Free Papers: Lower Limb O&P: Mobility, Falls and Balance (AM2025-FP03)

Credit Hours

1.75 Scientific Credits

Learning Objectives

Please see course description.

Course Description

Free Papers: Lower Limb O&P: Mobility, Falls and Balance (AM2025-FP03)

Dynamic Balance Responses to Somatosensory Foot Orthoses in Older Adults: A Posturographic Assessment
Presenter:  Abu Jor, M.Sc. – Ph.D. Student, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Foot orthoses including insoles or shoe inserts have been recommended for their potential to improve gait, balance, and stability. Incorporating protruded knobs into foot orthoses may enhance postural balance and stability in the elderly by offering enhanced tactile stimulation to the mechanoreceptors on the glabrous foot skin.

Learning Objectives:

• Upon completion, the participant will be able to learn about the role of passive tactile stimulation of mechanoreceptors in balance enhancement
• Upon completion, the participant will be able to understand how foot orthoses may enhance balance performance under various sensory conditions.
• Upon completion, the participant will be able to explore the scope of applying protruded knobs to stimulate mechanoreceptors for neurologically impaired participants through lower limb orthoses, including insoles or shoe inserts.

Community Falls in Transfemoral Amputation: A Sign of Poor Balance or Enhanced Mobility?
Presenter:  Kinsey Herrin, MSPO, C/LPO, FAAOP – Senior Research Scientist, Georgia Institute of TechnologyIn a study of 12 individuals with transfemoral amputation, results suggest individuals with higher mobility and narrowing beam walking test scores are more prone to community falls, potentially indicating higher community risk tolerance. This research implies fall surveys may reflect a broader spectrum of stability than previously thought.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will understand how to administer the Lower Limb Prosthesis (LLP) User Fall Event Survey .
• Participants will become familiar with the Narrowing Beam Walking Test.
• Upon completion, participants will understand the relationship between mobility and community fall risk.

Reactive Balance in Older Transfemoral Amputees
Presenter:  Adam Goodworth, PhD – Professor, Westmont CollegeTwenty-one subjects (11 TFA and 10 controls) underwent standing perturbation balance testing in frontal and sagittal planes. TFA subjects showed excessive non-linear, noisy sway less correlated with perturbation, with minimal differences in reactive standing balance between the two knees tested.

Learning Objectives:

• Upon completion, participants will be able to discuss the differences between amputees' and controls reactions to postural perturbations during standing balance testing.
• Upon completion, participants will be able to describe the importance of using perturbations to assess balance control.
• Upon completion, participants will be able to define the difference between "in plane" and "out of plane" sway.

The Role of Walking Speed and Leg Proprioception in Foot Clearance for Older Transtibial Prosthesis Users
Presenter:  Matthew J. Major, PhD – Research Health Scientist, Northwestern Univerity and Department of Veterans AffairsOlder leg prosthesis users experience the compounded effects of natural neuromotor decline and prosthesis limitations on gait safety. In this study we studied the effects of walking speed and leg proprioception on foot clearance on older unilateral transtibial prosthesis users.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will be able to understand the role of foot clearance on gait safety.
• Participants will be able to understand the challenge of foot clearance for leg prosthesis users.
• Participants will be able to understand how leg proprioception may influence foot clearance during walking.

Mismatched Balance Confidence and Objective Balance Capacity - Impact on Fall Frequency from C-Brace Crossover Trial
Presenter:  Arri R. Morris, MSc, CCRA – Clinical Research Associate, OttobockWhen there is a mismatch of balance confidence measured by the ABC Scale and objective balance ability assessed by the Berg Balance Scale, the likelihood of falling multiple times increases. This analysis explores the relationship between balance confidence, balance ability, and objective falls from the C-Brace Crossover trail.

Learning Objectives:

• Upon completion, participant will be able to identify orthotic patients who have a mismatch between perceived balance confidence and objective balance capacity
• Upon completion, participant will be able to explain to insurance companies why their patient with a mismatch is at increased risk of falling.
• Upon completion, participant will be able to understand the nuance of when a mismatch is or is not problematic

Presenter Name(s)

• Kierra J. Falbo, MPO, CPO (Moderator)
• Kinsey Herrin, MSPO, C/LPO, FAAOP (Moderator)
• Arri R. Morris, MSc, CCRA
• Matthew J. Major, PhD 
• Adam Goodworth, PhD 
• Abu Jor, M.Sc. – PhD