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Gait Speed with Anti-Slip Devices on Icy Pedestrian Crossings Relate to Perceived Fall-Risk and Balance

Author

Listed:
  • Agneta Larsson

    (Department of Health Sciences, Luleå University of Technology, Luleå 97187, Sweden)

  • Glenn Berggård

    (Department of Civil, Environmental and Natural Resources Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, Luleå 97187, Sweden)

  • Peter Rosander

    (Department of Civil, Environmental and Natural Resources Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, Luleå 97187, Sweden)

  • Gunvor Gard

    (Department of Health Sciences, Luleå University of Technology, Luleå 97187, Sweden)

Abstract

It is important to find criteria for preventive measures and appropriate assistive devices to reduce pedestrian injuries and increase walking in winter. Reducing the rate of falls on icy surfaces and improving people’s ability to safely cross a street in winter conditions by achieving an adequate walking speed, for example, need to be considered. This study explores pedestrian perceptions of fall risk, balance, and footfall transitions while using different designs for anti-slip devices on ice and snow-covered ice and relates these to measures of gait speed and friction. Trials were performed with nine pedestrians testing 19 anti-slip devices on ice and ice covered with snow. Laboratory tests of the dynamic coefficient of friction (DCOF) on plain ice were also performed. The findings suggest that there was conformity in the participants’ perceptions of good balance and low fall risk for one-fifth of the devices (three whole-foot designs and one design with built-in spikes). We also found that gait speed on icy pedestrian crossings is related to perceived fall-risk and balance control, but not to DCOF of the anti-slip devices.

Suggested Citation

  • Agneta Larsson & Glenn Berggård & Peter Rosander & Gunvor Gard, 2019. "Gait Speed with Anti-Slip Devices on Icy Pedestrian Crossings Relate to Perceived Fall-Risk and Balance," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(14), pages 1-13, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:14:p:2451-:d:247192
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Patrick Eggenberger & Sara Tomovic & Thomas Münzer & Eling D de Bruin, 2017. "Older adults must hurry at pedestrian lights! A cross-sectional analysis of preferred and fast walking speed under single- and dual-task conditions," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(7), pages 1-17, July.
    2. Élise Lépy & Sinikka Rantala & Antti Huusko & Pentti Nieminen & Marjo Hippi & Arja Rautio, 2016. "Role of Winter Weather Conditions and Slipperiness on Tourists’ Accidents in Finland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-15, August.
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    Cited by:

    1. Tadashi Uno & Masaya Fujino & Atsushi Ohwaki & Masahiro Horiuchi, 2019. "Prevalence of Falls on Mount Fuji and Associated with Risk Factors: A Questionnaire Survey Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(21), pages 1-11, October.
    2. Marjo Hippi & Markku Kangas, 2022. "Impact of Weather on Pedestrians’ Slip Risk," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-16, March.
    3. Jie Li & Floris Goerlandt & Kai Way Li, 2019. "Slip and Fall Incidents at Work: A Visual Analytics Analysis of the Research Domain," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-18, December.

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