Effects of Lower Limb Positive Pressure on the Balance of Community-dwelling Older Adults

Riphah International University

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Old Age; Fall

Treatments: Other: Normal treadmill; Other: Anti-gravity treadmill with without lower limb positive pressure; Other: Anti-gravity treadmill with lower limb positive pressure

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04636645

Riphah/RCRS/REC/0011961

Details and patient eligibility

About

With the onset of the sixth decade in life, degenerative processes affect the neuromuscular system in terms of losses in muscle strength (dynapenia) and muscle mass (sarcopenia). Neural (e.g., numerical loss of alpha motoneurons) and morphological factors. Borde et al. 123 number and size of particularly type-II muscle fibers), as well as their interaction, are responsible for age-related declines in muscle strength and mass. There is evidence that muscular weakness is highly associated with impaired mobility and an increased risk for falls. Moreover, lower extremity muscle weakness was identified as the dominant intrinsic fall-risk factor with a five-fold increase in the risk of falling. An anti-gravity treadmill allows users to walk or run in a reduced body weight environment. The user walks or runs on a treadmill belt surrounded by an enclosed, air-filled chamber. When air pressure increases, an upward force offloads the weight of the runner and decreases the percentage of body weight (BW%) experienced upon foot impact. So, a research question was developed in our mind after the literature review. Is there any effect of AGT training on fall risk of older adults?

Enrollment: 90 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 55+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1. Community-dwelling adults aged 55 years and above.
2. Berg balance score should be from 46 to 54.
3. Able to follow instructions in Urdu.
4. No neurological conditions, and no musculoskeletal injuries within the past year.
5. Both male and female.

Exclusion criteria

1. Pain with ambulation or dizziness when standing or walking.
2. Contraindications to treadmill walking and LBPP such as cardiovascular conditions.
3. Severe osteoporosis, fractures, when loading of the abdominal region, hip or pelvis is contraindicated (such as groin infections, skin graft in the groin region, gastrointestinal tubes, colostomy, compromised skin integrity), orthopedic conditions in the past year or neurological conditions.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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90 participants in 3 patient groups

Normal Treadmill

Active Comparator group

Description:

After completion of the baseline evaluation, Group A participants will exercise for 25 minutes under low-load walking conditions three times a week for 8 consecutive weeks on the AGT treadmill at a set speed of 3.1 mph at a 0-degree incline. For each session, 20% support will be given to participants

Treatment:

Other: Normal treadmill

Anti-gravity treadmill with lower limb positive pressure

Experimental group

Description:

Group B participants will be exercised for 25 minutes under normal-load walking conditions three times a week for 8 consecutive weeks on the AGT treadmill at a set speed of 3.1 mph at a 0-degree incline. Participants will be blinded to the study groups.

Treatment:

Other: Anti-gravity treadmill with lower limb positive pressure

Anti-gravity treadmill with without lower limb positive pressure

Experimental group

Description:

Group C participants will be exercised for 25 minutes three times a week for 8 consecutive weeks on the normal treadmill at a set speed of 3.1 mph at a 0-degree incline. Participants will be blinded to the study groups.

Treatment:

Other: Anti-gravity treadmill with without lower limb positive pressure