Variability and Specificity in Reactive Stabilization Movements to Diverse Slip Perturbations

NCT03755336 | Completed Results

• 2 other identifiers: 0877-18-EP2P20GM109090-06
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 44
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Recent research on slips has shown that use of perturbation training to improve specific motor skills to resist slips can vastly reduce falls. However, these interventions have only addressed slips occurring at heel-strike, and not the diverse range of slipping disturbances presented by a complex environment. This project will focus on slips that occur across the gait cycle, and the reactive stabilization movements that follow. Participants from two age groups will be enrolled: younger (19 - 35 years of age) and older (65-79 years of age). Each participant will participate in 3 visits within the span of 1 week. On the initial visit, participants will perform informed consent, have demographic and body measurement information collected and complete medical and physical activity questionnaires. Upper and lower body strength will be measured using a hand-held dynamometer during the first and last visits. On each of the three visits, subjects will perform a gait variability assessment followed by a diverse slip perturbation assessment. Participants will complete four slips in each of early, middle, and late stance on each visit. Measures of falls, slip severity, and reactive stabilization movements will be calculated.

Conditions

Slip Perturbations

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Fall Rates

  Percentage of trials which result in a fall. Falls are classified when the maximum force on the load cell in the harness system exceeds 30% body weight.

  Up to 7 days

Secondary Outcomes (7)

• Total Heel Displacement of the Slipping Foot Following Slip Perturbation

  Up to 7 days

• Trunk Angular Momentum Following Slip Perturbation

  Up to 7 days

• Position of the Recovery Step Following Slip Perturbation

  Up to 7 days

• Coefficient of Variation of Stride Time Time Series

  Up to 7 days

• Maximum Heel Sliding Velocity of the Slipping Foot Following Slip Perturbation

  Up to 7 days

Study Arms (1)

Slipping Perturbations

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will be exposed to a series of 12 unannounced slip perturbations while walking overground. These perturbations will be delivered at 3 different times within the gait cycle - early phase, middle phase, and late phase.

Other: Administered Slip Perturbations

Interventions

Administered Slip Perturbations OTHER

Participants will be exposed to a series of 12 unannounced slip perturbations while walking overground. These perturbations will be delivered at 3 different times within the gait cycle - early phase, middle phase, and late phase.

Slipping Perturbations

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 19 Years - 79 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Age 19-35 years for younger adults group, or age 65-79 years for older adults group.

You may not qualify if:

• Uncontrolled hypertension
• Peripheral arterial disease
• Vertigo
• Meniere's disease
• Chronic dizziness
• History of back or lower extremity injury
• Surgery that affects the subject's mobility
• Any neurological disease or impairment that affects limits the ability to walk, e.g. Stroke, Parkinson's disease, Multiple sclerosis

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Nebraska: lead
• National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

University of Nebraska-Omaha, Biomechanics Research Building

Omaha, Nebraska, 68182, United States

Location

Limitations and Caveats

Fall rates were derived from controlled walking trials using a safety harness on a sliding gantry. The harness may have influenced natural recovery responses. Additionally, laboratory conditions and participants' awareness of slip risk could have induced anticipatory behaviors, limiting generalizability.

Results Point of Contact

• Title: Nathaniel Hunt
• Organization: University of Nebraska Omaha

nhunt@unomaha.edu

402-554-4195

Study Officials

• Nathaniel H Hunt, PhD

  University of Nebraska

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Publication Agreements

• PI is Sponsor Employee: No
• Restrictive Agreement: No

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 21, 2018
• First Posted: November 27, 2018
• Study Start: December 1, 2019
• Primary Completion: January 1, 2024
• Study Completion: January 1, 2024
• Last Updated: May 25, 2025
• Results First Posted: May 25, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)