Balance Training in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Balance Training in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

A growing body of evidence suggests that individuals with chronic lung disease have important deficits in balance control that may be associated with an increased risk of falls. The main purpose of this study is to examine the effects of a balance training program on measures of balance and fall risk in people with chronic lung disease.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Balance training program

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 46
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Canada
  • Ontario
    • Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M6M2J5
      • West Park Healthcare Centre

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosis of COPD; a self-report of decline in balance or fall in the last 5 years or a recent near fall; smoking history greater than 10 pack years; and are able to provide written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Inability to communicate because of language skills, hearing or cognitive impairment; and evidence of a neurological or musculoskeletal condition that severely limits mobility and postural control (e.g., cerebrovascular accident, advanced Parkinson's disease, amputation).

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Balance Training; The treatment group will complete a specific balance training program in addition to conventional pulmonary rehabilitation.	Behavioral: Balance training program; Training will consist of 30 minute sessions 3 times/week for 6 weeks in keeping with best practice guidelines for older adults. Sessions will be supervised by physical therapists, using a circuit training approach with different stations designed to target specific areas of impairment. Participants will work through stations in a group setting; however, will receive individualized exercise prescription regarding level of difficulty and exercise progression.
No Intervention: Usual care; The control group will undergo the usual pulmonary rehabilitation program offered at our centre with no additional balance training classes.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Berg Balance Scale	All outcomes will be assessed upon admission to pulmonary rehabilitation (baseline) and again upon completion of the program, an expected average of 6 weeks from baseline.
Balance Evaluation Systems Test	At baseline and 6 weeks.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Balance confidence/falls self-efficacy	At baseline and 6 weeks.
Functional strength	At baseline and 6 weeks.
Self-reported physical function	At baseline and 6 weeks.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Roger Goldstein
• Collaborators: Ontario Lung Association
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Dina Brooks, PhD, University of Toronto; Study Chair: Marla K Beauchamp, MSc.PT, University of Toronto; Study Chair: Tania Janaudis-Ferreira, PhD, West Park Healthcare Centre

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Beauchamp MK, Janaudis-Ferreira T, Parreira V, Romano JM, Woon L, Goldstein RS, Brooks D. A randomized controlled trial of balance training during pulmonary rehabilitation for individuals with COPD. Chest. 2013 Dec;144(6):1803-1810. doi: 10.1378/chest.13-1093.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: August 1, 2011
• Primary Completion (Actual): September 1, 2012
• Study Completion (Actual): September 1, 2012

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 22, 2011
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 24, 2011
• First Posted (Estimate): August 26, 2011

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 3, 2022
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 29, 2022
• Last Verified: April 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Respiratory Tract Diseases; Lung Diseases; Lung Diseases, Obstructive; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive
• Other Study ID Numbers: Goldstein_OTSBalanceRCT_2012