The Effect of a Novel Dual-Task Exercise Program for Balance, Mobility and Cognition in Community Dwelling Older Adults

Summary

Goal:

The development of a Treadmill Rehabilitation Platform (TRP) for task-orientated rehabilitation that provides an adapted, blended approach among older adults with balance, mobility, and cognitive impairments.

Study Objective:

Examine the feasibility and benefits of a novel dual-task intervention to address mobility and cognitive decline with age using engaging interactive video games during treadmill walking and recumbent cycling.This will include evaluation of the effects of two interventions, one using treadmill walking and the second a recumbent cycle ergometer on

1. Core balance
2. Cardiac fitness, exercise endurance
3. Gaze control
4. Gait performance measure (walking stability and spatial-temporal gait parameters)
5. Specific executive cognitive function (processing speed, cognitive inhibition, working memory)
6. Dual task function during treadmill walking

Hypothesis:

1. Dual-task exercise program will improve core balance and walking function to a greater extent in the Treadmill walking group compared to recumbent cycle group.
2. Executive function will improve equally in both the treadmill walking and recumbent cycle group.
3. Dual task exercise programs will have significant effect on gaze stability and cardiac fitness equally for both the treadmill and recumbent cycling groups.

Conditions

• Aging

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Dual task treadmill walking exercise program

Participants will receive 5 minute warm up and cool down session followed by a 30 minute dual task program which includes treadmill walking while playing brain fitness or cognitive games. Rest periods will be provides to the participants. Treadmill speed will be set so as to not exceed 60% of maximum heart rate. Heart rate and perceived excretion( per the Borg 1-10) will be measured at 5 minutes of interval.

BEHAVIORAL

Dual task recumbent cycling exercise program

Participants will receive a 5 minute warm up and cool down session followed by a 30 minute dual task exercise program which includes recumbent cycling while playing brain fitness or cognitive games. Rest periods will be provides to the participants. Recumbent cycling speed will be set so as to achieve 60% of maximum heart rate. Heart rate and perceived excretion( per the Borg 1-10) will be measured at 5 minutes of interval.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Manitoba

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Akshata V Nayak, MSc Student · University of Manitoba

• Rehab Alhasani, MSc Student · University of Manitoba

• Tony Szturm, PT,PhD · University of Manitoba

• Geri Brousseau, PhD · University of Manitoba

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

70 Years

Max Age

80 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2013-12-31

Primary Completion

2015-01-31

Completion

2015-02-28

Countries

• Canada

Study Locations