Falls among people with stroke Circulatory System
Conditions
Interventions
Participants will be randomized to one of two training groups: perturbation training (experimental group) or 'traditional' balance training (control group). Interventions will be administered on a 1:1
'agility' tasks, such as kicking a soccer ball, can be used to induce internal perturbations. Previous studies employing manual perturbations and 'agility' tasks have found positive training effects o
Sponsors
Toronto Rehabilitation Institute (Canada)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: Current participant inclusion criteria (as of 14/02/2018): 1. Community-dwelling individuals with chronic stroke (>6 months post-stroke) 2. Can stand independently without upper limb support for >30 seconds 3. Can tolerate at least 10 postural perturbations while wearing a safety harness Previous participant inclusion criteria: 1. Community-dwelling individuals with chronic stroke (>6 months post-stroke) 2. 50 years old or older 3. Can stand independently without upper limb support for >30 seconds 4. Can tolerate at least 10 postural perturbations while wearing a safety harness
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: 1. >2.1 m tall and/or weighing >150 kg (limits of the safety harness system) 2. Other neurological condition that could affect balance control (e.g., Parkinson?s disease) 3. Lower extremity amputation 4. Cognitive, language or communication impairments affecting understanding instructions 5. Recent (last 6 months) significant illness, injury or surgery 6. Severe osteoporosis, defined by diagnosis of osteoporosis with fracture 7. Poorly controlled diabetes or hypertension 8. Contraindications to physical exercise, as identified using the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire 9. Currently attending in- or out-patient physiotherapy or other exercise targeting balance and mobility 10. Received perturbation training at Toronto Rehab <1 year previously
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Number of falls experienced in daily life for up to 12 months following the intervention | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| 1. Fear of falling will be measured with the Activity-specific Balance Confidence scale at four time points: 1) prior to the start of the exercise program; 2) immediately at the end of the exercise program; 3) 6 months after the end of the exercise program; and 4) 12 months after the end of the exercise program. 2. Participation in daily activities will be measured immediately before the start of the exercise program, and every 2 months following completion of the exercise program until the end of the 12-month falls monitoring period, using the Physical Activity Scale for Individuals with Physical Disabilities, and the Subjective Index of Physical and Social Outcome 3. Functional balance and mobility will be measured with the Berg balance scale, the mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test, and the Timed-up and Go at four time points: 1) prior to the start of the exercise program; 2) immediately at the end of the exercise program; 3) 6 months after the end of the exercise program; and 4) 12 months after the end of the exercise program. | — |
Countries
Canada
Outcome results
None listed