Experimental PBT Study in Fall-prone Subjects (PACE-R)

June 19, 2026 updated by: University Rehabilitation Institute, Republic of Slovenia

Experimental Perturbation-based-training Study in Patients After Stroke and Older Adults

The study will investigate safety, usability, feasibility and preliminary efficacy of perturbation-based training in participants post-stroke and older adults with mild balance deficits. Both group will receive three weks of training. The primary outcome measure will be derived from laboratory-induced falls.

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

Two convenience samples will be recruited to serve as self-controls, 20 post-stroke adults and 30 community-dwelling older adults. Participants post stroke will be recruited after discharge from their regular rehabilitation. Each subject will undergo individually customised perturbation-based training sessions with safety harnesses. The participants will be assessed at four time points: at baseline, after 3 weeks (at the beginning of training), at the end of 3-week training, and at 3-week follow-up. Safety, usability and efficacy of training will be evaluated using slip-, trip- and platform-movement-based perturbations induced by a Stewart platform and dual-belt treadmill, whereby the perturbation strength that can be reliably counteracted will be recorded, and using standardised clinical outcome measures.

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.
50

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.

Study Locations

  • Slovenia
      • Ljubljana, Slovenia, 1000
        • University Rehabilitation Institute, Republic of Slovenia
        • Contact:

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

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria for both arms:

  • ability for independent community walking without aids;
  • sufficient cognitive, visual, and communication abilities for study participation.

Exclusion Criteria for both arms:

  • musculoskeletal impairments;
  • cardiovascular health-related problems;
  • other health conditions that could interfere with the training.

Additional Inclusion Criteria for post-stroke patients:

  • discharge from their regular rehabilitation;
  • at least 6 months after first unilateral cerebral stroke;
  • 18 to 70 years of age;
  • absence of additional neurologic conditions.

Additional Inclusion Criteria for older adults:

  • age 65 to 75 years;
  • no known health-related problems significantly affecting balance and walking.

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: Prevention
  • Allocation: Non-Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

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.
Experimental: Post-stroke patients
Each participant will undergo perturbation-based training and assessment according to an ABA (no intervention/intervention/no intervention) design with assessment at the beginning and end of each phase (four time-points).
Device: PBT
Each subject will undergo 9 perturbation-based training sessions with safety harnesses, and the device will deliver waist pulls during treadmill walking. Training sessions will be individually customised. Perturbation intensity will be progressively increased by a physiotherapist according to the subject's abilities. Training sessions will last approximately 30 minutes, 2-3 times per week.
Other Names:
  • PACE-R
Active Comparator: Elderly adults
Each participant will undergo perturbation-based training and assessment according to an ABA (no intervention/intervention/no intervention) design with assessment at the beginning and end of each phase (four time-points).
Device: PBT
Each subject will undergo 9 perturbation-based training sessions with safety harnesses, and the device will deliver waist pulls during treadmill walking. Training sessions will be individually customised. Perturbation intensity will be progressively increased by a physiotherapist according to the subject's abilities. Training sessions will last approximately 30 minutes, 2-3 times per week.
Other Names:
  • PACE-R

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
Perturbation strength
Time Frame: Difference between the two assessments - one day before the first and one day after the last training session
Perturbation strength that can be reliably counteracted - difference score (minimum 0N, no upper limit, stronger perturbation means better outcome, larger difference means better outcome)
Difference between the two assessments - one day before the first and one day after the last training session

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
mini-BESTest
Time Frame: Difference between the two assessments - one day before the first and one day after the last training session
Mini Balance Evaluation Systems Test - difference score (score range 0-28, higher score means better outcome, larger difference means better outcome)
Difference between the two assessments - one day before the first and one day after the last training session
ABC Scale
Time Frame: Difference between the two assessments - one day before the first and one day after the last training session
Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale - difference score (score range 0%-100%, higher score means better outcome, larger difference means better outcome)
Difference between the two assessments - one day before the first and one day after the last training session

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Adverse events
Time Frame: During all the nine training sessions across the three weeks
Number of adverse events (fatigue, pain, secured falls) during training (fewer events mean better outcome)
During all the nine training sessions across the three weeks

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.
University Rehabilitation Institute, Republic of Slovenia

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.
  • Principal Investigator: Zlatko Matjačić, PhD, University Rehabilitation Institute, Republic of Slovenia

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

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.
September 1, 2026

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.
September 1, 2028

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.
September 1, 2028

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).
June 12, 2026

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.
June 12, 2026

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.
June 17, 2026

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.
June 24, 2026

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.
June 19, 2026

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.
June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

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.
  • URIS202601

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.

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