(PeteCresswell) wrote:
Due to neurological issues, descending a staircase is becoming
increasingly problematic for Yours Truly.

Current strategy is going down sideways holding the railing, but a
collapsed knee could defeat that.

If I take a header, seems like the best outcome would be a quick
death... but the most likely outcome would be long term disability.

That being said....

Is anybody familiar with assistive devices to mitigate the risk?

A mini-elevator seems like overkill to me - and also a space-eating
PITA.

Ascending, no problem... worst case a bruised knee or something.

I'm starting to think in terms of some kind of quick-on-quick-off
harness attached to a spool whose speed of unwinding is governed.

You put slip the harness on around the chest, start going down the
stairs, start to take a header, and the inertial brake on the spool
kicks in reducing the header to something more like a straight-down
fall on to one's butt or knees.

There are fall protection devices designed for workers to prevent injury in
falls from height.

You could string a rope along the stair wall, and use a prussik knot to it on a
line that clips onto your belt. You walk up/down guiding the prussik knot along
with your hand. If you fall, the prussik knot tightens and stops moving on the
guide rope, stopping your fall.