Virtual Tai ji Quan Exercise to Prevent Falls in Older Adults

Oregon Research Institute

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Accidental Fall

Treatments: Behavioral: Virtual multimodal exercise intervention (V-Multimodal); Behavioral: Virtual tai ji quan: moving for better balance intervention (V-TJQMBB)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05822466

R01AG081206

Details and patient eligibility

About

To examine two different exercise programs in reducing incidence of falls among community-dwelling older adults

Full description

This is a randomized controlled trial aimed at determining the effectiveness of a virtual and home-based tai ji quan intervention vs. a virtual and home-based multimodal exercise intervention in reducing incidence of falls among community-dwelling older adults at high risk of falling

Enrollment: 620 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 65 to 90 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• age between 65 and 90 years and
• having had 1 or more falls in the preceding 12 months or having a score ≥12 seconds on the Timed Up&Go (TUG) test.

Exclusion criteria

• showing a diagnosis of dementia or significant cognitive impairment, as indicated by a score of <24 on the Mini Mental State Evaluation (MMSE, range: 0-30);
• being unable to ambulate independently for household distances; (c) having no medical clearance;
• having participated in any regular and structured tai ji quan-based or multicomponent exercise programs (≥2 times weekly) in the preceding 6 months;
• having any physical condition that would preclude participation in moderate-intensity exercise; and
• being unwilling to commit to the duration of the intervention or accept group assignment.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

---

620 participants in 2 patient groups

Virtual tai ji quan

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants participating are intervened with practice and drills of tai ji quan forms and associated movements. Training focuses on lower-extremity strength, postural control, and mobility, with an emphasis on weight bearing and weight shifting, extending and controlling the body's center of mass over its base of support; self-induced movement perturbation; gait preparation, initiation, locomotion, and termination; and sensory integration. The exercise training also emphasizes connecting tai ji quan forms to transitional movements that are associated with performing daily activities. Each session includes brief movement-based warm-ups and light breathing cool-down exercises.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Virtual tai ji quan: moving for better balance intervention (V-TJQMBB)

Virtual multimodal exercise

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants participating are intervened with a multicomponent exercise program that involves light walking, strength, postural control, and flexibility exercises. Walking exercises include amble forward and backward walk, long strides, heel-toe walking, narrow- and wide-base walking, and sidestepping. Strength training includes single- and multi-joint exercises such as semi-squats, lunging forward and sideways, and toe stands that involve exercising ankle dorsiflexors, knee extensors, and hip abductors. Balance training involves semi-tandem foot-standing, heel-toe and line walking, single-leg standing, alternation of the base of support, weight transfers, toe and heel movements, and various reaching and stretching movements away from the center of the base of support. Flexibility exercises include a static stretching routine of major upper and lower body muscle groups. Each session includes brief movement-based warm-ups and light breathing cool-down exercises.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Virtual multimodal exercise intervention (V-Multimodal)