Impact of a Soft Wearable Back-Support Device on Postural Stability during Trip-Like Perturbations

2026-06-01

AI Summary

This study addresses the challenge of enhancing postural stability during unexpected perturbations to prevent falls by designing and evaluating a tunable-stiffness soft wearable back support device. Using standing and walking perturbation paradigms, whole-body stability was quantified via the minimum stability margin (MOS), enabling the first experimental validation of the device’s positive impact on reactive balance control across different stiffness settings. Results demonstrate that the device significantly increases MOS values, with high stiffness yielding optimal performance during standing tasks, while both stiffness levels outperform the no-device condition during walking. These findings offer a novel approach and technical pathway for personalized fall-prevention interventions.

Abstract

The effectiveness of a soft wearable back-support device in enhancing postural stability was investigated under trip-like perturbations using two experimental paradigms: perturbed standing and perturbed walking. Healthy subjects completed trials under three different back-support conditions: no device, device worn with low stiffness, and device activated with high stiffness. Whole-body stability was quantified using the minimum Margin of Stability (MOS) at the point of maximal instability. Results demonstrated increased MOS during device use, indicating enhanced postural stability. In standing, MOS increased significantly with device stiffness, whereas in walking, both device conditions improved MOS relative to no device but did not differ significantly from each other. These findings highlight the potential of soft wearable back-support devices with adjustable stiffness to improve reactive balance control against external perturbations, with important implications for fall prevention. Future research should explore personalized stiffness optimization and evaluate efficacy in populations at elevated risk of falls.

Problem

• postural stability
• wearable back-support device
• trip-like perturbations
• reactive balance control
• fall prevention

Innovation

• soft wearable device
• adjustable stiffness
• postural stability
• trip-like perturbations
• margin of stability