{"id":43608,"date":"2017-02-16T15:32:08","date_gmt":"2017-02-16T19:32:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/?p=43608"},"modified":"2017-07-04T16:13:50","modified_gmt":"2017-07-04T20:13:50","slug":"nserc-video-contest-fear-of-falls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/2017\/02\/nserc-video-contest-fear-of-falls\/","title":{"rendered":"NSERC VIDEO CONTEST: Fear of Falls"},"content":{"rendered":"

They are stories often told \u2014 of seniors who have fallen while completing seemingly simple tasks around the house.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s not uncommon for those falls to be attributed to age without a second thought of why they actually occurred.<\/span><\/p>\n

As people age, anxiety and a fear of falling influences the way they move their bodies. If they stiffen up or have poor posture, it may\u00a0increase their likelihood of falling during voluntary movements.<\/span><\/p>\n

This is the focus of research conducted by Angel Phanthanourak, a Master of Science in Applied Health Sciences student and NSERC (Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada) <\/span>Science, Action! <\/span><\/em>competition\u00a0<\/span>candidate.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI became interested in the topic of anticipatory postural adjustments after I learned that adjustments we make to our posture to prevent a loss of balance become less efficient with aging,\u201d Phanthanourak said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe reductions in these protective adjustments may in part be a result of elevated anxiety and fear related to their balance \u2014 feelings prevalent in frail, older adults.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

By observing her grandparents, Phanthanourak has witnessed firsthand how debilitating these elevated levels of anxiety and their consequences can be.<\/span><\/p>\n

The frailer her grandparents became the less willing they were to engage in social gatherings, she explained. They were nervous to complete everyday activities from a fear of falling.<\/span><\/p>\n

It is this avoidance of activities that has left her grandmother in a more fragile state than ever before and at risk of experiencing a fall.<\/span><\/p>\n

Inspired by her grandmother and the challenges she has encountered, Phanthanourak created a 60-second video on her research and submitted it to NSERC\u2019s <\/span>Science, Action! <\/span><\/i>nationwide competition.<\/span><\/p>\n

Her entry, along with three others submitted by Brock students, made it into the Top 40 and is\u00a0in the race to make the finals.<\/span><\/p>\n

The 25 videos with the most views on YouTube between Feb. 1 and Feb. 28 will proceed to the final round, where a panel of judges will select the winners.<\/span><\/p>\n

Phanthanourak\u00a0has received scholarships throughout her academic career, which has allowed her to focus on learning and contributing to research, rather than concentrating only on her finances.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWinning the <\/span>Science, Action!<\/span><\/i> competition would further reduce the financial burdens associated with continuing graduate studies, allowing me to continue contributing to research in a productive manner,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Throughout Phanthanourak\u2019s undergraduate and graduate studies, Associate Professor Craig Tokuno has played an important role in developing her love of research.<\/span><\/p>\n

As her thesis supervisor, Tokuno has worked with Phanthanourak closely and recognizes the importance of her research on a larger scale.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOver the years, I have been extremely fortunate to have supervised many motivated and independent students, but Angel\u2019s research abilities and enthusiasm toward research are unparalleled,\u201d Tokuno said.<\/span><\/p>\n

The results of her research will \u201cgive us a better understanding of how and why an individual\u2019s ability to maintain body stability changes or deteriorates with age,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLong term, the results of Angel\u2019s studies may lead to new rehabilitation or balance training strategies for clinicians such as physical therapists, kinesiologists and neurologists.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

To watch Phanthanourak\u2019s video and support her in the NSERC\u2019s <\/span>Science, Action!<\/span><\/i> competition, watch Fear of Falls below.<\/span><\/p>\n

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