Workplace Fall Prevention Through Slip Recovery Training

NCT05740124 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 22-853
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 34
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the feasibility of applying slip recovery training, a novel balance training exercise intervention, to workers who are at increased risk of slip-induced falls. This will be done via field studies with industrial partners. Note that the slip recovery training is not a device or drug. It is a detailed exercise regimen that aims to improve the the ability to recover balance after slipping. The main specific aims are are:

• To investigate the feasibility of on-site slip recovery training
• To validate field assessments for evaluating slip recovery training efficacy in subsequent research Participants will complete 3-6 once-weekly sessions of slip recovery training, answer daily text messages indicating any falls they experience while working over the 12 weeks after completing slip recovery training, and a subset of workers will be asked to participate in focus group discussions after the 12 weeks to provide information on the long-term feasibility of slip recovery training. A group of workers at Virginia Tech will also be asked to complete a laboratory session of testing during which they will be exposed to a laboratory-induced slip so that gold-standard measures of slip-induced fall recovery can be used to validate field assessments. Workers who complete slip recovery training will be compared to another group of workers who complete an alternative balance training that should improve balance but not improve slip recovery that is targeted by slip recovery training.

Conditions

Accidental Fall

Keywords

slips; balance recovery; perturbation-based balance training; balance training; falls

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (9)

• evaluation of recruitment methods

  number of prospective participants who contact the investigators with interest in participating

  2 years

• evaluation of screening methods

  percentage of prospective participants who are deemed a poor fit for the study based upon not passing the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire.

  2 years

• worker adherence to slip recovery training

  average number of slip recovery training sessions completed across all participants assigned to slip recovery training

  during 3 or 6 weeks of balance training

• worker adherence to alternative balance training

  average number of alternative balance training sessions completed across all participants assigned to alternative balance training

  during 3 or 6 weeks of balance training

• worker retention during 12 weeks of falls tracking

  average number of weeks participants responded to text messages from investigators regarding slips and falls

  during the12 weeks after completing the training intervention

• lab-induced slip outcome (fall or recovery)

  a binary measure determined based on the force applied to the safety harness worn by all participants when exposed to a laboratory-induced slip

  during the laboratory testing session that will take place within one week of completing training intervention

• lab-induced slip distance

  the distance the slipping foot slides when exposed to a laboratory-induced slip

  during the laboratory testing session that will take place within one week of completing training intervention

• lab-induced slip peak slip speed

  the peak speed of the slipping foot during slip when exposed to a laboratory-induced slip

  during the laboratory testing session that will take place within one week of completing training intervention

• efficacy of field assessments of balance

  Pearson product correlation coefficient between field assessment of slip distance and lab-induced slip distance

  during the field session one week after completing the training intervention

Secondary Outcomes (10)

• field assessment of slip distance

  one week after intervention

• field assessment of slip distance

  12 weeks after intervention

• field assessment of peak slip speed

  one week after intervention

• field assessment of peak slip speed

  12 weeks after intervention

• postural sway during quiet standing

  one week after intervention

Study Arms (2)

Slip recovery training

EXPERIMENTAL

Once weekly sessions of slip recovery training for 3 or 6 weeks. Each session will be 20 minutes of training. Training will involve volitional and reactive stepping movements that mimic the movements necessary to recover balance after slipping while walking.

Behavioral: slip recovery training

Alternative balance training

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Once weekly sessions of balance training for 3 or 6 weeks. Each session will be 20 minutes of training. Training will involve standing balance under varied sensory conditions, and tandem walking forward and backward under varied sensory conditions.

Behavioral: alternative balance training

Interventions

slip recovery training BEHAVIORAL

Participants practice volitional and reactive stepping responses that mimic those needed when recovering balance after slipping.

Slip recovery training

alternative balance training BEHAVIORAL

Participants practice standing and walking under varied sensory conditions.

Alternative balance training

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

• Virginia Tech workers in Dining Services, Facilities and Housekeeping, and construction.
• Veolia field workers in water distribution and water main construction
• age 18-65 years old
• willing to complete 3 or 6 training sessions, lab testing session, and daily falls tracking for 12 weeks

You may not qualify if:

• weigh over 250 pounds
• answer 'no' to all questions of the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, Virginia, 24061, United States

Location

Study Officials

• Michael L Madigan, PhD

  Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NON RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor

Model Details: We selected N/A for study phase because this study involves a behavioral intervention.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 21, 2023
• First Posted: February 22, 2023
• Study Start: June 1, 2023
• Primary Completion: December 15, 2024
• Study Completion: March 31, 2025
• Last Updated: June 27, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-06

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)