Effects of Adapted Argentine Tango Training Frequency on Dual-Task Walking

NCT07800494 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: AAT-FREQ-RCT-2026-01
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 270
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

This randomized controlled trial will examine whether the frequency of adapted Argentine tango training affects walking and cognitive function in adults aged 55 to 60 years when the total weekly intervention time is kept the same. A total of 270 participants will be randomly assigned in equal numbers to one of three groups. The distributed tango group will attend five 36-minute sessions per week. The concentrated tango group will attend two 90-minute sessions per week. The active control group will attend two 90-minute sessions per week consisting of health education and low-intensity stretching. All interventions will continue for 8 weeks. The adapted Argentine tango program will include low-impact multidirectional stepping, weight shifting, movement initiation and stopping, rhythmic cueing, direction changes, alternating leader-follower roles, and progressive movement-sequence learning. Jumping, rapid continuous turning, large kicks, and other high-risk movements will not be included. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, Week 4, Week 8, and 2 weeks after the intervention ends. The main outcome will be the change in dual-task walking cost at week 8. Other assessments will examine balance, walking performance, executive function, general cognitive function, lower-limb function, exercise adherence, training intensity, falls, and adverse events. The study aims to determine whether shorter, more frequent sessions or longer, less frequent sessions provide greater motor-cognitive benefits when the total weekly intervention time is equal.

Conditions

Motor-Cognitive Function; Dual-Task Walking; Balance

Keywords

Adapted Argentine Tango; Training Frequency; Dual-Task Walking; Executive Function

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change From Baseline in Dual-Task Walking Cost at Week 8

  Dual-task walking cost will be calculated using walking speed under single-task and dual-task conditions according to the following formula: \[(single-task walking speed - dual-task walking speed) / single-task walking speed\] × 100%. Walking speed will be measured in meters per second. A higher percentage indicates greater dual-task interference and poorer motor-cognitive performance. The primary analysis will compare the change from baseline to Week 8 among the three study groups.

  Baseline and Week 8

Study Arms (3)

Distributed Adapted Argentine Tango

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will complete adapted Argentine tango training five times per week for 8 weeks. Each 36-minute session will include approximately 6 minutes of warm-up, 24 minutes of adapted tango, and 6 minutes of cool-down, providing a total intervention time of 180 minutes per week.

Behavioral: Distributed Adapted Argentine Tango Training

Concentrated Adapted Argentine Tango

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will complete adapted Argentine tango training twice per week for 8 weeks. Each 90-minute session will include approximately 15 minutes of warm-up, 60 minutes of adapted tango, and 15 minutes of cool-down, with appropriate rest and water breaks, providing a total intervention time of 180 minutes per week.

Behavioral: Concentrated Adapted Argentine Tango Training

Active Control

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will attend two 90-minute sessions per week for 8 weeks. Sessions will consist of general health education, low-intensity joint mobility exercises, stretching, breathing exercises, and relaxation activities. The program will not include systematic tango steps, progressive movement-sequence learning, or cognitively demanding direction-switching tasks.

Behavioral: Health Education and Low-Intensity Stretching

Interventions

Health Education and Low-Intensity Stretching BEHAVIORAL

Participants will complete two 90-minute sessions per week for 8 weeks. The program will include general health education, low-intensity joint mobility exercises, stretching, breathing exercises, and relaxation. It will not include systematic dance training, progressive tango sequences, multidirectional stepping practice, or cognitively demanding movement-switching tasks.

Also known as: Active Control

Active Control

Concentrated Adapted Argentine Tango Training BEHAVIORAL

Participants will complete two 90-minute sessions per week for 8 weeks. The adapted tango content, progression, weekly intervention time, and target exercise intensity will be matched to the distributed tango group. Each session will include warm-up, 60 minutes of core adapted tango training, cool-down, and appropriate rest and water breaks. High-risk movements will be excluded.

Also known as: Concentrated Adapted Argentine Tango

Concentrated Adapted Argentine Tango

Distributed Adapted Argentine Tango Training BEHAVIORAL

Participants will complete five 36-minute sessions per week for 8 weeks. Training will include low-impact multidirectional stepping, weight shifting, forward and backward stepping, lateral stepping, movement initiation and stopping, rhythm changes, controlled 90-degree turns, alternating leader-follower roles, and progressive motor-sequence learning. The target intensity will be approximately 50% to 65% of heart rate reserve, with a rating of perceived exertion of 11 to 13. Jumping, rapid continuous turning, large kicks, deep lunges, boleos, ganchos, and eyes-closed movements will be excluded.

Also known as: Distributed Adapted Argentine Tango

Distributed Adapted Argentine Tango

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 55 Years - 60 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Aged 55 to 60 years at the time of enrollment. Able to stand and walk independently without physical assistance from another person.
• Able to understand the study procedures and complete the walking, balance, physical function, and cognitive assessments.
• No regular dance training during the previous 6 months. Willing to maintain usual daily activities and avoid beginning another structured dance or balance-training program during the study.
• Cleared for moderate-intensity exercise based on the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire for Everyone (PAR-Q+) or an equivalent exercise safety screening. Medical clearance will be required when indicated.
• Willing and able to attend the assigned intervention sessions and complete the scheduled assessments.
• Able to provide written informed consent.

You may not qualify if:

• Uncontrolled hypertension, unstable angina, recent myocardial infarction or stroke, severe cardiac arrhythmia, or another cardiovascular condition that makes moderate-intensity exercise unsafe.
• A neurological disorder that substantially affects gait, balance, cognition, or the ability to complete the study procedures.
• Severe cognitive impairment, psychiatric illness, or communication difficulty that prevents understanding of the study or valid completion of the assessments.
• A recent fracture, severe musculoskeletal disorder, acute joint injury, severe dizziness, or another condition associated with an unacceptably high risk of falling or exercise-related injury.
• Current participation in another structured dance, balance, cognitive-motor, or exercise intervention study that may affect the study outcomes.
• Any other medical or functional condition that, in the judgment of the study investigator or qualified safety assessor, makes participation unsafe or may interfere with completion of the study.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Xi'an Medical University: lead

Central Study Contacts

Xiaodong Cheng, PhD

CONTACT

+86-15289209110; chengxiaodong@xiyi.edu.cn

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: Outcome assessors will be blinded to group allocation whenever feasible. Participants will be instructed not to disclose their assigned intervention during outcome assessments. Because of the nature of the exercise intervention, participants and intervention instructors cannot be blinded.
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Lecturer

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 28, 2026
• First Posted: September 2, 2026
• Study Start: August 29, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): October 24, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): November 7, 2026
• Last Updated: September 2, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-08

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP, ICF, CSR, ANALYTIC CODE
• Time Frame: Data will be available beginning 3 months after publication of the primary study results and will remain available for 5 years.
• Access Criteria: Data may be shared with qualified researchers who submit a methodologically sound research proposal. Requests will be reviewed by the principal investigator and the study institution. Approved researchers will be required to sign a data use agreement and use the data only for the approved purpose. Additional ethics approval will be required when applicable.