Effects of Otago Exercise Combined With Short-Foot Exercise in Older Adults

NCT07870486 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: PU-FTR-MI-04
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 36
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The Otago Exercise Programme is a multicomponent exercise approach targeting strength, balance, and mobility in older adults. Short-foot exercises are designed to improve intrinsic foot muscle activation and medial longitudinal arch control. This randomized comparative study will investigate whether adding short-foot exercises to the Otago Exercise Programme provides additional benefits in older adults.

Conditions

Aging

Keywords

Older Adults; Balance; Joint Position Sense; Muscle Strength; Fear of Falling; Foot Posture

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Five Times Sit-to-Stand Test (5STS

  Lower-extremity functional capacity will be assessed using the Five Times Sit-to-Stand Test (5STS). Participants will sit on a standard-height chair without armrests, with the arms crossed over the chest, and will be instructed to stand up fully and sit down five consecutive times as quickly as possible. The time from initiation of the first stand to completion of the fifth sitting will be recorded in seconds. Lower completion times indicate better functional performance

  Baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately post-intervention (Week 8).

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• Dynamic Balance - Mini-BESTest

  aseline (pre-intervention) and immediately post-intervention (Week 8).

• Ankle Joint Position Sense

  Baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately post-intervention (Week 8).

• Ankle Muscle Strength

  Baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately post-intervention (Week 8).

• Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I)

  Baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately post-intervention (Week 8).

• Navicular Drop Test

  Baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately post-intervention (Week 8).

Study Arms (2)

Otago Exercise Programme

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in this arm will receive a supervised Otago Exercise Programme for 8 weeks, with 2 sessions per week. Each 50-minute session will consist of 5 minutes of warm-up, 40 minutes of Otago exercises, and 5 minutes of cool-down. The Otago component will include lower extremity strengthening, static and dynamic balance exercises, and functional balance and walking tasks. Exercise difficulty will be progressively adjusted according to individual performance and safety.

Behavioral: Otago Exercise Programme

Otago Exercise Programme + Short-Foot Exercise

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in this arm will receive the Otago Exercise Programme combined with Short-Foot Exercises for 8 weeks, with 2 supervised sessions per week. Each 60-minute session will include 5 minutes of warm-up, 10 minutes of Short-Foot Exercises, 40 minutes of Otago exercises, and 5 minutes of cool-down. Short-Foot Exercises will target intrinsic foot muscle activation and medial longitudinal arch control by drawing the first metatarsal head toward the heel without toe flexion. Exercises will progress from sitting to standing, mini-squat, and soft-surface standing. Three blocks of 12 repetitions will be performed, with each contraction held for 5 seconds and 2 minutes of rest between blocks.

Behavioral: Otago Exercise Programme + Short-Foot Exercise

Interventions

Otago Exercise Programme BEHAVIORAL

The Otago Exercise Programme will be delivered under physiotherapist supervision for 8 weeks, 2 days per week, for a total of 16 sessions. Each session will last 50 minutes and will include warm-up, lower extremity strengthening, static and dynamic balance exercises, functional balance and walking tasks, and cool-down. Exercises will be progressively adjusted according to participant performance and safety.

Otago Exercise Programme

Otago Exercise Programme + Short-Foot Exercise BEHAVIORAL

The combined intervention will be delivered under physiotherapist supervision for 8 weeks, 2 days per week, for a total of 16 sessions. Each 60-minute session will include 5 minutes of warm-up, 10 minutes of Short-Foot Exercises, 40 minutes of Otago exercises, and 5 minutes of cool-down. Short-Foot Exercises will target intrinsic foot muscle activation and medial longitudinal arch control and will progress from sitting to standing, mini-squat, and soft-surface standing according to participant performance.

Otago Exercise Programme + Short-Foot Exercise

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

• Willing to participate and provide written informed consent.
• Aged 65 years or older.
• Residing in the nursing home where the study will be conducted for at least 3 months.
• Able to understand and follow test instructions, with a Standardized Mini-Mental Test score ≥24.
• Able to walk at least 30 meters without physical assistance from another person.
• Able to stand with eyes open for at least 30 seconds and safely complete sit-to-stand and balance assessments.
• Able to perform the target ankle dorsiflexion and plantar flexion angles without pain or marked restriction of active range of motion.
• Navicular Drop Test result between 6 and 9 mm.

You may not qualify if:

• History of neurological or neurodegenerative disease that may substantially affect postural control, proprioception, or motor responses, including stroke sequelae, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, advanced dementia, or marked cerebellar disorders.
• Cardiopulmonary, vestibular, or systemic disease that may prevent safe completion of the interventions or assessments.
• Diagnosed peripheral neuropathy, marked lower-extremity sensory loss, or diabetic neuropathy.
• Use of an assistive device.
• Lower-extremity amputation, prosthesis use, or severe structural deformity interfering with foot or ankle assessment.
• Pain, instability, or severe range-of-motion limitation in the ankle, knee, or hip that prevents completion of the tests.
• History of lower-extremity fracture, surgery, or major trauma within the previous 6 months.
• Musculoskeletal injury of the foot, ankle, or lower extremity within the previous 3 months that limits participation in functional testing.
• Open wound, ulcer, active skin lesion, or infection in the foot or ankle region that interferes with sensor or measurement placement.
• Recent initiation of, or dose change in, medication that may affect balance, alertness, or motor performance.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Pamukkale University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Horsunlu Nursing Home Care and Rehabilitation Center

Aydin, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

Study Officials

• Tuba Can Akman, PhD

  Pamukkale University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Fatma Aksu, MSc

CONTACT

+90 256 387 62 10; ftmaks97@gmail.com

Müge İçelli Güneş, PhD

CONTACT

02582964256; micelli@pau.edu.tr

Study Design

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

Model Details: Randomized, two-arm, parallel-group trial. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the Otago Exercise Programme group or the Otago Exercise Programme combined with Short-Foot Exercise group. Interventions will be delivered for 8 weeks, with 2 supervised sessions per week. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline and post-intervention.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: October 6, 2026
• First Posted: October 13, 2026
• Study Start (Estimated): October 30, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): April 30, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): April 30, 2027
• Last Updated: October 14, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-10

Locations

TU (1)