Improving balance control in older adults

Enhancing Postural Control in Older Adults by Increasing Somatosensory Contribution

This study will test 2 weeks of moving-platform balance training with either restricted or full vision in adults 65 and older to see if limiting vision helps them rely more on touch and body sense and improves balance when they start walking.

Quick facts

• Phase: Not applicable
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 30 (estimated)
• Ages: 65 Years to 80 Years
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: University of Oklahoma (Academic / other)
• Locations: 1 site (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
• Trial ID: NCT07554118 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

Older adults will be randomly assigned to two two-week intervention groups that practice dynamic balance tasks on a movable platform either with restricted vision or with full vision. Baseline and post-training measures will assess postural control during gait initiation under a dual-task condition and include center-of-pressure displacement and proprioception-related measures. Participants must be 65 or older, able to walk continuously for at least 10 minutes without an assistive device, and have normal or corrected vision; major neurological, vestibular, peripheral neuropathy, cognitive, or musculoskeletal conditions are excluded. The intervention is designed to promote sensory re-weighting so that participants rely more on somatosensory input for postural control.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are community-dwelling adults aged 65 or older who can walk for at least 10 minutes unassisted, have normal or corrected vision, and do not have major neurological, vestibular, peripheral neuropathy, cognitive impairments, significant musculoskeletal pain, recent drug use, or risky alcohol use.

Not a fit: Patients with significant neurological disease, vestibular dysfunction, peripheral neuropathy, cognitive impairment, inability to walk 10 minutes unassisted, or major musculoskeletal pain are unlikely to benefit from this protocol.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the intervention could improve balance control during walking initiation and potentially reduce fall risk in older adults by strengthening somatosensory contributions to posture.

How similar studies have performed: Prior research on sensory re-weighting and balance training suggests that interventions which challenge vision or enhance somatosensory input can improve postural control in older adults, though the specific restricted-vision stabilometer protocol is relatively novel.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

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

Exclusion Criteria:

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

Where this trial is running

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

• University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center — Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States (Recruiting)

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Yo Shih, PhD — University of Oklahoma
• Study coordinator: Yo Shih, PhD

Conditions Older; Adults; Older Adults, Balance