Workplace Fall Prevention Through Slip Recovery Training
Trial Snapshot
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Status
- Completed
- Enrollment
- 34
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- evaluation of screening methods
Study Overview
Brief Summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the feasibility of applying slip recovery training, a novel balance training exercise intervention, to workers who are at increased risk of slip-induced falls. This will be done via field studies with industrial partners. Note that the slip recovery training is not a device or drug. It is a detailed exercise regimen that aims to improve the the ability to recover balance after slipping.
The main specific aims are are:
- To investigate the feasibility of on-site slip recovery training
- To validate field assessments for evaluating slip recovery training efficacy in subsequent research
Participants will complete 3-6 once-weekly sessions of slip recovery training, answer daily text messages indicating any falls they experience while working over the 12 weeks after completing slip recovery training, and a subset of workers will be asked to participate in focus group discussions after the 12 weeks to provide information on the long-term feasibility of slip recovery training. A group of workers at Virginia Tech will also be asked to complete a laboratory session of testing during which they will be exposed to a laboratory-induced slip so that gold-standard measures of slip-induced fall recovery can be used to validate field assessments.
Workers who complete slip recovery training will be compared to another group of workers who complete an alternative balance training that should improve balance but not improve slip recovery that is targeted by slip recovery training.
Study Design
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- Non Randomized
- Intervention Model
- Parallel
- Primary Purpose
- Prevention
- Masking
- Single (Participant)
Eligibility Criteria
- Ages
- 18 Years to 65 Years (Adult, Older Adult)
- Sex
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria
- •Virginia Tech workers in Dining Services, Facilities and Housekeeping, and construction.
- •Veolia field workers in water distribution and water main construction
- •age 18-65 years old
- •willing to complete 3 or 6 training sessions, lab testing session, and daily falls tracking for 12 weeks
Exclusion Criteria
- •weigh over 250 pounds
- •answer 'no' to all questions of the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire
Arms & Interventions
Slip recovery training
Once weekly sessions of slip recovery training for 3 or 6 weeks. Each session will be 20 minutes of training. Training will involve volitional and reactive stepping movements that mimic the movements necessary to recover balance after slipping while walking.
Intervention: slip recovery training (Behavioral)
Alternative balance training
Once weekly sessions of balance training for 3 or 6 weeks. Each session will be 20 minutes of training. Training will involve standing balance under varied sensory conditions, and tandem walking forward and backward under varied sensory conditions.
Intervention: alternative balance training (Behavioral)
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
evaluation of screening methods
Time Frame: 2 years
percentage of prospective participants who are deemed a poor fit for the study based upon not passing the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire.
lab-induced slip distance
Time Frame: during the laboratory testing session that will take place within one week of completing training intervention
the distance the slipping foot slides when exposed to a laboratory-induced slip
efficacy of field assessments of balance
Time Frame: during the field session one week after completing the training intervention
Pearson product correlation coefficient between field assessment of slip distance and lab-induced slip distance
lab-induced slip peak slip speed
Time Frame: during the laboratory testing session that will take place within one week of completing training intervention
the peak speed of the slipping foot during slip when exposed to a laboratory-induced slip
evaluation of recruitment methods
Time Frame: 2 years
number of prospective participants who contact the investigators with interest in participating
worker retention during 12 weeks of falls tracking
Time Frame: during the12 weeks after completing the training intervention
average number of weeks participants responded to text messages from investigators regarding slips and falls
lab-induced slip outcome (fall or recovery)
Time Frame: during the laboratory testing session that will take place within one week of completing training intervention
a binary measure determined based on the force applied to the safety harness worn by all participants when exposed to a laboratory-induced slip
worker adherence to slip recovery training
Time Frame: during 3 or 6 weeks of balance training
average number of slip recovery training sessions completed across all participants assigned to slip recovery training
worker adherence to alternative balance training
Time Frame: during 3 or 6 weeks of balance training
average number of alternative balance training sessions completed across all participants assigned to alternative balance training
Secondary Outcomes
- postural sway during quiet standing(12 weeks after intervention)
- field assessment of slip distance(12 weeks after intervention)
- field assessment of peak slip speed(12 weeks after intervention)
- dynamic balance performance(12 weeks after intervention)
- number of falls while working during 12-week follow up(during the 12 week follow up after intervention)
- number of near-falls while working during 12-week follow up(during the 12 week follow up after intervention)
- field assessment of slip distance(one week after intervention)
- field assessment of peak slip speed(one week after intervention)
- postural sway during quiet standing(one week after intervention)
- dynamic balance performance(one week after intervention)
Investigators
Michael Madigan
Professor
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University