Judicious Early Detection of Impending Imbalance (JEDII) Lab
The JEDII Program is a clinical service which also conducts ongoing research into balance and, by extension, future fall risk. It is led by Dr. James Richardson, specializes in understanding early changes in balance and fall risk before people are actually falling. More specifically he and his team are investigating what differentiates individuals who successfully recover from a loss of balance due to slip/trip or stumble from those who cannot.
With a focus on early detection and prevention, the work aims to identify and address sub-clinical declines in foot/ankle somatosensory function, brain processing speed and hip/trunk strength before individuals develop significant fall risk and start falling. The lab also translates this research into direct patient care through the JEDII Clinic, providing directions and focus for early interventions for those just beginning to question or worry about their balance.
Research Focus
Our research seeks to determine why some people can recover from sudden balance disturbances despite aging while other people often cannot. We focus on the critical 300-400 milliseconds post-perturbation, which determine recovery vs. collision with the floor, aiming to provide rational recommendations for interventions before a falls start occurring. The JEDII Clinic evaluates patients who demonstrate early signs of balance decline, such as difficulty with one-legged balance, or who have developed a lack of confidence in their balance. Another research focus is on the continued validation of assessment tools like ReacStick, which measures central processing speed within 1/3 of a second in manner which isn’t biased by educational attainment.
Areas of Focus
- Early detection and recommendations for rational intervention in individuals with declining balance
- Mechanisms of postural recovery and the biomechanics of falls
- Clinical and electrophysiological evaluation of foot/ankle sensation, brain processing speed, and strength so as to determine the source(s) of early balance impairment
- Application of novel clinical tools (e.g., ReacStick) for unbiased assessment of central processing speed, one of the early signs of unsuccessful brain aging.
Program Leadership
James K Richardson
Medical Director, UH EMG/PM&R
Medical School
Brendan L McNeish
Assistant Professor of Neurology and Research Assistant Professor
Institute of Gerontology
Medical School
James T Eckner
Residency Research Director, Medical School
James Ashton-Miller, PhD
Hogene Kim, PhD
Dave Bolton, MS, PhD
Utah State University
