Abstract
BackgroundCompliant flooring, broadly defined as flooring systems or floor coverings with some level of shock absorbency, may reduce the incidence and severity of fall-related injuries in older adults; however, a lack of synthesized evidence may be limiting widespread uptake.MethodsInformed by the Arksey and O’Malley framework and guided by a Research Advisory Panel of knowledge users, we conducted a scoping review to answer: what is presented about the biomechanical efficacy, clinical effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and workplace safety associated with compliant flooring systems that aim to prevent fall-related injuries in healthcare settings? We searched academic and grey literature databases. Any record that discussed a compliant flooring system and at least one of biomechanical efficacy, clinical effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, or workplace safety was eligible for inclusion. Two independent reviewers screened and abstracted records, charted data, and summarized results.ResultsAfter screening 3611 titles and abstracts and 166 full-text articles, we included 84 records plus 56 companion (supplementary) reports. Biomechanical efficacy records (n = 50) demonstrate compliant flooring can reduce fall-related impact forces with minimal effects on standing and walking balance. Clinical effectiveness records (n = 20) suggest that compliant flooring may reduce injuries, but may increase risk for falls. Preliminary evidence suggests that compliant flooring may be a cost-effective strategy (n = 12), but may also result in increased physical demands for healthcare workers (n = 17).ConclusionsIn summary, compliant flooring is a promising strategy for preventing fall-related injuries from a biomechanical perspective. Additional research is warranted to confirm whether compliant flooring (i) prevents fall-related injuries in real-world settings, (ii) is a cost-effective intervention strategy, and (iii) can be installed without negatively impacting workplace safety. Avenues for future research are provided, which will help to determine whether compliant flooring is recommended in healthcare environments.
Highlights
Compliant flooring is a passive intervention approach designed to reduce the stiffness of the ground in order to attenuate the impact forces applied to the body in the event of a fall [1,2,3,4,5]
Additional research is warranted to confirm whether compliant flooring (i) prevents fall-related injuries in real-world settings, (ii) is a cost-effective intervention strategy, and (iii) can be installed without negatively impacting workplace safety
Compliant flooring should be most beneficial in high-risk environments such as long-term care (LTC), where fall and injury rates are up to three times higher than in older adults living in the community [6,7,8,9,10]
Summary
Compliant flooring is a passive intervention approach designed to reduce the stiffness of the ground in order to attenuate the impact forces applied to the body in the event of a fall [1,2,3,4,5]. Compliant flooring should be most beneficial in high-risk environments such as long-term care (LTC), where fall and injury rates are up to three times higher than in older adults living in the community [6,7,8,9,10]. Few LTC sites have implemented compliant flooring as a fall injury prevention strategy [5]. A more comprehensive review of the currently available literature on compliant flooring is required to inform fall-related injury reduction strategies in LTC and other high-risk healthcare settings. Broadly defined as flooring systems or floor coverings with some level of shock absorbency, may reduce the incidence and severity of fall-related injuries in older adults; a lack of synthesized evidence may be limiting widespread uptake
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