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Effects of Task-Specific Step Training on Reactive Balance

NCT05734443 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 30

Last updated 2025-09-24

Study results available
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Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate a novel and pragmatic (i.e., not requiring specialized equipment) task-specific step training regimen that aims to improve reactive balance after tripping. The main questions it aims to answer are:

* Does this step training regimen improve reactive balance after tripping compared to no training?
* How well does this step training regimen improve reactive balance compared to treadmill training, which is a more commonly studied reactive balance training regimen that uses a specialized treadmill.

Participants will:

* complete step training or treadmill training (or no training if assigned to the control group) twice a week for three weeks
* experience a laboratory-induced trip three weeks later to evaluate their reactive balance

Conditions

  • Accidental Fall

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

step training

Participants practice volitional and reactive stepping responses that mimic those needed when recovering balance after tripping.

BEHAVIORAL

treadmill training

Sudden treadmill changes in speed (from standing) induce trip-like losses of balance, after which participants take steps to recover balance and establish a stable gait pattern. This is repeated over a range of speeds to both provide training variability and to individualize training to each participant's capability.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Michael L. Madigan, PhD · Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Study Design

Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
65 Years
Max Age
80 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2022-11-01
Primary Completion
2023-08-01
Completion
2023-08-01

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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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 NCT05734443 on ClinicalTrials.gov