Recruiting

Balance Assessment

Sponsor:

University of Central Florida

Code:

NCT07837778

Conditions

Healthy Adult Participants

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 50

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Interventions

Normal Stance

Inward Anchoring

Outward Anchoring

Study Details

Brief summary:

This study will compare standing balance in adults ages 18 to 50 during normal standing, inward anchoring, and outward anchoring. Anchoring involves standing with the feet wider than shoulder width and trying to pull the legs together or push them apart without moving the feet. Participants will complete all three conditions in a randomly assigned order. A researcher will use a handheld force-measuring instrument at six points on the pelvis to measure how much pressure participants can resist before a foot lifts from the floor. Participants will also rate how stable they feel after each anchoring condition. The first 18 participants will repeat assessments to evaluate measurement consistency. Participation is expected to last 60 minutes, or 90 minutes for those completing repeat assessments.

Conditions

Healthy Adult Participants

Study ID

NCT07837778

Start date

Aug 23, 2026

Status verified date

Sep, 2026

Completion date

May 2, 2028

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Sep 30, 2027

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 50

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Adults aged 18-50 years.
  • Able to provide informed consent and independently read, write, and communicate in English.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • History of neurological or vestibular conditions affecting balance, such as stroke, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, or vertigo, or uncorrected/inadequately corrected visual deficits affecting postural control.
  • Lower-extremity or spinal injury, orthopedic surgery, or a musculoskeletal condition within the past 6-12 months that may affect balance, force production, or safe participation.
  • Current pain or dysfunction limiting safe standing or weight-bearing tasks.
  • Use of medications that may affect balance, coordination, or muscle performance, such as muscle relaxants, opioids, or sedatives.
  • A cardiovascular or systemic condition that makes participation unsafe, such as uncontrolled hypertension, dizziness, or syncope, or inability to stand independently for the duration of testing.

Study Design

Enrollment

72 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Crossover

Primary purpose

Screening

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: Normal Stance → Inward Anchoring → Outward Anchoring

Participants complete normal stance, then inward anchoring, then outward anchoring. The same force assessments are performed in each condition, with two minutes of rest between conditions.

experimental: Normal Stance → Outward Anchoring → Inward Anchoring

Participants complete normal stance, then outward anchoring, then inward anchoring. The same force assessments are performed in each condition, with two minutes of rest between conditions.

experimental: Outward Anchoring → Normal Stance → Inward Anchoring

Participants complete outward anchoring, then normal stance, then inward anchoring. The same force assessments are performed in each condition, with two minutes of rest between conditions.

experimental: Outward Anchoring → Inward Anchoring → Normal Stance

Participants complete outward anchoring, then inward anchoring, then normal stance. The same force assessments are performed in each condition, with two minutes of rest between conditions.

experimental: Inward Anchoring → Normal Stance → Outward Anchoring

Participants complete inward anchoring, then normal stance, then outward anchoring. The same force assessments are performed in each condition, with two minutes of rest between conditions.

experimental: Inward Anchoring → Outward Anchoring → Normal Stance

Participants complete inward anchoring, then outward anchoring, then normal stance. The same force assessments are performed in each condition, with two minutes of rest between conditions.

Interventions

Normal Stance

Participants stand normally while the tester performs the protocol's pelvic force assessments. This condition provides the within-participant comparison for the two anchoring techniques

Inward Anchoring

Participants stand upright with their feet wider than shoulder width and attempt to pull their legs toward each other without moving the feet. They maintain the position during the pelvic force assessments.

Outward Anchoring

Participants stand upright with their feet wider than shoulder width and attempt to push their legs away from each other without moving the feet. They maintain the position during the pelvic force assessments.

Primary outcome measure

  • Mean Break-Point Force at the Right Anterior Superior Iliac Spine [ Time Frame: Day 1 ]
  • Mean Break-Point Force at the Left Anterior Superior Iliac Spine [ Time Frame: Day 1 ]
  • Mean Break-Point Force at the Right Iliac Crest [ Time Frame: Day 1 ]
  • Mean Break-Point Force at the Left Iliac Crest [ Time Frame: Day 1 ]
  • Mean Break-Point Force at the Right Posterior Superior Iliac Spine [ Time Frame: Day 1 ]
  • Mean Break-Point Force at the Left Posterior Superior Iliac Spine [ Time Frame: Day 1 ]
  • Perceived Stability Rating After Inward Anchoring [ Time Frame: Day 1 ]
  • Perceived Stability Rating After Outward Anchoring [ Time Frame: Day 1 ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

William J Hanney, PhD

4078230217william.j.hanney@ucf.edu

Locations

University of Central Florida Spine and Mobility Lab

Recruiting

Orlando, Florida, United States, 32816

Contacts

William J Hanney, PhD

4078230217william.j.hanney@ucf.edu

More Information

Sponsor

University of Central Florida

Last update posted

Sep 24, 2026

Last verified

Sep, 2026

Keywords

  • Postural Balance, Postural Stability, Anchoring, Handheld Dynamometry

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-25. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by University of Central Florida on 2026-09-24. Recruitment status is synced daily from ClinicalTrials.gov and may not reflect the sponsor's current status. Confirm during your call.