INDIVIDUALIZED DUAL-TASK TRAINING FOR BALANCE AND MOBILITY IN OLDER ADULTS

N/ANot Yet RecruitingNCT07448961

Sezen Karaborklu Argut48 enrolled

Overview

The goal of this clinical trial is to prevent functional decline and improve mobility in healthy older adults aged 65 and over. The main questions it aims to answer are: What is the effect of individualized dual-task training on functional balance and mobility compared to standard training? Does personalized sensory and cognitive training significantly reduce the dual-task cost during walking tasks? Researchers will compare the Individualized Dual-Task Group to a Standardized Dual-Task Group and a Single-Task Control Group to see if personalized adjustments in sensory and cognitive loads lead to superior improvements in balance, gait speed, and motor-cognitive interference. Participants will: Complete an initial assessment of motor and cognitive capacities to determine individual baseline levels. Participate in a supervised exercise program 3 days a week for 8 weeks, with each session lasting 40-45 minutes. Perform motor tasks such as walking, obstacle crossing, and balance exercises while simultaneously engaging in cognitive tasks (e.g., counting, verbal fluency). (For the individualized group) Undergo weekly adjustments in exercise difficulty, including sensory manipulations like surface changes and head movements based on their performance.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

SINGLE

Enrollment

Conditions

Healthy Older Adults Postural Balance

Interventions

Individualized Dual-Task TrainingBEHAVIORAL

An 8-week, supervised exercise program (3 sessions/week, 40-45 min). Training involves simultaneous motor (walking, balance, obstacle crossing) and cognitive tasks (counting, verbal fluency). The cognitive and sensory loads are adjusted weekly based on the participant's performance (Borg Scale and task accuracy) to maintain an optimal challenge level.

Standardized Dual-Task TrainingBEHAVIORAL

An 8-week, supervised dual-task exercise program (3 sessions/week, 40-45 min). Participants perform the same motor and cognitive tasks as the individualized group, but the progression of difficulty is fixed and follows a pre-determined schedule regardless of individual performance changes.

Single-Task Motor TrainingBEHAVIORAL

An 8-week program (3 sessions/week, 40-45 min) consisting only of motor exercises such as walking and balance tasks. No simultaneous cognitive tasks or sensory manipulations are provided during the training sessions.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 65 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Aged 65 years and older. * Living independently in the community. * Ability to walk at least 10 meters without the use of an assistive device (e.g., cane, walker). * Cognitively intact, defined as a Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score of 24 or higher. * Stable medical condition allowing for participation in an 8-week exercise program. * Willingness to participate in the study and provide written informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: * History of neurological disorders affecting movement or cognition (e.g., Stroke, Parkinson's Disease, Dementia). * Acute or chronic orthopedic conditions that severely limit gait or balance (e.g., recent lower limb fracture or major joint replacement within the last 6 months). * Severe visual or hearing impairment that prevents following instructions or performing tasks. * Uncontrolled cardiovascular or pulmonary disease. * Currently participating in another structured exercise or dual-task training program. * Inability to commit to the 8-week training schedule.

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Dual-Task Cost (DTC) of Functional Mobility

Dual-Task Cost (DTC) will be calculated based on the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test performance. DTC represents the percentage change in TUG time during a cognitive-motor dual-task condition (e.g., walking while counting backwards) compared to a single-task condition (walking only). The formula is: DTC = \[(Dual-Task Time - Single-Task Time) / Single-Task Time\] X 100. A higher percentage indicates greater interference and poorer dual-task performance.