Gluteal Activation Plus Movement Retraining

NCT07293039 | Active Not Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: STUDY00003174
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 38
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine if an isometric gluteal activation home exercise program (HEP) combined with a movement retraining program utilizing feedback cues produces significant changes in scores on the Forward Step-Down Test (FSDT) in healthy young adults with movement coordination impairments. Aim 1: To determine if an isometric gluteal activation HEP with a movement retraining program with feedback cues produces significant changes on scores FSDT compared to the gluteal activation HEP alone. Aim 2: To determine if an isometric gluteal activation HEP followed with a movement retraining program with feedback cues produces significant changes on category FSDT compared to gluteal activation HEP alone. Aim 3: To determine if an isometric gluteal activation HEP with a movement retraining program with feedback cues produces changes in the peak activation of the gluteus medius (GMed) and gluteus maximus (GMax) during the FSDT compared to the gluteal activation HEP alone. Aim 4: To determine if an isometric gluteal activation HEP with a movement retraining program with feedback cues produces changes in the mean activation of the GMed and GMax during the FSDT compared to the gluteal activation HEP alone. Aim 5: To determine if HEP dose has an effect on the FSDT response, as measured by change in score on the FSDT.

Conditions

Movement, Abnormal; Lower Extremity Problem

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Forward Step-Down Test (FSDT)

  Rating on the FSDT (0-6; 0-1 = good movement quality, 2-3 = moderate movement quality, 4 or more = poor movement quality).

  Baseline and after 8-week Home Exercise Program (HEP) intervention.

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• Peak Maximal Volitional Isometric Contraction (MVIC) on Gluteus Maximus (GMax).

  Baseline and after 8-week HEP intervention.

• Peak Maximal Volitional Isometric Contraction (MVIC) on Gluteus Medius (GMed).

  Baseline and after 8-week HEP intervention.

• Mean Maximal Volitional Isometric Contraction (MVIC) on Gluteus Maximus (GMax).

  Baseline and after 8-week HEP intervention.

• Mean Maximal Volitional Isometric Contraction (MVIC) on Gluteus Medius (GMed).

  Baseline and after 8-week HEP intervention.

• HEP Compliance - Dose Response Relationship with FSDT and MVIC outcomes

  After 8-week intervention.

Study Arms (2)

Gluteal Activation Group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

The Control group will receive an HEP focusing on isometric gluteal activation.

Other: Control HEP focusing on isometric gluteal activation

Gluteal Activation Plus Movement Training Group

EXPERIMENTAL

The Experimental group will receive an HEP focusing on isometric gluteal activation plus movement retraining program.

Other: Experimental HEP focusing on isometric gluteal activation plus a movement retaining program

Interventions

Experimental HEP focusing on isometric gluteal activation plus a movement retaining program OTHER

Only participants in the experimental group will receive the movement retraining program HEP. The HEP will be a combination of single leg Romanian Deadlift (RDL), single leg squat, and standing split squat that have been used in previous research and are proved to get significant gluteus medius (Gmed) activation. They will also participate in the gluteal activation HEP program that have been proved to increase hip musculature recruitment, as performed by the control group. After the 4th week, both groups are to return to the clinic and asked to briefly perform exercises from their HEP so that their form can be reassessed with any modifications if needed along with any questions that they may have. Each participant following the 8-week period will be scheduled to return to the clinic to turn in their compliance form and perform follow-ups sEMG, weight, and FSDT using the same procedures as before.

Gluteal Activation Plus Movement Training Group

Control HEP focusing on isometric gluteal activation OTHER

All participants will receive the HEP for hip muscle activation training. The HEP for hip musculature activation consists of five isolated hip activation exercises including side-lying clams, side-lying clams with trunk activation via side-plank, side-lying hip abduction, side-lying hip abduction with trunk activation via side-plank, and fire hydrants all of which improve hip gluteal recruitment. After the 4th week, both groups are to return to the clinic and asked to briefly perform exercises from their HEP so that their form can be reassessed with any modifications if needed along with any questions that they may have. Each participant following the 8-week period will be scheduled to return to the clinic to turn in their compliance form and perform follow-up surface electromyography (sEMG), weight, and FSDT using the same procedures as before.

Gluteal Activation Group

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

• Participants must between the ages of 18 and older, if they were healthy via the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire for Everyone (PAR-Q+), and scored a 2 or higher on the FSDT.

You may not qualify if:

• Participants have any current knee/hip pain, past knee/hip pathology in the past 3 months on their dominant leg or that the participant believes would impact their ability to participate in the study, or any past lower extremity (LE) surgery in their dominant leg that the participant believes would impact their ability to participate in the study, a concussion in the past 3 months, or if they have any vestibular pathology.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport: lead

Study Sites (1)

LSU Health Sciences Center at Shreveport

Shreveport, Louisiana, 71103, United States

Location

Related Publications (21)

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  BACKGROUND

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  BACKGROUND

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MeSH Terms

Conditions

Dyskinesias

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Movement Disorders; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Neurologic Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Officials

• Erin McCallister, PT, DPT

  LSU Health Sciences Center at Shreveport

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: INVESTIGATOR
• Masking Details: The investigator performing the data analysis will be blinded from the group allocation of the participants.
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 2, 2025
• First Posted: December 18, 2025
• Study Start: January 7, 2026
• Primary Completion: April 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): August 1, 2026
• Last Updated: January 16, 2026

Record last verified: 2025-11

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)