Health TrialsbyHealthPanel

Self-initiated Perturbation-based Training in Older Adults

ConditionHealthy Subjects (HS)
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age60+
SponsorThe Hong Kong Polytechnic University

About this trial

This is a single-blinded study. Participants will be randomly assigned to self-initiated perturbation-based balance training (SePBT) group or control (conventional balance training) group. Kinematic and Kinetic changes following SePBT group compared to control will be investigated.

Eligibility criteria

This trial does not accept healthy volunteers

Qualifiers

Community-dwelling adults aged 60 years old or older

Able to communicate effectively in Cantonese or Mandarin

Able to walk independently on level ground for at least 30 minutes

Abbreviated Mental Test (Hong Kong version) scores≥6

Disqualifiers

Uncorrected vision or hearing impairment

Osteoporosis

Have a historyof hip or knee replacement

Have musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, mental, or neurological disorders that preclude their participation in the assessment or intervention safety

Trial design

Design model

Parallel

Treatments tested in this trial

  • Self-initiated perturbation-based balance training

    Behavioral

    This group will receive two 30-minute training sessions over two weeks, with one session per week. Participants will be required to recover their balance upon self-initiated perturbation.

  • Conventional balance training

    Behavioral

    This group will receive two 30-minute training sessions over two weeks, with one session per week. Participants will be instructed to perform balance and strength training. The same training duration and format will be used as the Self-initiated perturbation-based balance training group.

Treatment groups

48 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groups
Group A: Self-initiated perturbation-based balance training groupExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Group B: Conventional balance training groupActive comparator 1 intervention

Trial outcomes

Primary outcomes

1

Postural stability

Postural stability at the recovery steps after the perturbation will be calculated as the distance between the absolute center of mass (CoM) position in an anteroposterior direction relative to the closest edge of the Base of Support (BoS) normalized by foot length. The absolute CoM position and BoS position will be traced by the motion capture system synchronized with the force plates embedded underneath the slip-treadmill belts.

Time frame
Pre-intervention, 1 week after intervention and 4 months after intervention.

Secondary outcomes

1

Generic balance ability

Generic balance ability will be assessed by the Brief-BESTest. Brief-BESTest can challenge balance across anticipatory postural adjustments, postural responses, sensory orientation and stability in gait, allowing for comprehensive examination of improvements that occur in reactive control. As a shortened version of the BESTest, the Brief-BESTest is an 8-item balance assessment containing 1 item for each of the 6 subsections of the BESTest.

Time frame
Pre-intervention, 1 week after intervention and 4 months after intervention.
2

Mobility

Mobility will be assessed by Timed Up and Go test (in the unit of seconds).

Time frame
Pre-intervention, 1 week after intervention and 4 months after intervention
3

Number of real-life falls

The number of real-life falls in months after randomization will be recorded. Fall circumstances and related injuries will be required via phone contact. A fall is defined as an event resulting in a person unintentionally coming to rest on the ground or other lower level, not as the result of a major intrinsic event (e.g., syncope, stroke, or overwhelming hazard such as an earthquake).

Time frame
1 month, 2 months, 3 months, 4 months, 5 months, 6 months, 7 months, 8 months, 9 months, 10 months, 11 months, and 12 months after the intervention.
4

Responsive postural adjustment upon translation

Responsive postural adjustment upon translation will be assessed through Motor Control Test and Adaptation Test on a computerized dynamic posturography (Bertec® Balance Advantage® Dynamic system, Bertec® Corporation, Columbus, USA). During the Motor Control Test, participants will be requested to maintain their standing balance in response to 12 translations of the standing platform in either forward or backward direction with medium and large amplitudes. Weight symmetry, latency of reaction and amplitude of sway will be recorded. Full-body safety harness will be worn throughout the tests to protect the participants from any potential loss of balance.

Time frame
Pre-intervention, 1 week after intervention and 4 months after intervention.

Other outcomes

Sponsors and contacts

Click on the lead sponsor to view all of their trials.

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Lead sponsor

Source ClinicalTrials.gov
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