Effects of Muscle Strength Decline Associated with Older Adults on Effectiveness of Self-protective Measure on Falls using OpenSim

Abstract

Falling down is a common and unintentional phenomenon, and the caused body injury may lead to loss of body function or even death. It is estimated that one out of every three older adult individual report a fall at least once every year of which 20% have serious consequence. To predict injury accurately and have better-targeted treatment after falling down, it is necessary to study the damage caused by falling down. To obtain reliable results similar to those of previous high-cost dummy experiments, more effective falling simulation methods should be developed. In this study, by using the biomechanical analysis software OpenSim (open-source software) with the proposed multi-body models associated with older adults’ declined muscle properties, we obtained the kinematic characteristics under different falling down situations for injury evaluation. Finally, the head peak acceleration under several falling down situations are served as the index to evaluate the injury and to obtain this influence of muscle strength decline. Regardless of aging, more positive self-protective can greatly help release the impact. And the declined muscle strength of older adults will higher the risk of fall injury under specific falling down posture.