Use of a Smartphone to Assess Balance and Provide Intervention to Older Adults at Home
- Conditions
- Fall
- Interventions
- Other: Balance Exercises - Traditional Paper DeliveryDevice: Balance Exercises - Smartphone Delivery
- Registration Number
- NCT05140044
- Lead Sponsor
- Binghamton University
- Brief Summary
Approximately one-third of older adults report one or more falls each year, with devastating physical, psychological, social, and financial consequences. Conventional gait analysis performed in a controlled laboratory environment can identify balance deficits, but unfortunately, such tools are bulky, time-consuming, and dependent on qualified technicians to properly collect and evaluate the data. Furthermore, these one-time gait and balance assessments cannot monitor changes in ambulatory strategies longitudinally and do not reflect performance in real-life environments, where falls commonly occur. While recent developments in smartphone-based evaluations have demonstrated great utility and accuracy in assessing gait performance, it is vital to evaluate participant compliance, ease-of-use, and feasibility of this technology using a smartphone in the home environment.
It is also paramount that interventions which improve balance be accessible to older adults. While four-week balance training routines have been shown to improve balance performance among older adults, it is unknown whether such interventions can be conducted remotely in a safe and compliant manner. Furthermore, the retention of balance function following intervention is unclear. Subsequently, the goals of this study are to evaluate technology that can both remotely monitor balance and prescribe intervention to older adults. With the current burdens on the health care system and the burgeoning population of older adults, it is essential that tools be provided to older adults that are easy to follow, attractive, and improve balance performance.
Therefore, the objective of this project is to investigate the utility of a valid, easily accessible, smartphone application to assess balance and provide personalized exercise for older adults as a stand-alone, field-based medical device. The aims of this proposal are to (1) utilize a smartphone application to longitudinally evaluate gait and standing balance over an 8-week period in the home environment among 30; and (2) determine the feasibility and efficacy of a smartphone application to promote exercise and evaluate gait changes for up to 2 months in this older adult population following a 4-week balance intervention. The long-term goal of this project is to provide a holistic home-based gait monitoring and intervention tool for integration in routine clinical care.
- Detailed Description
Not available
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- COMPLETED
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 31
- Able to ambulate at least 10 meters without an assistive device.
- Cognitively intact based on scoring 18/22 or greater on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) - Blind.
- Lower limb amputation
- Lower limb arthroplasty
- Visual impairment uncorrectable with lenses
- Uncontrolled hypertension or diabetes
- Neurological or musculoskeletal impairment
- Persistent symptoms of dizziness or lightheadedness
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- PARALLEL
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description Home - Paper Intervention Balance Exercises - Traditional Paper Delivery Older adults who are given a 4-week paper-based balance intervention program. Performed 3days/week for 30min/day over the course of a 4-week period using printed materials with text instruction and images. Home - Smartphone Intervention Balance Exercises - Smartphone Delivery Older adults who are given a 4-week home-based balance exercise program. Performed 3days/week for 30min/day over the course of a 4-week period using participants' smartphones.
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Dual Task Gait Velocity Two-months following baseline self-selected walking speed under dual task gait/cognitive conditions
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Dual Task Standing Balance Two-months following baseline Path of COP during standing and performing secondary cognitive task
Dual Task Verbal Reaction Time Two-months following baseline Time taken to verbally respond to auditory stimulus under dual task gait/cognitive conditions
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
Binghamton University - Motion Analysis Laboratory
🇺🇸Binghamton, New York, United States
Binghamton University - Motion Analysis Laboratory🇺🇸Binghamton, New York, United States