Stairs

Abstract: Locomotion on stairs is among the most challenging and hazardous activities of daily living for older individuals. This is evidenced by the reports that stair falls account for more than 10% of fatal fall accidents. The demands that stairs place on the musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems are compounded by the need for input from the somatosensory, visual, and vestibular systems at various stages in the task. Many of these collaborating systems deteriorate with aging, thus increasing the difficulty and risk of failure in a task that inherently involves exposure to significant danger. The task itself varies in its degree of challenge depending on many structural and environmental factors that are outside the control of the stair user. This review explores existing literature in the area of stair negotiation by older persons in an effort to define the key factors associated with difficulty and safety on stairs and to interpret these findings in the light of possible interventions that could increase stair safety. Further research is needed to ensure that current recommendations for stair design are suitable for older stair users. A Glossary of Terms is also provided.

Abstract: John Templer has written the first theoretical, historical, and scientific analysis of one of the most basic and universal building elements: the stair. Together, these two volumes present a detailed study of stairs and ramps -- the art and science of their design, their history, and their hazards. For the designer and the art and architectural historian, the first volume treats the fascinating history of stairs and their immense influence on the art and science of architecture. It is illustrated with more than 100 photographs from around the world and reviews the literature on stairs (as well as ladders and railings and ramps) from Vitruvius to Venturi. Templer considers the whole play of meanings in the idea of the stair -- as art object, as structural idea, as legal prescription, or as poetic fancy -- making it clear that the stair is simultaneously an aesthetic, architectonic, ergonomic, and cultural element. The second volume shows the dangers stairs present. Drawing on twenty years of human factors research on stairs, Templer sets out what is known about slips, trips, and falls and how best to design stairs to avoid their inherent dangers. He discusses the physiological and behavioral relationship between humans and stairs and walkways, the question of gait and slippery surfaces, and the various types of falls and the injuries that result. Perhaps most importantly, Templer proposes the idea of the soft stair, which could substantially reduce the annual epidemic of stair-related deaths and injuries.

Abstract: The national fitness survey for England concluded: “the high prevalence of physical inactivity suggests that it may be even more important for public health than attention to cholesterol, arterial blood pressure or smoking.”1 The prevalence and risk of inactivity in the United States led the American College of Sports Medicine to issue guidelines suggesting that sedentary adults should have at least 30 minutes of accumulated moderate physical activity on most days of the week.2 To achieve this target the members of the public should be encouraged to add activity into their daily routine at every opportunity. This study investigated whether Scottish commuters or shoppers would respond to an intervention consisting of motivational signs encouraging them to walk up stairs rather than take an escalator. Signs saying “Stay Healthy, Save Time, Use the Stairs” were placed …