None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Motor imagery is an imagining of an action without its physical execution; it is a dynamic state during which the representation of a given motor act is internally rehearsed or imagined within working memory without any overt muscle activation. Motor imagery activates brain regions that are activated during actual task performance and motor imagery training has been found to improve task performance. Motor imagery has been found to improve static balance in the elderly but its effect on dynamic balance or functional performance in older adults is unknown. The aim of this study is to determine whether imagining certain movements repeatedly promotes improvements in mobility. It is hypothesised that motor imagery will improve mobility but a point of diminishing gains will occur after multiple repetitions.
Interventions
Arm 1:
Kinesthetic motor imagery
Participants will be instructed to imagine themselves performing a previoulsy performed mobility task. The mobility task involves getting out of a chair, walking 10m, stepping over a step, going through a series of markers that require small changes of direction, then turning around 90 degrees, returning through markers, over step, walk a further 10m and return to sitting. This task includes a number of mobility related components essential for safe ambulation in
Arm 1: Kinesthetic motor imagery Participants will be instructed to imagine themselves performing a previoulsy performed mobility task. The mobility task involves getting out of a chair, walking 10m, stepping over a step, going through a series of markers that require small changes of direction, then turning around 90 degrees, returning through markers, over step, walk a further 10m and return to sitting. This task includes a number of mobility related components essential for safe ambulation in older adults. Participants will perform 20 imagined repetitions of a the mobility task over a period of 20 minutes with a 30second rest between each repetition. All repetitions will be completed within a single session. Motor imagery training will be supervised by a physiotherapist with over 10 years experience Arm 2: Physical practice Participants will be instructed to physically perform the combined mobility task. The mobility task involves getting out of a chair, walking 10m, stepping over a step, going through a series of markers that require small changes of direction, then turning around 90 degrees, returning through markers, over step, walk a further 10m and return to sitting. This task includes a number of mobility related components essential for safe ambulation in older adults. Participants will perform 20 repetitions of the mobility task over a period of approximately 20minutes, with 30 seconds rest between repetitions. All repetitions will be completed within a single session. The physical practice will be supervised by a physiotherapist with over 10 years experience
Sponsors
Vaughan Nicholson
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Blinded (masking used) (Investigator)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
65 Years to 85 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
independently mobile can commit to the study time frames
Exclusion criteria
any falls in the past 12 months require a walking aid for indoor mobility acute or terminal illness unstable cardiovascular and/or respiratory disorder neurological disease joint replacement in the past six months.
Outcome results
None listed