Impact of Prolonged Exposure to a Slippery Surface on Postural Stability

Abstract

Falls are extremely common in occupational settings. Intrinsic factors such as overexertion and extrinsic factors such as the supporting surface are causative factors of falls. The impact of prolonged exposure to a slippery surface on postural stability has not been previously studied. The purpose of the study was to analyze the effect of extended exposure to a dry and a slippery surface on postural stability. Eighteen males (age: 21.17 ± 3.38 years; height: 1.77 ± 0.08 m; mass: 89.81 ± 14.23 kg) were recruited and subjected to one-hour walking on a dry surface and a slippery surface on two different days. Participants' balance was assessed using a force platform in stable and unstable conditions at 0, 30, and 60 min. Postural sway variables were analyzed using a 2 (surface) × 3 (time) repeated-measures ANOVA. Significant time main effects were observed in the stable condition with greater balance decrements at 30 and 60 min. Greater balance decrements were observed on the slippery surface compared to the dry surface in the unstable condition. The balance decrements can be attributed to overexertion due to the physiological workload of prolonged walking and to the potential gait modifications due to walking on the slippery surface.

Keywords: balance; chronic; dry; ergonomics; extended; load-carrying; occupational falls.

Figure 1

(A) Average displacement along the anteroposterior axis (X-axis) in the stable condition. * represent significant time differences. (B) Average displacement along Y-axis in the stable condition. * represent significant time differences. (C) 95% ellipsoid area in the stable condition. * represent significant time differences. (D) COP in the anteroposterior axis (COP-X average) in the unstable condition. # represents significant surface differences. (E) COP in the anteroposterior axis (COP-X average) in the stable condition. § represent significant time × surface interaction. # represents a significant difference between surfaces. * represents a significant difference from 0min and 30min. Bars represent the standard error. D: dry surface; S: slippery surface.

Figure 1

(A) Average displacement along the anteroposterior axis (X-axis) in the stable condition. * represent significant time differences. (B) Average displacement along Y-axis in the stable condition. * represent significant time differences. (C) 95% ellipsoid area in the stable condition. * represent significant time differences. (D) COP in the anteroposterior axis (COP-X average) in the unstable condition. # represents significant surface differences. (E) COP in the anteroposterior axis (COP-X average) in the stable condition. § represent significant time × surface interaction. # represents a significant difference between surfaces. * represents a significant difference from 0min and 30min. Bars represent the standard error. D: dry surface; S: slippery surface.