Abstract
This paper discusses risky slips which cause falls through the loss of upright balance due to sudden movement of the feet at certain accelerations. The validities of various methods to measure frictional properties were examined, so as to evaluate fall-risks while stepping barefoot on slippery floors covered with soapsuds. 70 subjects aged 65 and over participated by stepping barefoot on seven different flooring surfaces covered with soapsuds by various walking patterns. The percentages of most risky slips, which cause falls through the loss of upright balance, were calculated for each flooring surface. In the ramp test, another 60 elderly subjects participated by descending a slope on each slippery flooring surface. The validities of five different types of testing methods including the ramp test were examined. Overall results show that the most reliable testing method as an index of fall risks on the slippery floors was the ramp test method..
