Recruiting

Dynamic Balance Training

Sponsor:

University of Oklahoma

Code:

NCT07554118

Conditions

Older

Adults

Older Adults, Balance

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 65 - 70+

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Interventions

restricted vision (no-V)

full vision (full-V)

Study Details

Brief summary:

The investigators propose a 2-week intervention involving adults over 65 years old. Participants will undergo dynamic balance training on an movable platform (stabilometer) with either restricted or full vision. The primary objective is to facilitate sensory re-weighting, hypothesizing that restricted vision training will increase somatosensory input utilization for postural control. Pre- and post-training assessments will measure postural control during gait initiation under a dual-task condition. The investigators hypothesize that the restricted vision group will demonstrate:

1. Improved postural control, indicated by increased center of pressure displacement during gait initiation.
2. Improved ability to utilize somatosensory input during a balance task.

Conditions

Older

Adults

Older Adults, Balance

Study ID

NCT07554118

Start date

Jan 30, 2026

Status verified date

Apr, 2026

Completion date

Dec, 2026

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Oct, 2026

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 65 - 70+

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

1. age 65 and above
2. able to walk continuously for at least 10 min without assistive device
3. have normal or corrected-to-normal vision.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. neurological conditions such as stroke, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, brain tumor that significantly affect balance task and walking
2. known peripheral neuropathy that influence sensation
3. known vestibular dysfunction
4. known cognitive impairments
5. self-reported pain or musculoskeletal conditions that will significantly affect balance task and walking.
6. Drug use in the past 3 month.
7. At-risk drinker -

Study Design

Enrollment

30 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: restricted vision (no-V)

The participant will be blind-folded in the following dynamic balance training. The 2 weeks dynamic balance training involves standing and maintaining balance on a stabilometer, which consists of a platform (1.3m long by 1.4m wide) connected to a single axis that allows bidirectional sway (Lafayette Instrument Co.; Fig. 2). The maximum angular deviation of the platform is 18°. A safety harness may be provided to prevent falls but does not provide support during the performance of the task. Participants are required to maintain balance with feet in a medio-lateral orientation while standing on the balance board. A potentiometer monitors the sway angle of the platform. An integrated timer measures time in balance, which is defined as when the platform angle is within ± 5° of horizontal. The participants will be encouraged to maintain the platform in horizontal for as long as possible within a 30 s trial. Participants assigned to no-V group will perform the task with blind-fold.

active comparator: full vision (full-V)

The participants in this arm will be doing the dynamic balance training with eyes open.

The 2 weeks dynamic balance training involves standing and maintaining balance on a stabilometer, which consists of a platform (1.3m long by 1.4m wide) connected to a single axis that allows bidirectional sway (Lafayette Instrument Co.; Fig. 2). The maximum angular deviation of the platform is 18°. A safety harness may be provided to prevent falls but does not provide support during the performance of the task. Participants are required to maintain balance with feet in a medio-lateral orientation while standing on the balance board. A potentiometer monitors the sway angle of the platform. An integrated timer measures time in balance, which is defined as when the platform angle is within ± 5° of horizontal. The participants will be encouraged to maintain the platform in horizontal for as long as possible within a 30 s trial. Participants assigned to no-V group will perform the task with blind-fold

Interventions

restricted vision (no-V)

no-V group will perform the dynamic balance task with blind-fold.

The 2 weeks dynamic balance training involves standing and maintaining balance on a stabilometer, which consists of a platform (1.3m long by 1.4m wide) connected to a single axis that allows bidirectional sway (Lafayette Instrument Co.; Fig. 2). The maximum angular deviation of the platform is 18°. A safety harness may be provided to prevent falls but does not provide support during the performance of the task. Participants are required to maintain balance with feet in a medio-lateral orientation while standing on the balance board. A potentiometer monitors the sway angle of the platform. An integrated timer measures time in balance, which is defined as when the platform angle is within ± 5° of horizontal. The participants will be encouraged to maintain the platform in horizontal for as long as possible within a 30 s trial. Participants assigned to no-V group will perform the task with blind-fold.

full vision (full-V)

The participants will be performing the dynamic balance training with their full vision.

Primary outcome measure

  • Dynamic postural control [ Time Frame: From enrollement to one week within the last training days (within 3 weeks from enrollment) ]
  • Somatosensory reliance during static standing [ Time Frame: From enrollment to within one week after the last day of training (within three weeks from enrollment) ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Yo Shih, PhD

405-271-2131Yo-shih@ou.edu

Locations

University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center

Recruiting

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States, 73117

Contacts

Yo Shih, PhD

405-353-2602yo-shih@ou.edu

More Information

Sponsor

University of Oklahoma

Last update posted

Apr 28, 2026

Last verified

Apr, 2026

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-10. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by University of Oklahoma on 2026-04-28.