Smartphone versus community delivery of the Otago exercise program for older adults at risk of falling
Official title: Effectiveness of Smartphone-Based Versus Community-Based Otago Exercise Programs for Fall Risk Reduction in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Run by Binghamton University · NCT07433153 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will test whether delivering the Otago Exercise Program by smartphone works as well as in-person community classes for older adults at intermediate or high risk of falling.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 55 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 36 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Binghamton University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Binghamton, New York) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | February 16, 2026 |
| Main results expected | December 1, 2026 |
| Study ends | December 1, 2026 |
| Registry record updated | August 25, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07433153 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal participants are community-dwelling adults aged 55 or older who speak English, can walk at least 10 meters (with or without an assistive device), score 18/22 or higher on the MoCA-Blind, have access to an Android or iOS smartphone, and are classified as intermediate or high fall risk.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with recent spine or lower-extremity surgery, uncontrolled medical or neurological conditions, uncorrectable visual impairment, lower-limb amputation, persistent dizziness, severe pain (>7/10), or those without smartphone access or ability to attend community sessions are unlikely to benefit from this protocol.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Thirty community-dwelling older adults at intermediate or high fall risk will be stratified and randomized to either a remotely delivered, smartphone-based Otago Exercise Program or an in-person, community-based Otago program. Participants in both arms will receive sixteen individualized 60-minute training sessions over eight weeks focusing on progressive balance, mobility, and strengthening exercises. Outcomes including gait speed (measured weekly by smartphone), TUG, Four-Stage Balance Test, 30-second chair stand, PPA, and patient-reported measures (SF-36, GDS, FES-I) will be collected at baseline and immediately post-intervention with testers blinded to group allocation. Trainers will be blinded to baseline outcome measures to reduce bias in delivery and monitoring.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could make a proven fall-prevention program easier to access and maintain, potentially reducing falls and related injuries among older adults.
How similar studies have gone: The Otago Exercise Program has demonstrated reductions in falls and fall-related injuries in prior trials when delivered by therapists, but smartphone-based delivery is less well studied and community-delivery adaptations have variable evidence.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Community-dwelling older adults 55 years of age or older * Communicate in English * Able to ambulate at least 10 meters with or without an assistive device. * Cognitively intact based on scoring 18/22 or greater on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)-Blind during a phone screening process * Have access to an Android or iOS smartphone * Intermediate or high risk of falling, based on World Guidelines for Falls Prevention (Montero-Odasso et al, 2022) Exclusion Criteria: * Lower limb amputation * Visual impairment uncorrectable with lenses * Uncontrolled hypertension, diabetes, neurological or musculoskeletal impairment * Persistent symptoms of dizziness or lightheadedness * Spine or lower-extremity surgery in the past 12 months * Self-reported pain of \>7 on a scale of 0-10
Where it's running
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Binghamton University
Binghamton, New York, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Vipul Lugade, PhD
- Email: vlugade@binghamton.edu
- Phone: 16077774700
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.