Research: Volunteers needed for research into reducing falls in older people

A Sport Science researcher is looking for people to take part in a study aimed at helping understand how maintaining muscular function can help reduce the risk of falls in older people.

Brett Baxter, Graduate Teaching Assistant in the Faculty of Healthy and Society, is looking for people over the age of 60 who are comfortable taking part in physical activity and, if non-staff members, can easily get to the University’s Waterside.

Volunteers will join Brett at the Sports Zone on campus to take part in six separate exercise and testing sessions over three weeks.

The sessions, which will start on 22 April and continue until 13 May, will help Brett complete his PhD and will in turn inform a larger piece of research to start later this year. Volunteers have the option of taking part in that if they wish.

The research includes:

• Week 1: two twenty-minute sessions in which participants exercise as if they are walking downhill and have their leg strength measured
• Week 2: two sessions lasting an hour each. Volunteers will have their height and weight measured, perform an exercise in which the push against an unmovable bar as much as they can, have ultrasound images taken of their legs and some simple, functional tests that include having their balance measured
• Week 3: two sessions lasting an hour each (as detailed above).

If you want to take part, contact Brett through email: Brett.Baxter@northampton.ac.uk