Pilot Study of Virtual Gait Training in Older Adults

NCT01607736 | Completed

• 2 other identifiers: JBMP-VGTinOA-pilotEK:113/11
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 12
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Older individuals suffer from falls and fear of falling. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a novel virtual gait training on walking performance and fear of falling in older adults, and to evaluate the feasibility of the virtual gait training program. The investigators hypothesize that virtual gait training in older adults over a three week period will both improve gait parameters as measured by a GAITRite® electronic walkway system, and reduce their fear of falling as measured by the Falls Efficacy Scale-International version.

Conditions

Frail Elderly

Keywords

falls; walking; healthy older individuals; virtual gait training

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• gait speed

  gait speed measure with GAITRite® electronic walkway system

  Change from baseline in gait speed at 3 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• fear of falling

  change from baseline at end of week 3

Study Arms (2)

Inactive Comparator

NO INTERVENTION

Virtual Gait Training

EXPERIMENTAL

Behavioral: Virtual Gait Training

Interventions

Virtual Gait Training BEHAVIORAL

The intervention consisted of 12-minute virtual gait training sessions once daily for a total of 14 weekdays within a three-week period. The intervention video showed walking legs of a 30-year-old woman for female and a 46-year-old man for male participants. The video screen was adjusted in height such that it corresponded to the legs of the standing participant, with a mirror placed above it. Participants began the training session with a circa one minute of concentration on the upcoming intervention. Afterwards, the video was started. Participants were instructed to stand (when necessary, to sit) and observe the video and mirror, and to imagine themselves walking. Training sessions were supervised by a physical therapist who gave additional instructions and comments regarding participants' visual/kinesthetic imagination of themselves performing the observed movement. Verbal and physical reactions during training sessions were documented in written form and sometimes videotaped.

Virtual Gait Training

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 65 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• older than 65 years of age
• fall within last 6 months

You may not qualify if:

• cognitive deficits
• physical disability

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland: lead

Study Sites (1)

Mobility Center

Basel, Canton of Basel-City, 4031, Switzerland

Location

Study Officials

• Reto W Kressig, MD

  Dept. of Geriatrics, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NON RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: INVESTIGATOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 16, 2012
• First Posted: May 30, 2012
• Study Start: May 1, 2011
• Primary Completion: August 1, 2011
• Study Completion: August 1, 2011
• Last Updated: May 30, 2012

Record last verified: 2012-05

Locations

CH (1)