Heel Contact Dynamics during Slip Events

Abstract

Slips and falls are a major cause of injuries. In order to measure slip resistance under biomechanically relevant conditions, foot forces and motion from actual slip events must be known. This study recorded such biomechanical data. Six subjects walked on a level and 10° ramp with 2 possible contaminant conditions (dry, oil). Foot forces and motion were recorded at 350 Hz. Heel contact (HC) dynamics were compared among no-slip, slip-recovery and slip-fall events. Walking on oil generated patterns of backward/forward sliding foot motion similar to that on dry surfaces, but with higher peak velocities and more movement. Shear forces generated by the foot at HC were delayed on the oily surface compared to the dry surface.

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