MedTrace Logo

Perturbation Training to Improve Balance Recovery of Old Adults

NCT04455607 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 25

Last updated 2024-04-18

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Falls are major contributors for immobility and independency. Most falls in older adults occur during walking after a sudden unexpected loss of balance. It was well-established that balance can be improved by performance of a training program that provides perturbation (unexpected perturbations of balance). The main aim of the current study is to investigate the effects of two perturbation-training methods: 1) random perturbation training; vs. 2) block (non-random) perturbation training. We also aim to explore brain area's (as measured by MRI) that are related to balance function in older adults.

We hypothesize that response to an unexpected loss of balance is the balance responses will be improved in both training methods, but more in the random training method. We also hypothesize that brain function as seen in MRI will be improved in both training methods, more in the random training method.

As far as we know, there is a lack of studies investigating the learning effect of random vs. block non-random training on balance recovery responses while walking and exposure to unexpected loss of balance and on brain function.

Conditions

  • Old Adults

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

perturbation training

A Randomized control trial we will compare two perturbation motor learning paradigms with different challenge level of the practice condition (i.e. blocked practice vs random practice). According to motor learning theory we hypothesize that a) healthy older adults will benefit more from random practice. The purpose of this stage is to investigate the effects of task practice order (random vs blocked) on motor learning (i.e. responding to perturbations during walking) in older adults. According to motor learning theory we hypothesize that a) healthy older adults will benefit more from the random motor learning approach as compared to using blocked practice.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Soroka University Medical Center

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • ilan Shelef, MD · Soroka University Medical Center

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
70 Years
Max Age
120 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2017-10-01
Primary Completion
2021-12-31
Completion
2021-12-31

Countries

  • Israel

Study Locations

More Related Trials

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT04455607 on ClinicalTrials.gov