Training Programs Effects on Strength and Balance in Older Adults

Effect of a 12-week Training Program With Unstable Devices on Strength and Dynamic Balance in Older Adults

Ageing involves several physiological changes such as loss of muscle mass, muscle strength, and alteration of balance control mechanisms. Consequently, there is an increased fall risk that can lead the older adult to a reduced self-sufficiency in daily living activities. Investigating the role of different physical activities to counteract the age-related declines deserves attention. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of two trainings performed with and without unstable devices, on dynamic balance control and lower limb strength compared to a control group that received no intervention.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Fall
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: UNST; Behavioral: ST

Detailed Description

The a-priori power analysis calculation reported a total sample size of 51 participants. We decided to increase the sample size of approximatively 20% hypothesizing an increment of drop-outs due to the not completely solved COVID-19 pandemic at the time of the study.

In this single-blinded randomized controlled study, both intervention groups received 24 training sessions of 45 minutes each, twice a week for 12 weeks.The two intervention groups and the control group were tested at the baseline (T0), after six weeks (T1), and after twelve weeks (T2).

Subjects of the intervention groups had to complete at least 21 out of 24 training sessions. Moreover, all subjects had to complete all the assessments. Otherwise, they were completely excluded from the data analysis.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 62
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Italy
  • Padova, Italy, 35131
    • Nutrition and Exercise Lab, DSB, University of Padova

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 65 years to 85 years (Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• self-sufficiency in daily living activities;
• aged between 65 and 85 years.

Exclusion Criteria:

• non-corrected sight disorders
• neurological disorders
• regular assumption of drugs that can interfere with normal cognitive functioning
• pathologies that contraindicate physical activity practice

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Unstable (UNST); 12-week training protocol with unstable devices, twice a week.	Behavioral: UNST; Strength and balance training using different destabilizing devices
Experimental: Stable (ST); 12-week training protocol with stable devices, twice a week	Behavioral: ST; Strength and balance training over firm surfaces
No Intervention: Control (CTRL); No administration of training protocols.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Center of Pressure (CoP) Unit Path	From the center of pressure (CoP) trajectory the following parameter is calculated in the dynamic test: - The mean velocity of the CoP measured in cm∙s-1 (Unit Path) over a 2.5-second time window from the beginning of the perturbation;	At baseline (t0), after six weeks (t1) and after 12 weeks (t2)
Center of Pressure (CoP) Area95	From the center of pressure (CoP) trajectory the following parameter is calculated in the dynamic test: - The area of the 95th percentile confidence ellipse of the CoP measured in cm2 (Area95) over a 2.5-second time window from the beginning of the perturbation.	At baseline (t0), after six weeks (t1) and after 12 weeks (t2)
Center of Pressure (CoP) First Peak	From the center of pressure (CoP) trajectory the following parameter is calculated in the dynamic test: - First peak (FP) as the difference in centimeters between the peak reached by the CoP displacement after the external perturbation and the mean value of the anterior-posterior CoP displacement before the perturbation.	At baseline (t0), after six weeks (t1) and after 12 weeks (t2)
Center of Pressure (CoP) Maximal Oscillation	From the center of pressure (CoP) trajectory the following parameter is calculated in the dynamic test: - Maximal oscillation of the CoP anterior-posterior displacement as the sum in centimeters of the absolute values of FP and the subsequent peak.	At baseline (t0), after six weeks (t1) and after 12 weeks (t2)
Center of Pressure (CoP) Post Perturbation Variability	From the center of pressure (CoP) trajectory the following parameter is calculated in the dynamic test: - The standard deviation (SD) of the CoP anterior-posterior displacement over a 2.5-second time window from the beginning of the perturbation as the post perturbation variability (PPV), measured in centimeters.	At baseline (t0), after six weeks (t1) and after 12 weeks (t2)
Lower limb isometric strength	Isometric quadriceps maximal strength (Newton) measured with an instrumented chair. Specifically, a load cell is placed perpendicular to the subject's shank and collects the force in Newton expressed by the subject while sitting on the chair. The knee angle during the maximal effort is fixed at 90 degrees.	At baseline (t0), after six weeks (t1) and after 12 weeks (t2)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Timed Up and Go (TUG) test	Stand up from a chair, walk at the preferred pace to a cone at 3 meters, turn around, and walk back to the chair to sit down. The outcome is the time measured in seconds to complete the test.	At baseline (t0), after six weeks (t1) and after 12 weeks (t2)
10-meter walking test	Walking 20 meters in a straight line at the preferred speed. The outcome is the time measured in seconds to complete the distance from the 5th to the 15th meter.	At baseline (t0), after six weeks (t1) and after 12 weeks (t2)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Padova

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 7, 2022
• Primary Completion (Actual): April 28, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): April 28, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 11, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 13, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): March 15, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): June 4, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 3, 2024
• Last Verified: May 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: UNST2223

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