Elderly, Oculomotor System, Proprioception, Postural Balance
Conditions
Brief summary
Age is one of the primary risk factors for falls, with risk increasing as people get older. Research on fall risk and prevention has identified hundreds of contributing factors, showing that falls have complex and multifactorial causes. Risk factors can be categorized as environmental, extrinsic, or intrinsic. Intrinsic factors include physiological aspects-such as reduced lower-limb strength, impaired gait and balance, weaker grip strength, diminished sensory function, and poorer sensorimotor control-as well as psychological aspects, including fear of falling, depression, and cognitive decline. Strongly associated intrinsic risk factors include a history of falls, physical weakness, gait and balance disorders, certain medications, and dizziness. While fixed factors like age and fall history cannot be changed, identifying and targeting modifiable risk factors is crucial for prevention. Among these, gait and balance impairments are considered the most important modifiable intrinsic factors.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALCombining neck muscle strengthening with oculomotor saccade tasks.
he exercise program begins at 30% of 1RM, progressing by first increasing repetitions (8-10 up to 8-12) and then intensity (+5% of 1RM). Training sessions include a 5-minute warm-up, 20 minutes of exercise, and a 5-minute cool-down, performed twice per week for 30 minutes per session. Neck strengthening is performed using the Iron Neck, which provides constant resistance. Exercises include maintaining a neutral neck position, protraction-retraction, left-right rotation, dynamic figure-8 movements, and synchronized 360° head-body rotations. Each exercise consists of two sets of 8-12 repetitions, with 30 seconds rest between repetitions and 1 minute between sets. After neck training, participants in the intervention group perform oculomotor saccade tasks while maintaining a neutral head position. Five visual targets appear randomly in front of the participant for 1 second each. The task lasts 40 seconds, followed by 1-2 minutes of rest, and is repeated three times.
BEHAVIORALNeck Strengthening Only
he exercise program begins at 30% of 1RM, progressing by first increasing repetitions (8-10 up to 8-12) and then intensity (+5% of 1RM). Training sessions include a 5-minute warm-up, 20 minutes of exercise, and a 5-minute cool-down, performed twice per week for 30 minutes per session. Neck strengthening is performed using the Iron Neck, which provides constant resistance. Exercises include maintaining a neutral neck position, protraction-retraction, left-right rotation, dynamic figure-8 movements, and synchronized 360° head-body rotations. Each exercise consists of two sets of 8-12 repetitions, with 30 seconds rest between repetitions and 1 minute between sets.
Sponsors
Kaohsiung Medical University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
65 Years to 85 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Adults aged 65 to 85 years. Able to independently perform mobility necessary for activities of daily living. No major medical conditions that significantly affect functional capacity.
Exclusion criteria
* Presence of central nervous system disorders (e.g., stroke). Severe musculoskeletal or visual injury of the lower limbs within the past three months that prevents participation in assessments. Cognitive impairment. Current use of antidepressant medications.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Neck range of motion | Assessments will be conducted at baseline, and at three, six, and twelve months post-intervention. | — |
| Neck proprioception | Assessments will be conducted at baseline, and at three, six, and twelve months post-intervention. | Laser Joint Position Error Test |
| Neck position | Assessments will be conducted at baseline, and at three, six, and twelve months post-intervention. | Measurement Method: Craniovertebral Angle |
| Neck muscle | Assessments will be conducted at baseline, and at three, six, and twelve months post-intervention. | craniocervical flexion test, CCFT |
| Center of Pressure | Assessments will be conducted at baseline, and at three, six, and twelve months post-intervention. | force plate |
| Oculomotor | Assessments will be conducted at baseline, and at three, six, and twelve months post-intervention. | tobii eye tracker 5 :Latency and Accuracy |
| Dynamic balance | Assessments will be conducted at baseline, and at three, six, and twelve months post-intervention. | y-balance |
| L/E Muscle strength | Assessments will be conducted at baseline, and at three, six, and twelve months post-intervention. | MicroFET2 MMT |
| Ankle proprioception | Assessments will be conducted at baseline, and at three, six, and twelve months post-intervention. | Joint Position Reproduction Test Kinesthesia |
| The Falls Efficacy Scale International | Assessments will be conducted at baseline, and at three, six, and twelve months post-intervention. | The scale scores range from 16 to 64, with higher scores indicating greater severity |
Countries
Taiwan
Outcome results
None listed