORMAL LIFE... BY TRIPPING THEM IN THE LAB... THEY'RE OUTFITTED IN SAFETY GEAR AND MOTION SENSORS. IN AN INITIAL STUDY, WITH A SPECIAL WALKWAY, PARTICIPANTS REDUCED THEIR CHANCE OF FALLING BY 50-PERCENT UP TO A YEAR LATER. SOUNDBITE (English) Prof. Clive Pai, Physical Therapy, University of Illinois-Chicago: "This is all implicit learning. We don't give any instruction. They don't have to be motivated. They're naturally motivated because they don't want to be on the floor." PROFESSOR CLIVE PAI (pie) SAYS THIS TECHNIQUE STIMULATES THE SUBCONSCIOUS... AND WORKS MUCH FASTER THAN TRADITIONAL FALL PREVENTION METHODS LIKE PHYSICAL THERAPY AND EXERCISE. SOUNDBITE (English) Prof. Clive Pai, Physical Therapy, University of Illinois-Chicago: "This is really a new paradigm for fall prevention." PAI WILL UP THE ANTE IN HIS NEXT STUDY, SUBJECTING VOLUNTEERS TO A TREADMILL THAT PERIODICALLY SKIPS. WITH FURTHER STUDY, HE HOPES THE DEVICES CAN HELP PEOPLE WITH NEUROLOGICAL CONDITIONS LIKE M-S AND STROKE THAT INCREASE THE RISK OF A FALL. SOUNDBITE (English) Jim Chin, Stroke patient: "You are helpless when you are out of balance and you cannot catch yourself to get back up." JIM CHIN IS A STROKE PATIENT WHO HAD THREE FALLS IN AS MANY MONTHS AND WANTS TO REGAIN A BETTER SENSE OF CONTROL... LIKE KAYE DID. SOUNDBITE (English) Mary Kaye, Study participant: "You learn. Every time you fall, you learn." WHILE THE APPROACH MAY SEEM UNCONVENTIONAL, IT COULD HELP PREVENT SOME VERY SERIOUS TUMBLES. SIGOUT - Cindy Sharp/Associated Press Find out more about AP Archive: https://ift.tt/zk0GT1Y Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://ift.tt/FTKIpq7 Instagram: https://ift.tt/1F7GvTl You can license this story through AP Archive: https://ift.tt/qthAdn3
via YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXz0qPzDmP0
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