Effects of EMG-Biofeedback Balance Training on Hoffman's Reflex

NCT06418503 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 17485
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 34
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to gain a further understanding of the effects of EMG-biofeedback balance training and we will be analyzing changes in spinal reflex excitability by responses from the calve muscles and data about your standing balance. The EMG-biofeedback balance training has the potential to improve balance of older adults and prevent future falls and in this study we will learn if it also creates changes in the nervous system. This study aims to 1) determine the effects of a one-month long EMG-biofeedback balance intervention on the H-reflex amplitude, 2) determine whether there is a related behavioural change in the control of balance and 3) determine whether changes in balance and H-reflex amplitude persist for up to two weeks following the end of the balance training intervention.

Conditions

Spinal Reflex Excitability; Balance

Keywords

Hoffman's; Reflex; Biofeedback; EMG

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Change in Spinal Reflex Excitability

  Measurements of maximal Hoffman reflex

  Pre-intervention (before 1st training session), post-intervention (1-2 days after last training session), 2-week follow-up

• Change in Balance

  Measurements of balance using balance board assessments

  Pre-intervention (before 1st training session), post-intervention (1-2 days after last training session), 2-week follow-up

Study Arms (2)

Balance Training

SHAM COMPARATOR

Completing a Tetris (block stacking) computer game while attached to an EMG device by electrodes and leads.

Other: Balance Training

EMG-Biofeedback Training

EXPERIMENTAL

Completing an EMG-biofeedback block stacking game using the electrodes to detect muscle signals which are controlling the movements of the blocks.

Other: EMG-Biofeedback Training

Interventions

Balance Training OTHER

Participants will complete 16 sessions of balance training (30 min. each) over one month.

Balance Training

EMG-Biofeedback Training OTHER

Participants will complete 16 sessions of EMG-biofeedback balance training (30 min. each) over one month.

EMG-Biofeedback Training

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 60 Years - 75 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Healthy older adults between 60-75 years old
• able to stand free of assistive devices for at least 3 consecutive minutes
• free of visual disorders that prevent meaningful interaction with the intervention interface.

You may not qualify if:

• Sustained a serious musculoskeletal injury in the past 6 months or have any diagnosis that could impact movement coordination or balance
• significant cognitive or language barriers

Sponsors & Collaborators

• McMaster University: lead

Related Publications (6)

• Chen B, Liu P, Xiao F, Liu Z, Wang Y. Review of the Upright Balance Assessment Based on the Force Plate. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Mar 8;18(5):2696. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18052696.

  PMID: 33800119 BACKGROUND

• Bakker LBM, Lamoth CJC, Vetrovsky T, Gruber M, Caljouw SR, Nieboer W, Taube W, van Dieen JH, Granacher U, Hortobagyi T. Neural Correlates of Balance Skill Learning in Young and Older Individuals: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Sports Med Open. 2024 Jan 7;10(1):3. doi: 10.1186/s40798-023-00668-3.

  PMID: 38185708 BACKGROUND

• Tsaih PL, Chiu MJ, Luh JJ, Yang YR, Lin JJ, Hu MH. Practice Variability Combined with Task-Oriented Electromyographic Biofeedback Enhances Strength and Balance in People with Chronic Stroke. Behav Neurol. 2018 Nov 26;2018:7080218. doi: 10.1155/2018/7080218. eCollection 2018.

  PMID: 30598705 BACKGROUND

• Theodosiadou A, Henry M, Duchateau J, Baudry S. Revisiting the use of Hoffmann reflex in motor control research on humans. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2023 Apr;123(4):695-710. doi: 10.1007/s00421-022-05119-7. Epub 2022 Dec 26.

  PMID: 36571622 BACKGROUND

• Park C, Mishra RK, York MK, Enriquez A, Lindsay A, Barchard G, Vaziri A, Najafi B. Tele-Medicine Based and Self-Administered Interactive Exercise Program (Tele-Exergame) to Improve Cognition in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment or Dementia: A Feasibility, Acceptability, and Proof-of-Concept Study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Dec 6;19(23):16361. doi: 10.3390/ijerph192316361.

  PMID: 36498431 BACKGROUND

• Public Health Agency of Canada. (2022). Senior-falls-in-Canada-en.pdf. Surveillance Report on Falls Among Older Adults in Canada. https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/hc-sc/documents/reserch/surveillance/senior-falls-in-Canada-en.pdf

  BACKGROUND

Central Study Contacts

Aimee J Nelson, PhD

CONTACT

9055259140; nelsonaj@mcmaster.ca

Ava R Bobinski, BSc

CONTACT

9059334648; bobinska@mcmaster.ca

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Masking Details: Participants will be masked to which intervention they receive (balance training or EMG-biofeedback balance training).
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 13, 2024
• First Posted: May 17, 2024
• Study Start: July 1, 2024
• Primary Completion: July 1, 2025
• Study Completion: July 1, 2025
• Last Updated: May 22, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-05