Postural Control in Adults

NCT07554118 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 17943P
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 30
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The investigators propose a 2-week intervention involving adults over 65 years old. Participants will undergo dynamic balance training on an movable platform (stabilometer) with either restricted or full vision. The primary objective is to facilitate sensory re-weighting, hypothesizing that restricted vision training will increase somatosensory input utilization for postural control. Pre- and post-training assessments will measure postural control during gait initiation under a dual-task condition. The investigators hypothesize that the restricted vision group will demonstrate:

1. 1.Improved postural control, indicated by increased center of pressure displacement during gait initiation.
2. 2.Improved ability to utilize somatosensory input during a balance task.

Conditions

Older; Adults; Older Adults, Balance

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Dynamic postural control

  The center of pressure displacement during gait initiation under a single and a dual-task condition will be measured.

  From enrollement to one week within the last training days (within 3 weeks from enrollment)

• Somatosensory reliance during static standing

  The center of pressure displacement during static standing with eye-closed.

  From enrollment to within one week after the last day of training (within three weeks from enrollment)

Study Arms (2)

restricted vision (no-V)

EXPERIMENTAL

The participant will be blind-folded in the following dynamic balance training. The 2 weeks dynamic balance training involves standing and maintaining balance on a stabilometer, which consists of a platform (1.3m long by 1.4m wide) connected to a single axis that allows bidirectional sway (Lafayette Instrument Co.; Fig. 2). The maximum angular deviation of the platform is 18°. A safety harness may be provided to prevent falls but does not provide support during the performance of the task. Participants are required to maintain balance with feet in a medio-lateral orientation while standing on the balance board. A potentiometer monitors the sway angle of the platform. An integrated timer measures time in balance, which is defined as when the platform angle is within ± 5° of horizontal. The participants will be encouraged to maintain the platform in horizontal for as long as possible within a 30 s trial. Participants assigned to no-V group will perform the task with blind-fold.

Behavioral: restricted vision (no-V)

full vision (full-V)

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

The participants in this arm will be doing the dynamic balance training with eyes open. The 2 weeks dynamic balance training involves standing and maintaining balance on a stabilometer, which consists of a platform (1.3m long by 1.4m wide) connected to a single axis that allows bidirectional sway (Lafayette Instrument Co.; Fig. 2). The maximum angular deviation of the platform is 18°. A safety harness may be provided to prevent falls but does not provide support during the performance of the task. Participants are required to maintain balance with feet in a medio-lateral orientation while standing on the balance board. A potentiometer monitors the sway angle of the platform. An integrated timer measures time in balance, which is defined as when the platform angle is within ± 5° of horizontal. The participants will be encouraged to maintain the platform in horizontal for as long as possible within a 30 s trial. Participants assigned to no-V group will perform the task with blind-fold

Behavioral: full vision (full-V)

Interventions

restricted vision (no-V) BEHAVIORAL

no-V group will perform the dynamic balance task with blind-fold. The 2 weeks dynamic balance training involves standing and maintaining balance on a stabilometer, which consists of a platform (1.3m long by 1.4m wide) connected to a single axis that allows bidirectional sway (Lafayette Instrument Co.; Fig. 2). The maximum angular deviation of the platform is 18°. A safety harness may be provided to prevent falls but does not provide support during the performance of the task. Participants are required to maintain balance with feet in a medio-lateral orientation while standing on the balance board. A potentiometer monitors the sway angle of the platform. An integrated timer measures time in balance, which is defined as when the platform angle is within ± 5° of horizontal. The participants will be encouraged to maintain the platform in horizontal for as long as possible within a 30 s trial. Participants assigned to no-V group will perform the task with blind-fold.

restricted vision (no-V)

full vision (full-V) BEHAVIORAL

The participants will be performing the dynamic balance training with their full vision.

full vision (full-V)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 65 Years - 80 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• age 65 and above
• able to walk continuously for at least 10 min without assistive device
• have normal or corrected-to-normal vision.

You may not qualify if:

• neurological conditions such as stroke, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, brain tumor that significantly affect balance task and walking
• known peripheral neuropathy that influence sensation
• known vestibular dysfunction
• known cognitive impairments
• self-reported pain or musculoskeletal conditions that will significantly affect balance task and walking.
• Drug use in the past 3 month.
• At-risk drinker -

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Oklahoma: lead

Study Sites (1)

University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 73117, United States

RECRUITING

Study Officials

• Yo Shih, PhD

  University of Oklahoma

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Yo Shih, PhD

CONTACT

405-271-2131; Yo-shih@ou.edu

Study Design

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

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 13, 2026
• First Posted: April 28, 2026
• Study Start: January 30, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): October 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2026
• Last Updated: April 28, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Locations

US (1)