A Biomechanical Study of Collaborative FES on Lower Limb Motor Function in the Elderly

November 17, 2025 updated by: Chen Xuan

Biomechanical Study on the Improvement of Lower Limb Motor Function in the Elderly Through Collaborative Functional Electrical Stimulation

This study will first conduct a precise assessment of the differences in muscle coordination among the elderly through muscle synergy analysis; then, based on this, it will extract abnormal synergy patterns and muscle activation patterns, and reconstruct the intervention's synergy modules to fit the intervention electrostimulation curve; finally, electrical stimulation interventions will be carried out on different elderly individuals under two conditions: sitting and walking, to evaluate the intervention effects and analyze the biomechanical mechanisms of its effectiveness.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

The research subjects of this project mainly focus on young people, middle-aged individuals, and elderly individuals who are able to move independently. The investigator's goal is to explore the kinematic and dynamic characteristics of different populations. The main research activities include recruiting young volunteers, middle-aged volunteers, and elderly volunteers who can move independently. Through motion capture, the kinematic data and surface electromyography (sEMG) signal confidence intervals of young and middle-aged subjects are analyzed, and then the kinematic data and sEMG data of independently mobile elderly individuals are examined. The investigator aims to identify multiple muscles that show significant differences compared to normal individuals, and then assess the effectiveness of functional electrical stimulation based on coordinated movement. Additionally, using in vivo motion technology, the investigator will establish a human biomechanics database to analyze the biomechanical characteristics of different populations under various movement conditions.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
30

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.
  • Name: Chen Xuan Chen Xuan,Ph.D.
  • Phone Number: +8619731548492
  • Email: 2415919580@qq.com

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Must be aged between 65 and 75 years, inclusive.
  • Must be community-dwelling.
  • Must be able to ambulate independently, with or without the use of an assistive device (e.g., a cane or walker).
  • Must be capable of understanding and following study-related instructions and procedures.
  • Must provide voluntary written informed consent to participate in the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Diagnosis of a significant neurological disorder, including but not limited to stroke, Parkinson's disease, or multiple sclerosis.
  • Presence of a severe musculoskeletal condition that would interfere with movement tasks, such as severe osteoarthritis or osteoporosis.
  • History of lower limb joint replacement surgery within the last 6 months.
  • Cognitive impairment, as indicated by a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score of less than 24.
  • Presence of any implanted electronic medical device, such as a cardiac pacemaker or defibrillator.
  • Any skin disease, open wound, infection, or malignancy at the intended sites of electrical stimulation.
  • Diagnosis of a severe and/or uncontrolled cardiovascular condition (e.g., unstable angina, recent myocardial infarction).
  • Inability to stand independently without support for at least 3 minutes.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Placebo Comparator: Control Arm: Conventional Functional Electrical Stimulation
Participants will receive functional electrical stimulation (FES) administered in a conventional, non-synergy-based mode. This arm serves as an active comparator.
Device: Traditional functional electrical stimulation
Traditional functional electrical stimulation
Experimental: Experimental Arm: Muscle Synergy-Based Functional Electrical Stimulation
Participants will receive a novel functional electrical stimulation (FES) intervention guided by a real-time, muscle synergy-based algorithm.
Device: Collaborative Functional Electrical Stimulation
Functional electrical stimulation based on muscle synergy

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Muscle electrical signals
Time Frame: On the first day of the study, muscle electrical signals were tested using electromyography equipment. After one month of intervention, these indicators were measured again, followed by a one-year follow-up with the participants until the study ended.
Electromyographic signals were collected from 16 muscles of the trunk and ipsilateral leg using a wireless EMG system (Mini Wave Infinity by Cometa, Italy) at a frequency of 2000 Hz, with an interelectrode distance of 20 mm.
On the first day of the study, muscle electrical signals were tested using electromyography equipment. After one month of intervention, these indicators were measured again, followed by a one-year follow-up with the participants until the study ended.
Important indicators kinematic data
Time Frame: On the first day of the study, kinematic data, including joint angles and stride length, were collected using the Qualisys gait analysis system. After one month of intervention, these measurements were taken again
Attach Mark points to the subjects and capture kinematic data through an infrared camera.The movement of the foot and lower limb joints was captured using eight optical infrared cameras (also sampled at 100 Hz; Miqus M1, Qualisys, Sweden) and one camera lens (Miqus Video, Qualisys, Sweden), calculating the positions of 56 optical markers.
On the first day of the study, kinematic data, including joint angles and stride length, were collected using the Qualisys gait analysis system. After one month of intervention, these measurements were taken again

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Secondary indicators
Time Frame: On the first day of the study, foot pressure was measured using a plantar pressure testing mat, followed by a one-month intervention, after which the same indicators were measured again. Subsequently, the subjects were followed up for one year
Plantar pressure, distribution of plantar pressure on the left and right feet at rest, and distribution of pressure intensity on the left and right feet while walking
On the first day of the study, foot pressure was measured using a plantar pressure testing mat, followed by a one-month intervention, after which the same indicators were measured again. Subsequently, the subjects were followed up for one year

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Chen Xuan

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Study Chair: Xuan Chen, Southern Medical University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
November 30, 2025

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
November 1, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
May 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
September 25, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
November 17, 2025

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
November 24, 2025

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
November 24, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
November 17, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
November 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 202551

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Cookie Settings

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. For more details carefully read our Privacy and Cookies Policy. ...>>>You can change your preferences or withdraw your consent at any time by deleting the cookies from your website or computer as described in the policy. Please accept it and choose your preferences by ticking the corresponding boxes in the "Manage Settings" section below. Please carefully read our Terms of Service before you proceed with using any part of this website.
«Manage Settings