Comparison of Square Stepping Exercise and Wobble Board Exercise in Elderly Population

Not Applicable

Recruiting

• Conditions: Elderly Population

• Registration Number: NCT07150364
• Lead Sponsor: Riphah International University

Brief Summary

Cognitive decline and balance issues are key contributors to falls. Square Stepping Exercise (SSE) and Wobble Board Exercise (WBE) both are the promising forms of balance training. Therefore, the aim of this study is to compare these two exercises to determine their effects on cognition, balance, and fall risk in elderly population.

Detailed Description

The study in 2016 described the effects of square stepping exercises versus traditional balance exercises on improving balance and reducing fear of falling in the elderly. The Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, and Fall Efficacy Scale (FES) were used for assessments. Both groups showed significant improvements in BBS and TUG scores (p\<0.0001), but the square stepping exercise group demonstrated more significant gains. The study concluded that square stepping exercises were more effective in enhancing balance and reducing fear of falling compared to traditional balance exercises.This study addresses a notable gap in existing literature by comparing the effects of Square Stepping Exercise and Wobble Board Exercise in improving cognition, balance, and fall risk among the elderly. While both exercises have been recognized individually for their benefits, but their comparative effectiveness remains understudied. By focusing on this comparison, this study aim is to fill this gap and offer valuable insights into the most effective intervention for enhancing functional independence and promoting healthy aging.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2024-11-17
• Status Verified: 2025-08
• Study First Submitted: 2025-08-24
• Study First Submitted QC: 2025-08-24
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-08-24
• Study First Posted: 2025-09-02
• Last Update Posted: 2025-09-02
• Primary Completion: 2025-11-30
• Study Completion: 2026-01-30

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 38

Inclusion Criteria

• Elderly individuals age 60 years and above of both genders according to the guidelines of World Health Organization (WHO).
• Participants whose Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) score will be >24/30 ensuring sufficient cognitive ability to follow instructions and participate in exercise.
• Participants whose Berg Balance Scale scores of more than 41/56 ensuring that the participants have moderate level of balance ability.
• Vital signs within normal range for elderly population.
• Ability to walk independently with or without an assistive device (e.g., canes).

Exclusion Criteria

• Participants who have severe musculoskeletal or neurological disorders affecting gait or balance (e.g., Parkinson's disease, and stroke) because of the complex impacts of these conditions on general cognitive and physical functions.
• Participants who undergoes recent fractures or injuries affecting participation in physical activity.
• Participants who have uncontrolled cardiovascular or metabolic conditions (e.g., uncontrolled hypertension, and diabetes mellitus) that could significantly interfere with exercise.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Fall Efficacy Scale- international (FES- I)	6th week	The FES-I is designed to assess concern about falling while performing basic and instrumental indoor and outdoor activities. This scale consists of 16 items (10 items from the original FES and six additional social activities items). Each item is scored with a four- point scale (1 = not concerned at all, 4 = very concerned). The summation of scores gives a total score from 16 (absence of FOF) to 64 (extreme concern of falling). This scale was used as a criterion scale in the present study with a cutoff point of 23.
Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE)	6th week	The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) is a widely used tool for screening cognitive function and assessing the severity of cognitive impairment. It assesses areas such as orientation, registration, attention and calculation, recall, language, and visual construction. The MMSE consists of 30 questions with a maximum score of 30 points in which score between 24-30 is consider normal, score 18-23 is consider mild cognitive impairment and score between 0-17 is consider severe cognitive impairment.
Berg Balance Scale (BBS)	6th week	The BBS evaluates a participant's balance based on 14 items scored and takes 15-20 min to complete. The score for each item ranges from 0 to 4 points, with an overall maximum score of 56 points. Balance is evaluated by asking participants to perform a variety of sitting, transferring and standing positions. In an assessment of which cut- off scores on the BBS best predict the risk of falling. The score of 41-56 indicates low risk of fall, 21-40 indicates medium risk of fall, and 0-20 indicates the high risk of fall.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Time up and Go test (TUG)	6th week	The TUG is a performance-based measure of functional mobility initially developed to identify mobility and balance impairments in older adults. The TUG test takes only a few minutes to complete. In this test, participants are asked to stand up from a chair, walk 3 m, turn, walk 3 m back and sit down again. The time taken to perform this task indicates high or low falls risk. The cut- off scores reported in the articles varied from 10.9 seconds to 13 seconds.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Khursheed Old Home; 🇵🇰 Lahore, Punjab Province, Pakistan