Nordic Walking as Gait Training for Frail Elderly

NCT00805220 | Completed Phase 2 DMC

• 1 other identifier: NWS-001
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 30
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 2

Brief Summary

The elderly are the fastest growing proportion of the population. Ageism implies a decline of physical functions affecting functional and safe ambulation. Based on the ICF model intervening in walking capacity could have favourable impact on quality of life of frail elders. Over ground walking training is indicated as a possible exercise. However, to achieve positive results on walking capacity, an exercise-dose response is needed. A more intensive way of promoting walking training is to add skiing poles while walking, a technique called Nordic Walking (NW). This study will be the first to compare NW with usual walking training. It aims to estimate for frail elderly the relative efficacy in improving functional walking capacity of two gait training strategies: NW and usual walking training and explore its impact on fear of falling. This study hypothesized that participants receiving Nordic Walking will walk longer, faster and fear less. NW if proven effective will positively impact on the functional capacities and quality of life of frail elders and provide an more intense method of walking training.

Conditions

Frail Elderly

Keywords

frail elderly walking capacity walk training Nordic Walking

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• 6 Minute Walk Test 5 Meter Walk Test Activities-Specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale

  Baseline, 3 weeks follow-up, 8 weeks follow-up

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Berg Balance Scale; CHAMPS; Lower Extremity Functional Scale; Visual Analogue Scale of Pain; EuroQol 5D.

  Baseline, 3 weeks follow-up, 8 weeks follow-up

Study Arms (2)

1

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Regular overground walking without poles

Other: Nordic Walking

2

EXPERIMENTAL

Nordic Walking

Other: Nordic Walking

Interventions

Nordic Walking OTHER

Walking training with and without poles will be twice a week. The sessions last 20 minutes each and consist of walking, stretching and mobility exercises. This will last 8 weeks in a total of 16 sessions. A therapist will closely monitor your exercises and modify them according to your needs and comfort

Also known as: PoleStriding, Exerstriding

1; 2

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 65 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• years old or more
• undergoing rehabilitation program or living a residence facility
• medically stable or in their usually state of health.

You may not qualify if:

• severe cognitive impairments (short mini mental score less than 14/18)47
• unable to ambulate a minimum of 15 meters with or without aids
• without mobility restrictions as represented by a gait speed greater than 1.2 m/s
• moderate to severe limitations of upper extremity represented by a shoulder flexion range of motion (ROM) less than 90 degrees and extension less than 20 degrees; elbow flexion ROM less than 90 degrees; and with a poor grip judged by the ability to release a can of 5 cm diameter
• pathological or musculoskeletal conditions of the upper extremity
• individuals unable to attend a minimum of eight weeks of intervention.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• McGill University: lead

Study Sites (2)

Geriatric Day Hospital (GDH) at the Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH)

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Location

Richardson Hospital

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Figueiredo S, Finch L, Mai J, Ahmed S, Huang A, Mayo NE. Nordic walking for geriatric rehabilitation: a randomized pilot trial. Disabil Rehabil. 2013 Jun;35(12):968-75. doi: 10.3109/09638288.2012.717580. Epub 2012 Oct 15.

  PMID: 23066879 DERIVED

Related Links

• Pete Edwards and The American Nordic Walking System

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Nordic Walking

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Walking; Locomotion; Movement; Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena; Musculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena; Exercise; Motor Activity

Study Officials

• Nancy Mayo, BSc MSc PhD

  McGill University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: phase 2
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 8, 2008
• First Posted: December 9, 2008
• Study Start: December 1, 2008
• Primary Completion: June 1, 2009
• Study Completion: August 1, 2009
• Last Updated: September 2, 2009

Record last verified: 2009-09

Locations

CA (2)