Ankle Assistance and Resistance in Older Adults

The goal of this research protocol is to improve mobility in older individuals through advances in wearable assistive devices by focusing on two specific aims. The first aim is to study if targeted ankle resistance gait training improves walking performance in older individuals. The second aim is to evaluate the potential of wearable assistance at the ankle, knee, and/or hip joints to increase walking performance in older individuals.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Sarcopenia
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: Ankle resistance and biofeedback

Detailed Description

The overarching goal of this study is to improve mobility in older adults through advances in wearable assistance (i.e. powered orthoses). This goal will be accomplished by focusing on two specific research aims. The first aim is to study if targeted ankle resistance gait training improves walking performance in older individuals. The second aim is to evaluate the potential of wearable assistance at the ankle, knee, and/or hip joints to increase walking performance in older individuals.

Several powered orthosis conditions will be tested during several modes of walking or running and balance throughout the course of the study. Trials will take place over-ground and/or on a treadmill. Balance trials will take place on a treadmill. Participants will walk for up to 40 minutes. Frequent breaks will be provided between trials and conditions to avoid fatigue; a maximum of 15 minutes of continuous walking will take place between breaks.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 9
• Phase: Early Phase 1

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Arizona
    • Flagstaff, Arizona, United States, 86011
      • Northern Arizona University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age between 65 and 85 years old, inclusive.
• Must be able to understand and follow simple directions based on parent report and clinical observation during the history and physical examination.
• Able to provide verbal assent, if appropriate. If the participant is non-verbal, parental interpretation of gesticulation for assent will be used.
• The ability to read and understand English.
• Able to walk at least 30 feet with or without a walking aid
• Able to safely fit into a device configuration and tolerate assistance without knee hyperextension while walking

Exclusion Criteria:

• Any neurological, musculoskeletal or cardiorespiratory injury, health condition ( including pregnancy), or diagnosis that would affect the ability to walk as directed for short periods of time. Note: For elderly participants, a history of joint replacement or joint degeneration that does not impair their ability to walk safely is allowable.
• Participant or parent report that the perspective participant's physician has recommended that they not engage in moderate intensity walking exercise.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Gait training with exoskeleton resistance; Participants will complete 20-30 minutes of ankle resistance training on each visit. This will involve walking on a treadmill with stance phase ankle resistance and biofeedback.	Device: Ankle resistance and biofeedback; An ankle exoskeleton will provide stance phase resistance and a plantar pressure biofeedback system will encourage late stance push-off.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in 6MWT	Change (post - baseline) in six minute walk test distance (distance in meters)	Baseline assessment and 1-week post training assessment (at 5 weeks)
Change in Metabolic Power	Change (post - baseline) in metabolic power measured in J/(kgm)	Baseline assessment and 1-week post training assessment (at 5 weeks)
Change in Plantar Flexor Force Production	Change (post - baseline) in manual muscle testing plantar flexor force production measured in N/kg	Baseline assessment and 1-week post training assessment (at 5 weeks)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Northern Arizona University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 1, 2023
• Primary Completion (Actual): February 20, 2024
• Study Completion (Actual): February 20, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 8, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 21, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): February 29, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): October 1, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 10, 2025
• Last Verified: September 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Neurologic Manifestations; Nervous System Diseases; Neuromuscular Manifestations; Pathological Conditions, Anatomical; Muscular Atrophy; Atrophy; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Signs and Symptoms; Sarcopenia; Therapeutics; Mind-Body Therapies; Complementary Therapies; Behavior Therapy; Psychotherapy; Behavioral Disciplines and Activities; Feedback, Psychological; Biofeedback, Psychology
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2137420

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: Yes
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No