The Impact of 'Digital Strolling' on Depression and Quality of Life of People With Severe Mobility Impairment

NCT07073144 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: HSEARS20240930009
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 24
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This intervention aims to develop and test the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects of a "Digital Strolling" intervention among people with SMI. The intervention group will receive a "Digital Strolling" intervention, which consists of 20 minutes "Digital strolling" for 10 days, with lessons occurring once a day. The control group will receive passive observation of virtual walking videos only.

Conditions

Poliomyelitis; Severe Mobility Impairment; Spinal Cord Injuries (Complete and Incomplete)

Keywords

severe mobility impairment; virtual reality; depression; quality of life

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (6)

• Feasibility: Time taken to recruit the sample

  The total time taken to recruit the target sample size.

  The outcome will be assessed through study completion, which is expected to be an average of 6 months.

• Feasibility: Recruitment rate

  The percentage of eligible participants who provide informed consent.

  The outcome will be assessed through study completion, which is expected to be an average of 6 months.

• Feasibility: Drop-out rate

  The percentage of randomised participants who withdrew post-randomization

  The outcome will be assessed through study completion, which is expected to be an average of 6 months.

• Acceptability: Adherence rate

  Number of participants who completed the intervention modules as defined by the protocol.

  This outcome will be measured at the end of the 10-day intervention period.

• Intervention satisfaction

  Participant satisfaction will be explored via semi-structured one-to-one interviews to identify barriers and facilitators.

  The outcome will be assessed 1 week post-intervention.

• Adverse event

  Number of participants experiencing at least one adverse event

  The outcome will be assessed through study completion, which is expected to be an average of 6 months.

Secondary Outcomes (7)

• Chronic pain

  Chronic pain will be assessed at pre-intervention and 1 week post-intervention.

• Chronic pain

  Chronic pain will be measured at pre-intervention and 1 week post-intervention.

• Depression

  Depression will be measured at pre-intervention and 1 week post-intervention.

• Sleep quality

  Sleep quality will be assessed at pre-intervention and 1 week post-intervention.

• Virtual presence

  Igroup presence questionnaire will be assessed pre-test and 1 week post intervention

Study Arms (2)

Virtual walking group

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in the virtual walking group will use arm swing locomotion to experience virtual walking in 10 "Digital Strolling" scenarios, mainly in a variety of natural environments.

Behavioral: Virtual walking

Passive observing group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants in the passive observing group will look at 10 different walking videos.

Behavioral: Passive observing walking

Interventions

Passive observing walking BEHAVIORAL

Participants in the control group will be given 10 different walking videos in total, one for each day, each approximately 15 minutes in length.

Passive observing group

Virtual walking BEHAVIORAL

Participants in the intervention group will wear a head-mounted display and hold a controller to swing their arm and control the virtual avatar walking in the virtual world. The intervention will include 10 scenarios of virtual walking intervention (1 scenario daily, each lasting for 15-20 minutes).

Virtual walking group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Inability to walk 4 meters in less than 10 seconds without walking aids, or self-, proxy-, or medical-record-reported inability to walk independently across a small room (≈ 4 m), or dependence on a walking aid for more than 6 months
• Minimum 6 months post-injury or disease onset
• Able to communicate in Cantonese

You may not qualify if:

• Have severe cognitive impairment (a score \< 6 on the Abbreviated Mental Test)
• Have severe mental illness (i.e., schizophrenia and major depression)
• Have acute medical illness or exacerbation requiring hospital or intensive treatment; planned major surgery or inpatient rehabilitation during the study period
• Currently engage in similar interventions

Sponsors & Collaborators

• The Hong Kong Polytechnic University: lead

Study Sites (1)

School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Location

Related Publications (8)

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  PMID: 32515813 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Spinal Cord Injuries; Poliomyelitis; Depression

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Spinal Cord Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Trauma, Nervous System; Wounds and Injuries; Myelitis; Central Nervous System Infections; Infections; Enterovirus Infections; Picornaviridae Infections; RNA Virus Infections; Virus Diseases; Neuroinflammatory Diseases; Neuromuscular Diseases; Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 5, 2025
• First Posted: July 18, 2025
• Study Start: May 9, 2025
• Primary Completion: October 15, 2025
• Study Completion: October 30, 2025
• Last Updated: February 23, 2026

Record last verified: 2025-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

HK (1)