Effects of Water Inertia Load Training on Lower Limb Joint Moments, Gait, and Balance in Elderly Women

NCT06705946 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: BUFS-DST-2024
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 24
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study highlights that age-related neuromuscular changes negatively impact muscle strength, balance, joint mobility, and cardiovascular health, which in turn affect daily life activities and independence. In particular, aging leads to slower gait speeds and increased metabolic costs associated with shifting the body's center of mass, which are closely linked to functional decline in older adults. While previous studies have focused primarily on spatiotemporal variables like stride length and walking speed, there is a lack of research examining exercise interventions that analyze lower limb joint moments. This study aims to assess the effects of dynamic stability training using water inertia load on the distribution of lower limb joint moments, gait, and balance in older adults, ultimately providing valuable insights to support improvements in efficient gait function among the elderly.

Conditions

Balance and Gait Impairment in Elderly Women

Keywords

elderly women; gait; balance; dynamic stability training; water Inertia Load

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (11)

• Change in step

  Step time is measured in seconds using a 3D motion capture system

  6 weeks and 12 weeks after baseline

• Change in stride time

  Stride time is measured in seconds using a 3D motion capture system.

  6 weeks and 12 weeks after baseline

• Change in walking speed

  Walking speed is measured in meters per second using a 3D motion capture system.

  6 weeks and 12 weeks after baseline

• Change in cadence

  Cadence is measured in steps per minute using a 3D motion capture system

  6 weeks and 12 weeks after baseline

• Change in foot off

  Foot off is measured as a percentage of the gate cycle using a 3D motion capture system.

  6 weeks and 12 weeks after baseline

• Change in step length

  Step length is measured in meters per second (m/s) using a 3D motion capture system

  6 weeks and 12 weeks after baseline

• Change in stride length

  Stride length is measured in meters per second (m/s) using a 3D motion capture system

  6 weeks and 12 weeks after baseline

• Change in single support phase

  The single support phase of the gait cycle is measured as a percentage using a 3D motion capture system

  6 weeks and 12 weeks after baseline

• Change in dubble support phase

  The double support phase of the gait cycle is measured as a percentage using a 3D motion capture system

  6 weeks and 12 weeks after baseline

• Change in balance stability

  Balance was assessed using a single-leg stance test, measuring the center of pressure(COP) sway in both anterior posterior (AP) and medial-lateral (ML) directions.

  6 weeks and 12 weeks after baseline

• Change in Lower limb joint moments

  The moments of the lower limb joints, specifically at the hip and ankle, are measured

  6 weeks and 12 weeks after baseline

Study Arms (2)

Aqua vest group

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in this group will perform Dynamic Stability Training (DST) sessions twice a week for 12 weeks while wearing an aqua vest. Each session will focus on dynamic stability exercises aimed at improving balance, lower limb joint moment distribution, and gait. Each session will last for 50 minutes

Behavioral: Aqua vest group

Weight vest group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants in this group will perform the same Dynamic Stability Training (DST) sessions twice a week for 12 weeks, but with a weight vest instead of an aqua vest. Each session will focus on balance, lower limb joint moment distribution, and gait, lasting for 50 minutes

Behavioral: Weight vest group

Interventions

Aqua vest group BEHAVIORAL

Participants in this group will perform Dynamic Stability Training (DST) sessions twice a week for 12 weeks while wearing an aqua vest. Each session will focus on dynamic stability exercises aimed at improving balance, lower limb joint moment distribution, and gait. Each session will last for 50 minutes

Aqua vest group

Weight vest group BEHAVIORAL

Participants in this group will perform the same Dynamic Stability Training (DST) sessions twice a week for 12 weeks, but with a weight vest instead of an aqua vest. Each session will focus on balance, lower limb joint moment distribution, and gait, lasting for 50 minutes

Weight vest group

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

• Healthy women over the age of 65

You may not qualify if:

• Musculoskeletal injury within the last 3 months Severe cardiopulmonary disease (heart failure, myocardial infarction) Use of anxiolytics, antidepressants, or sedatives Chronic lung disease Surgery within the last 6 months

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Hyun Ju Kim: lead

Study Sites (1)

University of Foreign Studies of Busan

Busan, Geumjeong-gu, 46234, South Korea

Location

Related Publications (10)

• Laughton CA, Slavin M, Katdare K, Nolan L, Bean JF, Kerrigan DC, Phillips E, Lipsitz LA, Collins JJ. Aging, muscle activity, and balance control: physiologic changes associated with balance impairment. Gait Posture. 2003 Oct;18(2):101-8. doi: 10.1016/s0966-6362(02)00200-x.

  PMID: 14654213 BACKGROUND

• Karamanidis K, Arampatzis A. Mechanical and morphological properties of different muscle-tendon units in the lower extremity and running mechanics: effect of aging and physical activity. J Exp Biol. 2005 Oct;208(Pt 20):3907-23. doi: 10.1242/jeb.01830.

  PMID: 16215218 BACKGROUND

• Narici MV, Maffulli N, Maganaris CN. Ageing of human muscles and tendons. Disabil Rehabil. 2008;30(20-22):1548-54. doi: 10.1080/09638280701831058.

  PMID: 18608375 BACKGROUND

• Kang HG, Dingwell JB. Dynamics and stability of muscle activations during walking in healthy young and older adults. J Biomech. 2009 Oct 16;42(14):2231-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2009.06.038. Epub 2009 Aug 6.

  PMID: 19664776 BACKGROUND

• Chale-Rush A, Guralnik JM, Walkup MP, Miller ME, Rejeski WJ, Katula JA, King AC, Glynn NW, Manini TM, Blair SN, Fielding RA. Relationship between physical functioning and physical activity in the lifestyle interventions and independence for elders pilot. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2010 Oct;58(10):1918-24. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2010.03008.x. Epub 2010 Aug 24.

  PMID: 20738437 BACKGROUND

• Rygiel KA, Picard M, Turnbull DM. The ageing neuromuscular system and sarcopenia: a mitochondrial perspective. J Physiol. 2016 Aug 15;594(16):4499-512. doi: 10.1113/JP271212. Epub 2016 May 7.

  PMID: 26921061 BACKGROUND

• Mayfield DL, Cronin NJ, Lichtwark GA. Understanding altered contractile properties in advanced age: insights from a systematic muscle modelling approach. Biomech Model Mechanobiol. 2023 Feb;22(1):309-337. doi: 10.1007/s10237-022-01651-9. Epub 2022 Nov 6.

  PMID: 36335506 BACKGROUND

• Newman AB, Visser M, Kritchevsky SB, Simonsick E, Cawthon PM, Harris TB. The Health, Aging, and Body Composition (Health ABC) Study-Ground-Breaking Science for 25 Years and Counting. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2023 Oct 28;78(11):2024-2034. doi: 10.1093/gerona/glad167.

  PMID: 37431156 BACKGROUND

• Cooper R, Kuh D, Cooper C, Gale CR, Lawlor DA, Matthews F, Hardy R; FALCon and HALCyon Study Teams. Objective measures of physical capability and subsequent health: a systematic review. Age Ageing. 2011 Jan;40(1):14-23. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afq117. Epub 2010 Sep 15.

  PMID: 20843964 BACKGROUND

• Studenski S, Perera S, Patel K, Rosano C, Faulkner K, Inzitari M, Brach J, Chandler J, Cawthon P, Connor EB, Nevitt M, Visser M, Kritchevsky S, Badinelli S, Harris T, Newman AB, Cauley J, Ferrucci L, Guralnik J. Gait speed and survival in older adults. JAMA. 2011 Jan 5;305(1):50-8. doi: 10.1001/jama.2010.1923.

  PMID: 21205966 BACKGROUND

Study Officials

• Hyun Ju Kim, MSc

  Department of Sports and Health Convergence

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 23, 2024
• First Posted: November 26, 2024
• Study Start: December 1, 2024
• Primary Completion: February 15, 2025
• Study Completion: April 1, 2025
• Last Updated: September 19, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: SAP
• Time Frame: The data will be available immediately after the publication of the study results and will be accessible for at least 5 years
• Access Criteria: The data will be openly available via Figshare without the need for a data access request

Locations

KR (1)