ORCID

0009-0003-6549-6297

Keywords

physical activity, balance, passive exosuit, geriatrics, engineering

Abstract

Falls are one of the leading causes of injury and death in older adults worldwide. Various interventions are continuously being developed and implemented to reduce fall incidents in older adults, but a clear understanding of the connection between psychological factors and physical function is essential for creating effective, tailored interventions. This dissertation examined the relationship between motivational orientation and directly measured physical activity (PA) in community-dwelling older adults, as well as fear of falling (FOF) and static balance performance. Motivational orientation, as explained by Regulatory Focus Theory, was not found to significantly influence the PA behavior of community-dwelling older adults prior to an intervention but could be utilized to enhance the effectiveness of programs designed to increase PA in older adults. FOF was found to significantly impact various aspects of static balance performance in community-dwelling older adults. However, the effects of FOF were heterogeneous across the distribution of static balance variables, suggesting that researchers and clinicians may benefit from segmenting populations by distribution rather than treating them as a whole when evaluating the static balance performance of older adults that participated in an intervention aimed towards reducing FOF. In addition to supporting existing interventions, a novel intervention in the form of a wearable passive assistive device that aimed to utilize upper limb movement to assist in lower limb movement during walking was developed and evaluated among healthy young adults. Hip range of motion, specifically hip extension, significantly increased upon active use of the device compared to baseline walking. However, energy usage significantly increased upon device use due to increased muscle activity in the upper and lower limbs. The device in its current state might function as a cost-effective means of PA and rehabilitation for older adults, but future work is required to solidify its feasibility in real-world applications.

Completion Date

2026

Semester

Spring

Committee Chair

Park, Joon-Hyuk

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

College

College of Engineering and Computer Science

Department

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Format

PDF

Document Type

Dissertation

Identifier

DP0053128

Release Date

5-15-2028

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Available for download on Monday, May 15, 2028

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