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The "Bathroom Friction" Project: Creating the evidence base for products, policies, and practices to prevent slips in bathrooms

A slippery bathing surface may add to the challenge of bathing-related tasks by destabilizing the base of support. It follows that provision of appropriate surface friction interventions of bathtub and shower surfaces is important for mitigating elevated fall risk and supporting safer bathing practices. . There is a need to develop an evidence-base supporting clinical guidance regarding appropriate underfoot surface friction interventions and to inform standardization of surface friction for bathtub and shower surfaces. Using state-of-the-art motion capture tools, this project will collect data to determine biomechanical mechanisms related to bathroom falls, the minimum surface friction requirements for challenging bathing tasks, and the effect of surface friction interventions on biomechanical demands of movement and slip risk during bathing-related tasks.

 

Our research aims to:

  1. Identify which bathing task motion patterns are riskiest, and most likely to have risk level modified via intervention

  2. Identify the minimum range of frictional requirements needed to inform improved product design for safer bathroom environments

  3. Understand the underlying factors and barriers influencing willingness to modify one’s bathroom environment considering safety

 

Modifying the bathroom environment is an important step towards safer independent bathing. On a population level safer environmental changes can be accomplished through improved product standards. At an individual-level, a better understanding of factors driving decision making can support education around home modification. 

Project funded by:

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Project Grant):

Project output: Forthcoming

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phone: (416) 597-3422 ext: 7713

550 University Ave, Toronto, ON, M5G 2A2, Canada

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