Active Versus Passive Sitting, Cognition and Energy

Differences in Muscle Utilization, Tissue Pressure, Cognitive Performance, and Caloric Output Among Active and Passive Sitting Positions.

The study will compare cognitive capacity, muscle utilization patterns, soft tissue seated pressure and caloric output during four seated conditions:

1. passive sitting in a regular chair;
2. passive sitting in an exercise chair;
3. sitting in the exercise chair during active dynamic exercise; and,
4. sitting in the chair during active static exercise.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Electromyography; Pressure Injury of Back
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Chaircise

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 35
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Ethan J Elkins, MS; Phone Number: 3052844173; Email: exe453@miami.edu
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Joseph Signorile J Joseph Signorile, PhD; Phone Number: 3058981458; Email: jsignorile@miami.edu

Study Locations

• United States
  • Florida
    • Coral Gables, Florida, United States, 33146
      • Recruiting
      • Laboratory of Neuromuscular Research and Active Aging
      • Contact: Ethan J Elkins, MS; Phone Number: 3052844173; Email: exe453@miami.edu
      • Contact: Joseph Signorile Joseph Signorile, PhD; Phone Number: 305-898-1458; Email: jsignorile@miami.edu

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

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

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adult (18-70)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Any current injury in the lower limb or trunk.
• Use of prescription drugs or supplements that may affect cardiovascular or neuromuscular responses.
• Reported lack of sleep or stress that may affect physiological responses to exercise.
• Cardiovascular, respiratory, neurologic, balance, metabolic, or musculoskeletal conditions that could increase risk during exercise testing

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

4

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: Passive Comparator: Traditional Chair; Participant will sit in the traditional chair for the amount of time it takes them to read a scientific article.
Placebo Comparator: Passive Comparator: Exercise Chair; Participant will sit in the exercise chair for the amount of time it takes them to read a scientific article.	Behavioral: Chaircise; A chair-based exercise program using a specialized chair with a foot lever that allows participants to lift their body weight.
Experimental: Experimental: Dynamic Leg Exercise in Exercise Chair; Participant will sit in the exercise chair for the amount of time it takes them to read a scientific article while actively pushing down and releasing the foot operated lever as many times as possible.	Behavioral: Chaircise; A chair-based exercise program using a specialized chair with a foot lever that allows participants to lift their body weight.
Experimental: Experimental: Static Leg Exercise in Exercise Chair; Participant will sit in the exercise chair for the amount of time it takes them to read a scientific article while actively pushing down and holding the foot operated lever.	Behavioral: Chaircise; A chair-based exercise program using a specialized chair with a foot lever that allows participants to lift their body weight.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Differences in cognitive performance among chair conditions as measured by the Psychomotor Vigilance Test in number of key depressions	Cognitive performance will be assessed using the 3-minute Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT). During the test, participants will press the space bar as quickly as possible in response to the appearance of a visual stimulus on a computer screen. Performance will be measured as the total number of valid responses recorded during the test. Higher values indicate greater alertness, sustained attention, and reaction speed.	Approximately 3 minutes
Executive function among chair conditions as measured by the Stroop Test using words counted.	Executive function will be assessed using the Stroop Test, a cognitive task requiring participants to respond to color word stimuli. The outcome will be measured by total words counted, reported as the number of words.	Approximately 5 minutes.
Executive function among chair conditions as measured by the Stroop Test using error rate.	Executive function will be assessed using the Stroop Test, a cognitive task requiring participants to respond to color word stimuli. The outcome will be measured by error rate, reported as the percentage of errors.	Approximately 5 minutes.
Muscle activity among chair conditions using electromyography	Muscle activity will be assessed using surface electromyography (EMG). Muscle activation will be quantified as EMG amplitude, measured in microvolts (µV) from EMG recordings. Higher values indicate greater muscle activity.	Approximately 45 minutes
Peak seated tissue pressure among chair conditions using a pressure sensitive mat	Seated tissue pressure will be assessed using a pressure-sensitive mat placed on the seat surface of each chair. Peak pressure will be recorded to quantify the highest pressure exerted at the seating interface during each chair condition, measured in kilopascals. Higher values indicate greater localized pressure on seated tissues.	Approximately 15 minutes
Metabolic cost of sitting among the chair conditions using a portable oxygen consumption unit	Metabolic cost during sitting will be assessed under each chair condition using a portable indirect calorimetry device. Participants will wear a facemask that measures oxygen consumption (VO₂) and carbon dioxide production (VCO₂). These measurements will be used to estimate energy expenditure during the sitting period. Higher values indicate greater metabolic cost.	Approximately 25 minutes

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Miami
• Collaborators: Robot Studios
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Joseph J Signorile, PhD, University of Miami - Coral Gables Campus

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 7, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): September 30, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): September 30, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 7, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 7, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): July 13, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 13, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 7, 2026
• Last Verified: July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: 20260691; FP00021633 (Other Grant/Funding Number: Robot Studios)

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