Recruiting

Perturbation Training

Sponsor:

Georgia State University

Code:

NCT06919900

Conditions

Multiple Sclerosis (Relapsing Remitting)

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 45 - 70+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

Perturbation Training

Treadmill Walking

Study Details

Brief summary:

The primary purpose of this interventional study is to examine the overall motor learning capacity from exposure to repeated perturbations among ambulatory people with multiple sclerosis (MS). This project will advance our understanding of learning new motor skills from exposure to external perturbations. If it is proven that people with MS can learn motor skills from perturbation training, the findings from this study will pave a theoretical foundation for applying perturbation training as a promising fall prevention intervention for people with MS.

Conditions

Multiple Sclerosis (Relapsing Remitting)

Study ID

NCT06919900

Start date

Apr 6, 2026

Status verified date

Jun, 2026

Completion date

Dec, 2028

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Mar, 2028

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 45 - 70+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Clinically confirmed multiple sclerosis
2. At least 45 years old
3. Able to walk independently at least 25 feet
4. Able to stand independently for at least 30 seconds
5. Patient Determined Disability Steps score between 0 and 4
6. Free from pregnancy
7. Montreal Cognitive Assessment score of 23 or higher

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Previous experience with perturbation training
2. T-score from the dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan of less than -2.5
3. Coexisting psychiatric disorders or other neurological conditions, severe medical illness, or cardiovascular diseases
4. Participants have had a relapse in the past 8 weeks

Study Design

Enrollment

64 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Prevention

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: Training Group

During the acquisition session, this group will undergo perturbation training on the treadmill while wearing a safety harness. Then, they will experience an unexpected slip and trip while wearing a safety harness and walking overground. During the 3-month and 6-month retention sessions, they will experience a slip and trip during treadmill walking and a slip and trip during overground walking.

active comparator: Control Group

During the acquisition session, this group will walk on the treadmill without perturbations for the same amount of time as the training group. Then, they will experience an unexpected slip and trip while wearing a safety harness and walking overground. During the 3-month and 6-month retention sessions, they will experience a slip and trip during treadmill walking and a slip and trip during overground walking.

Interventions

Perturbation Training

Unexpected slips blended with trips and unperturbed walking trials on a treadmill. A safety harness will be worn at all times.

Treadmill Walking

Treadmill walking for the same amount of time as the training group without perturbation. A safety harness will be worn at all times.

Primary outcome measure

  • Perturbation Outcome (Fall or Non-Fall) on the Treadmill or Overground [ Time Frame: Baseline (acquisition session), 3-month retention session, 6-month retention session. ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Feng Yang, Ph.D.

404-413-8357fyang@gsu.edu

Locations

Georgia State University Biomechanics Lab

Recruiting

Atlanta, Georgia, United States, 30303

Contacts

Feng Yang, PhD

404-413-8357fyang@gsu.edu

More Information

Sponsor

Georgia State University

Last update posted

Jun 17, 2026

Last verified

Jun, 2026

Keywords

  • Falls
  • Fall prevention
  • Slips
  • Trips

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-10. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Georgia State University on 2026-06-17.