Introduction
Late-life balance disorders
Late-life balance disorders remain a severe problem with fatal consequencesPerturbation-based balance training (PBT) can improve balance and reduce falls among older adultsThe methods of PBT implementation vary and include standing on a surface, like a thick foam, balance board, or slip board, or experiencing external forces applied by a physical therapist (PT), occupational therapist (OT), or a robotic platformThere are numerous robotic platforms that provide PBT, and they can be distinguished by the location where the PBTs are applied, according to Shirota et al.The Robotics and Rehabilitation (RoaR) lab has developed the Tethered Pelvic Assist Device (TPAD, Fig. Experimental setup. Schematics and pictures of participants walking on the TPAD are presented in panels (The TPAD’s lightweight pelvic belt adds minimal inertia and lower limb restrictions to the user, minimally altering participants’ posture as they walk on a treadmill. However, treadmill gait differs from overground gait (walking over a natural surface, such as a sidewalk, floor, or trail) when differences in kinematic, kinetic, and electromyographic parameters are not consideredBased on the promising results of the TPAD’s PBT and the ability of the mTPAD to provide similar perturbations during overground gait, the mTPAD allows the study of how overground PBT can impact older individuals’ balance and cognition. Our pilot study investigates overground PBT’s feasibility, safety, and effectiveness with the mTPAD in healthy adults 50 and older, the age when fall risk increases