Evaluating the Effectiveness of Video-based Apps in Healthcare

The goal of this clinical trial is to understand the effectiveness of a novel video-feedback based mobile application that teaches walking aid skills to current or anticipated walking aid users. The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. Does this app improve balance confidence in walking aid users, as compared to a sham app?
2. Does this app improve clinically relevant outcomes in walking aid users, as compared to a sham app?

Researchers will compare balance confidence and clinical outcomes to a control group undergoing the same protocol but using an identical app that teaches teaching general health skills instead. The intervention group will be learning the skills of fitting and walking with their gait aid while the control group will be learning the skills of deep breathing to reduce stress and turning in bed safely.

Participants will take part in 3 data collection sessions. The first two, that will be about 4-6 days apart, are identical. During these two data sessions, the participants will begin by completing a pre-app survey, then completing 2 app modules, and finish by completing a post-app survey. About 26-30 days after the second study visit, participants will be asked to complete a survey.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Mobility Impairments; Walking Aid Users
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: Walking Aid Skills App; Device: Attentional Control

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 15
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Canada
  • Alberta
    • Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T2N 4N1
      • University of Calgary Foothills

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

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

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Between the ages of 6 and 99
• Currently using a walker, crutch(es), or cane(s) ≥ 5 days/week, OR will be expecting to use such a walking aid for ≥ 7 days in a row (for those undergoing planned surgery)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Self-identify as being unable to comfortably communicate in English
• Self-identify as having a significant visual impairment that would affect their ability to use an app that involves watching videos
• Self-identify as using a wheelchair, walking poles, or a knee scooter for ≥ 75% of the time for mobility

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Intervention Group; Participants will use a video feedback-based app to learn how to correctly fit and walk with their usual gait aid.	Device: Walking Aid Skills App; Participants will use a video feedback-based app to learn how to correctly fit and walk with their usual gait aid.
Sham Comparator: Control Group; Participants will use an attentional control app (same interface as the interventional app) to learn how to breathe deeply to reduce stress and how to turn in bed safely from back-to-side.	Device: Attentional Control; Participants will use an attentional control app (same interface as the interventional app) to learn how to breathe deeply to reduce stress and how to turn in bed safely from back-to-side.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale	The ABC is a 16-item self-reported questionnaire. Items involve tasks that may challenge balance. For each item, the individual rates their confidence in performing the task without losing their balance from 0% (not confident) to 100% (completely confident). The total score ranges from 0% (not confident) to 100% (completely confident). Higher scores mean a better outcome.	Will be obtained during data collection for all 3 timepoints (T1: baseline, T2: T1 + 4-6 days, T3: T1 + 26-30 days).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Self-reported confidence in 4 skill domains (walking aid fitting, assisted gait with a walking aid, deep breathing for stress relief, and safely turning in bed)	Participants will rate their confidence in performing each skill using a 5-point Likert scale (5 - very confident, 4 - somewhat confident, 3 - neutral, 2 - somewhat not confident, 1 - not confident). Higher scores mean a better outcome.	At all 3 data collections sessions. (T1: Baseline; T2: Baseline + 4-6 days, T3: Baseline + 26-30 days)
Self-reported knowledge in 4 skill domains (walking aid fitting, assisted gait with a walking aid, deep breathing for stress relief, and safely turning in bed)	Each question will ask the participant to rate their knowledge of each skill using a 5-point Likert scale (5 - extremely knowledgeable, 4 - somewhat knowledgeable, 3 - neither knowledgeable nor unknowledgeable, 2 - somewhat lacking in knowledge, 1 - extremely lacking in knowledge). A higher score means a better outcome.	At all 3 data collections sessions. (T1: Baseline; T2: Baseline + 4-6 days, T3: Baseline + 26-30 days)
Self-reported comfort with 4 skill domains (walking aid fitting, assisted gait with a walking aid, deep breathing for stress relief, and safely turning in bed)	Each question will ask the participant to rate their comfort with performing each skill using a 5-point Likert scale (5 - extremely comfortable, 4 - somewhat comfortable, 3 - neither comfortable nor uncomfortable, 2 - somewhat uncomfortable, 1 - extremely uncomfortable). A higher score means a better outcome.	At all 3 data collections sessions. (T1: Baseline; T2: Baseline + 4-6 days, T3: Baseline + 26-30 days)
Objective knowledge: Multiple-choice knowledge test	The participant will answer a series of 4 multiple-choice questions regarding how to safely fit their walking aid and how to safely turn in bed. There is only one correct answer for each question.	At all 3 data collection sessions. (T1: Baseline; T2: Baseline + 4-6 days, T3: Baseline + 26-30 days)
Upper limb pain: Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS)	The participant will report their average upper limb pain intensity over the past 7 days on a scale from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain imaginable). A lower score means a better outcome.	At all data collection sessions. (T1: Baseline; T2: Baseline + 4-6 days; T3: Baseline + 26-30 days)
Lower limb pain: Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS)	The participant will rate their average lower limb pain intensity over the past 7 days on a scale of 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain imaginable). A lower score means a better outcome.	At all data collection sessions. (T1: Baseline; T2: Baseline + 4-6 days; T3: Baseline + 26-30 days)
Description of Skin Issues	The participant will provide a qualitative description of any skin issues they have experienced within the past 7 days using an empty text box. The researcher will review the qualitative information to determine whether the issue could be a potential complication from using a walking aid based on the description and location of the skin problem reported.	At all 3 data collection periods. (T1: Baseline, T2: Baseline + 4-6 days, T3: Baseline + 26-30 days)
Number of Falls	The participant will report the number of falls they have experienced over the last 7 days. A fall will be defined for the participant as "an unexpected event in which the participant comes to rest on the ground, floor, or lower level" [as per Lamb SE, Jorstad-Stein EC, Hauer K, Becker C. Development of a Common Outcome Data Set for Fall Injury Prevention Trials: The Prevention of Falls Network Europe Consensus. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2005;53:1618-22.]	At all 3 data collection periods. (T1: Baseline, T2: Baseline + 4-6 days, T3: Baseline + 26-30 days)
System Usability Scale (SUS)	The SUS is a 10-item questionnaire where users are asked to answer each usability item on the scale using a 5-item Likert Scale (5 - strongly agree, 4 - somewhat agree, 3 - neither agree nor disagree, 2 - somewhat disagree, 1 - strongly disagree). The total score ranges from 0 (lowest possible/worst usability) to 100 (highest possible/best usability).	During data collection periods involving app use (T1: Baseline; T2: T1 + 4-6 days).

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Calgary

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): December 12, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): July 29, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): July 29, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 6, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 19, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): February 25, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): February 25, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 19, 2026
• Last Verified: February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: learning; mobile application; teaching; cane; walking aid; walker; crutch
• Other Study ID Numbers: REB24-1450

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No