Effects of Action Observation Therapy in Geriatric Individuals

February 11, 2026 updated by: İlker DEMİR, Hasan Kalyoncu University

Investigating the Effects of Action Observation Therapy on Cognitive Function, Balance, Fatigue, and Functional Capacity in Geriatric Individuals: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This randomized controlled trial aimed to investigate the effects of Action Observation Therapy (AOT) on cognitive function, balance, fatigue, and functional capacity in geriatric individuals. Participants aged 65 years and older were randomly assigned to one of three groups: a control group, an exercise group, or an action observation therapy group. The intervention period lasted 8 weeks. The exercise group received a conventional exercise program, while the action observation therapy group watched exercise videos before performing the same exercises. The control group did not participate in any structured exercise program during the study period. Outcome measures included cognitive function, balance performance, fatigue levels, and functional capacity. The study evaluated whether adding action observation therapy to conventional exercise provides additional benefits in older adults.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

This study is a three-arm randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate the effects of Action Observation Therapy (AOT) on cognitive function, balance, fatigue, and functional capacity in geriatric individuals aged 65 years and older.

Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) a control group that did not receive any structured exercise intervention during the study period, (2) an exercise group that participated in a conventional exercise program, and (3) an action observation therapy group that watched exercise demonstration videos prior to performing the same conventional exercise program.

The intervention period lasted 8 weeks. The conventional exercise program included balance, strengthening, and functional mobility exercises appropriate for older adults. The action observation therapy group observed standardized exercise videos to facilitate motor learning before actively performing the exercises.

Primary and secondary outcome measures included cognitive function (e.g., Montreal Cognitive Assessment), balance performance (e.g., Timed Up and Go Test and One-Leg Stand Test), fatigue levels (e.g., Fatigue Severity Scale), and functional capacity (e.g., 6-Minute Walk Test). Assessments were performed at baseline and at the end of the 8-week intervention period.

The primary objective of the study was to determine whether adding action observation therapy to conventional exercise provides additional benefits in cognitive and functional outcomes in geriatric individuals.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

162

Phase

  • 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 Locations

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

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Aged 65 years and older
  • Community-dwelling older adults
  • Able to ambulate independently with or without an assistive device
  • Able to understand and follow verbal instructions
  • Provided written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Severe neurological, vestibular, or orthopedic conditions affecting balance or mobility
  • Severe visual or hearing impairment interfering with participation
  • Diagnosed psychiatric disorders affecting cognitive assessment
  • Participation in another structured exercise program during the study period
  • Any medical condition contraindicating exercise participation

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: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: Control Group
No action was taken.
Experimental: Action Observation Therapy

Based on exercise recommendations for older adults from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the researcher developed a conventional exercise training programme suitable for participants aged 65 and over, incorporating balance, strength and flexibility exercises. In parallel, an action observation therapy exercise video recording was prepared for the experimental group participants. The exercises were easy to learn, not complex in terms of memory and performance, performed standing up without sitting down, and progressed from easy to difficult.

The exercise programme was carried out for a total of 16 sessions over four weeks, with 8 repetitions per set for the first four weeks and 12 repetitions per set for the next four weeks, for 30-45 minutes, twice a week.

Participants in the control group were informed that they would be enrolled in their preferred exercise programme afterwards, and no exercise programme was implemented throughout the study. The same exercise progra
Other: Action Observation Therapy

Based on exercise recommendations for older adults from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the researcher developed a conventional exercise training programme suitable for participants aged 65 and over, incorporating balance, strength and flexibility exercises. In parallel, an action observation therapy exercise video recording was prepared for the experimental group participants. The exercises were easy to learn, not complex in terms of memory and performance, performed standing up without sitting down, and progressed from easy to difficult.

The exercise programme was carried out for a total of 16 sessions over four weeks, with 8 repetitions per set for the first four weeks and 12 repetitions per set for the next four weeks, for 30-45 minutes, twice a week.

Participants in the control group were informed that they would be enrolled in their preferred exercise programme afterwards, and no exercise programme was implemented throughout the study. The same exercise program
Active Comparator: Exercise

Warm-up Exercises: Active joint range of motion and sequential circumduction of the shoulder forwards and backwards,

  • Weight transfer to the hips in a seated position,
  • Isometric contraction exercises for the lower extremity extensor, flexor, adductor, and abductor groups in a seated position (performed using a towel or thin pillow),
  • Bridge pose,
  • Hip abduction in a side-lying position,
  • Knee and shoulder flexion and extension,
  • Supine position trunk flexion,
  • Weight transfer to lower extremities while standing,
  • Semi squat,
  • Walking,
  • Cool-down Exercises: Performed as stretching and breathing exercises for the hamstrings, quadriceps femoris, and pectoral muscles.

The exercises consisted of these movements.
Other: Action
exercise

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Functional capacity
Time Frame: Baseline and 8 weeks
To determine functional capacity, the 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) was administered in accordance with the American Thoracic Society protocol. During the test, patients were expected to complete the test by walking as fast as possible on a 30-metre straight corridor without running. Before starting, individuals were informed about the test and verbally advised that they could slow down, rest, and terminate the test if they felt tired or short of breath. The 6MWT test was interpreted according to gender using the following formulas
Baseline and 8 weeks
Dynamic balance performance
Time Frame: Baseline and 8 weeks
During the test, the time it took for the patient to get up from the chair they were sitting in, walk a distance of 3 meters, then return to the starting position was measured
Baseline and 8 weeks
Static balance performance
Time Frame: Baseline and 8 weeks
The test was performed to measure static standing capacity. The time was started when the person lifted their foot and stopped when the lifted foot touched the ground, the supporting foot bounced, or the person had to take support to maintain balance. It was performed twice with eyes open, and the average time was recorded
Baseline and 8 weeks
Fatigue Level Assement
Time Frame: Baseline and 8 weeks
Fatigue severity scale was applied to evaluate the fatigue levels of the patients. This scale consists of a total of 9 questions, and each question was scored from one to seven depending on the participants' agreement with the questions. The scores on the scale are 1 point for strongly disagree, 3 points for tend to disagree, 4 points for undecided, 5 points for tend to agree, and 7 points for strongly agree
Baseline and 8 weeks
Cognitive function
Time Frame: Baseline and 8 weeks
Cognitive function was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). The MoCA evaluates global cognitive performance including attention, memory, language, executive functions, and visuospatial abilities in older adults.
Baseline and 8 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Hasan Kalyoncu University

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Ilker Demir, PhD, Hasan Kalyoncu University

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

  • No publications are currently available for this study.

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 (Actual)

January 1, 2025

Primary Completion (Actual)

October 1, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

November 5, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

January 12, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 11, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

February 18, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

February 18, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 11, 2026

Last Verified

February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 2024/169

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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