Sensory Interaction and Balance Control During Standing and Walking in Healthy Young and Older Adults

Launched by HASSELT UNIVERSITY · Oct 4, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is looking at how young and older adults use their senses to maintain balance while standing and walking. Researchers want to create a new test called the UHasselt Locomotor Sensory Integration Test (UHLSINT) to better understand how different sensory inputs—like what we see and feel—help us stay steady on our feet. The study will compare how well young adults (ages 18 to 35) and older adults (65 and older) balance under different situations, like when they experience sudden movements or distractions.

To participate, young adults need to be healthy and free from any sensory or balance-related conditions, while older adults must be 65 or older and have not fallen in the past year. The study will take place using advanced motion capture technology that tracks movement on a special treadmill. Participants can expect to take part in several trials that test their balance and sensory reactions in various scenarios. It's important to note that those with certain health conditions or recent injuries may not be eligible for the study.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Young adults who: a) aged between 18 to 35 years old and, b) have never been diagnosed with somatosensory, visual, and vestibular deficits as reported by the participants, will be invited to participate. Community-dwelling older adults who: a) are 65 years old and over and, b) have not fallen in the last 12 months will also be invited to participate.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • having had serious lower extremity injuries or operations in the past year,
• • having any neurological (stroke, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, etc.), sensory (i.e. peripheral neuropathy, diminished sense of pain, etc.) or motor disorder that can interfere with the results of the study
• • Diagnosed vascular, respiratory, cardiac, orthopedic, or other disorders that affect the subject's ability to exercise safely,
• • Medication affecting exercise tolerance. Additionally, based on the CAREN High-End Systems contraindications and risk factors the following exclusion criteria will be applied to the participants: a) a body weight higher than the 135 kg, b) an inability to properly adjust the harness to the respective body part due to pregnancy, colostomy bags, skin lesions that cannot be protected appropriately and any other reason that prevents a proper, pain-free adjustment of the harness.