Visual Feedback to Improve Balance During Walking

Temple University40 enrolled

Overview

The goal of this research is to determine if real time visual feedback of body movements improves balance control more than walking on a treadmill alone. Individuals participating in this research study will be tested using a battery of clinical strength and balance assessments twice before a 4 week training period and once after the training period. The 4 week training period will consist of 12 sessions walking on a treadmill. The experimental group will see real time visual feedback regarding their body movements, and the control group will not receive this visual feedback. Following the 4 week training each participant will again be tested using the battery of clinical strength and balance assessments.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Enrollment

Conditions

Other Fall Patient Falls

Interventions

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 65 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Fall Prone Older Adults (history of falls or loss of balance) * ability to walk on the treadmill hands-free without assistance * Mini-Mental Status Exam \> 23 Exclusion Criteria: * Current enrollment in physical rehabilitation of any kind * Medically unstable

Locations (2)

Collington Episcopal Life Care Community

Mitchellville, Maryland, United States

Pearson Hall, Temple University

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Change from Baseline in BESTest Score, A clinical assessment of balance

Balance Evaluation System Test (BESTest)

Time frame: Tested at 0, 4, and 8 weeks

Change from Baseline in Berg Balance Test Score

Time frame: Test will be given at 0, 4, and 8 weeks

Change from Baseline in Activity Specific Balance Confidence Score

Questionnaire rating balance confidence

Time frame: Tested at 0, 4, and 8 weeks

Change from Baseline in 6 Minute Walk Test

Time frame: Tested at 0, 4, and 8 weeks

Change from Baseline in Comfortable Walking Speed

This value is determined for each training session

Time frame: Measured daily, up to 12 days

Secondary Outcomes

Change from Baseline in Muscle Strength

Strength of major muscles in the legs and trunk will be measured

Time frame: Tested at 0, 4, and 8 weeks

Change from Baseline in Overground Walking Speed

Time frame: Tested at 0, 4, and 8 weeks

Change from Baseline in Center of Mass variability

This measure is derived from recorded body position during each training repetition for each of up to 12 days of training.

Time frame: Tested daily, up to 12 days

Change from Baseline in Power spectral density

This measure is derived from recorded body position during each training repetition for each of up to 12 days of training.

Time frame: Tested daily, up to 12 days

Change from Baseline in Single/Dual Tasking ability

Time frame: Tested at 0, 4, and 8 weeks