Effects of Task-Specific Step Training on Reactive Balance

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University30 enrolled

Overview

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

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

NON_RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

Conditions

Accidental Fall

Interventions

treadmill trainingBEHAVIORAL

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.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 65 YearsMax age: 80 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * 65-80 years old * willing to use wearable sensors for 2-3 weeks (for a separate study) * no lower limb amputation * not weigh over 250 pounds * pass a telephone interview related to cognitive status Exclusion Criteria: * participants must pass a health screening involving a questionnaire that will be reviewed by a health care specialist. * participants must not have clinical osteoporosis as indicated by a bone mineral density of the lumbar vertebra and proximal femur of t\<-2.0 as obtained from dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), or a DEXA scan completed within the last year.

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Trunk Angle at Touchdown of the First Recovery Step

After a laboratory-induced trip: Angle from vertical of a line connecting midpoint of greater trochanter markers and midpoint of the acromion markers