ageing and falls risk falls imbalance
Conditions
Interventions
None listed
Sponsors
Universiteit Maastricht
Eligibility
Age
18 Years to 99 Years
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: Young healthy adults: • Between 20 and 30 years old • No known musculoskeletal disease, condition or injury that could negatively affect walking or balance ability • No history of balance problems, dizziness or walking difficulties • No participation in elite level competitive sports • Must be able to walk at a comfortable speed for 30 minutes without stopping • Informed consent given Older healthy adults: • Between 65 and 80 years old • No known musculoskeletal disease, condition or injury that could negatively affect walking or balance ability • No history of balance problems, dizziness or walking difficulties • Must be able to walk at a comfortable speed for 30 minutes without stopping • Informed consent given
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: • Not being able or willing to undergo the CAREN measurements following briefing and/or familiarization with the system and protocol • Incapacitated patients • Not being able to stop medication against anxiety or depression, if taken (after consulting their general practitioner) • Not wanting to be informed about any incidental findings (e.g. potential vestibulopathy detected in healthy subjects) • Is, or in the course of the study becomes, pregnant
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| The reactive adaptation potential measured during the locomotor plasticity assessment protocol with the CAREN will be the main parameter of the study. This will be calculated as the magnitude of change in the margin of stability at touchdown of the first step after the perturbation before and after repetition of the perturbation. | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| • Margins of stability, step width, length and cadence at touchdown of the first and following recovery steps after each perturbation • Various characteristics (e.g. local divergent exponent) of unperturbed walking at various speeds • For the young subject group: difference at each step and perturbation after 1 month (calculated as a percentage) in order to calculate locomotor retention • For the older group: falls incidence, type and cause of falls, and fear of falling from questionnaire data | — |
Countries
Netherlands
Outcome results
None listed