Vibrating Insoles Could Reduce Falls among Seniors
From: Medical Design Technology - 10/30/2014

Findings published in the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
show that imperceptible vibratory stimulation applied to the soles of the
feet improved balance by reducing postural sway and gait variability in
elderly study participants.

The vibratory stimulation is delivered by a urethane foam insole with
embedded piezoelectric actuators, which generates the mechanical stimulation.

The study was conducted by researchers from the Institute for Aging Research
(IFAR) at Hebrew SeniorLife, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, the Wyss
Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, and
Harvard Medical School, all of Boston, Massachusetts; and Merck Sharpe and
Dohme (MSD) Consumer Care, Inc., of Memphis, Tennessee.

These findings are significant because poor balance and an irregular gait are
directly related to fall risk. Falls are the leading cause of death from
injury among seniors. Risk increases with age and even the fear of falling
can reduce quality of life.

Read the entire article at:
http://www.mdtmag.com/news/2014/10/vibrating-insoles-could-reduce-falls-among-seniors

Links:
Institute for Aging Research
http://www.hebrewseniorlife.org/research

How to Prevent Falls Using Vibrating Soles
http://www.hebrewseniorlife.org/hsl-resources-prevent-falls-using-vibrating-soles

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Vibrating Insoles May Aid in Reducing Falls among Older Adults
From: PT Products - 10/31/2014

Vibratory stimulation applied to the soles of the feet reportedly improved
balance in older adult study participants, reducing postural sway and gait
variability.

Read the entire article at:
http://www.ptproductsonline.com/2014/10/vibrating-insoles-may-aid-fall-prevention-among-older-adults/

Links:
Vibrating insoles could help prevent falls among seniors
http://www.gizmag.com/vibrating-insoles-seniors-falls/34535/
http://wyss.harvard.edu/viewpressrelease/177/

Vibrating Shoes Restore Balance for Seniors
http://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/biomedical/devices/vibrating-shoes-restore-balance-for-seniors