Study of Improving Gait Parameters When Using a Cane in "Light Touch" Condition in Elderly People With and Without Walking Difficulties

Public Assistance-Hospitals of Marseille (AP-HM)

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Disorders of Balance

Treatments: Other: postural task; Other: walk task

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02899845

2014-A01381-46 (Other Identifier)

2014-37

Details and patient eligibility

About

This project aims to study the effect of haptic sensory information delivered at the hand using a cane in "light touch" or "light support" condition on postural stability and spatial and temporal gait parameters of elderly subjects with and without walking difficulties

Enrollment: 24 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 75+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• presence of gait disturbance or balance disorders defined by a geriatric assessment and / or a walking speed test

Exclusion criteria

• presence of acute problems or central or peripheral neurological severe sequelae
• occurrence of a recent fracture of the lower limbs or spinal fracture
• cognitive disorders
• presence of comorbidities: blindness, heart or severe respiratory failure, disabling osteoarthritis of the hands or legs, severe malnutrition, muscle atrophy, untreated orthostatic hypotension
• patients using a cane to a mechanical support

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Non-Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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24 participants in 2 patient groups

elderly people with walking difficulties

Experimental group

Description:

subjects with proven gait disturbance and balance will be recruited from a walking speed test and a standardized geriatric assessment by a geriatrician

Treatment:

Other: walk task

Other: postural task

elderly people without walking difficulties

Active Comparator group

Description:

subjects with no gait disturbance and balance disorders will be recruited from a walking speed test and a standardized geriatric assessment, once the subjects with gait disturbance and balance disorders have been recruited in order to make a match on the age criterion

Treatment:

Other: walk task

Other: postural task