Clinical Trials Logo

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Not yet recruiting

Administrative data

NCT number NCT03705598
Other study ID # 297908
Secondary ID
Status Not yet recruiting
Phase N/A
First received
Last updated
Start date July 1, 2024
Est. completion date March 31, 2029

Study information

Verified date November 2023
Source University of Massachusetts, Boston
Contact n/a
Is FDA regulated No
Health authority
Study type Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Accumulating evidence supports that more pain, whether measured by number of pain sites or pain severity, is associated with poorer cognitive function and mobility, and fall risk in older persons. Tai Chi which holistically integrates physical and cognitive functions offers the possibility not only of alleviating pain but also improving attention and mobility in the many older adults who have chronic multisite pain. This proposed full-size randomized controlled Tai Chi trial is a direct extension of our previous work examining chronic pain, attention demands, mobility and falls in the older population, and is built on the investigators' National Institute on Aging-supported Tai Chi feasibility and acceptability pilot study among older adults with multisite pain and risk for falls. The goal of this single-blinded randomized controlled trial is to examine the effects of a 24-week Tai Chi intervention on chronic pain, cognition, mobility, fear of falling, and rates of total and injurious falls in older adults with multisite pain and at risk for falls. The results of this study will provide a foundation to establish the clinical significance of Tai Chi in the management of chronic multisite pain and to explore the mechanisms through which Tai Chi improves chronic pain symptoms and lowers rates of total and injurious falls in at-risk older adults.


Description:

The investigators will measure pain severity, pain interference, pain-related biomarkers, cognition, physical function, single-task and dual-task gait, and fear of falling pre- and post-intervention in 200 older adults (Tai Chi: N=100, and exercise control: N=100). The investigators will also measure rates of total and injurious falls in the 12 months during and following the intervention. The primary aims are: 1. to examine the effects of Tai Chi on pain symptoms in older adults with multisite pain. It is hypothesized that older adults in the Tai Chi intervention will have less pain, measured as pain severity and interference, than those in the light physical exercise control group; 2. to examine the effects of Tai Chi on fear of falling and rates of total and injurious falls in older adults with multisite pain. It is hypothesized that older adults in the Tai Chi intervention will have greater improvements in fear of falling scores and fewer total and injurious falls than those in the light exercise control group in the 48 weeks during and after the Tai Chi intervention. The secondary/exploratory aims are: 3. to examine the effects of Tai Chi on pain-related biomarkers in older adults with multisite pain. It is hypothesized that older adults in the Tai Chi intervention will have lower levels of pain-related biomarkers, than those in the light physical exercise control group; 4. to examine the role of improvement in chronic pain in the reduction of fall rates by Tai Chi in older adults with multisite pain. It is hypothesized that the reductions in fall rates are dependent on the improvement in pain symptoms in older adults with chronic multisite pain; 5. to examine the roles of improvements in cognition and mobility in the reduction of fall rates by Tai Chi in older adults with multisite pain. It is hypothesized that the reductions in chronic pain and in fall rates are mediated by the changes in cognition and mobility in older adults with chronic multisite pain.


Recruitment information / eligibility

Status Not yet recruiting
Enrollment 200
Est. completion date March 31, 2029
Est. primary completion date March 31, 2029
Accepts healthy volunteers No
Gender All
Age group 65 Years and older
Eligibility Inclusion Criteria: 1. Aged 65 years and older 2. have chronic multisite (2 or more sites) musculoskeletal pain (lasting 3 or more months in the previous year and present in the previous month) 3. reports at least 1 fall in the previous year or currently using an assistive device to walk (cane or walker) 4. Able to walk 20-feet without personal assistance 5. has never practiced Tai Chi or other mind-body exercise in the previous 5 years 6. able to communicate in English Exclusion Criteria: 1. Actively engaged in moderate to vigorous exercise for more than 40 minutes/ week 2. Have practiced Tai Chi or other mind-body exercise within the past year 3. Practiced Tai Chi or other mind-body exercise for 3 or more months in the past 5 years 4. Physician diagnosis of any condition that might interfere with study participation including the following: unstable cardiac disease, stroke, rheumatoid arthritis, degenerative neuromuscular diseases, Parkinson's disease, terminal disease, or dementing illness

Study Design


Related Conditions & MeSH terms


Intervention

Behavioral:
Light physical exercise
One hour each session, two sessions each week, for 24 weeks. Each session includes 10 minutes of warm up, 30 minutes of normal walking, light intensity resistance exercise and stretching, and 20 minutes of health education discussions, supervised by a certified exercise physiologist and a research assistant.
Tai Chi
One hour each session, two sessions each week, for 24 weeks. Each session includes 10 minutes of warm-up that included joint rotations and balance games, 45 minutes of Tai Chi practice that included Tai Chi walking drills and the 8 forms (with 12-15 minutes of breaks), and 5 minutes of cool down and breathing exercises, supervised by an experienced Tai Chi instructor and a research assistant.

Locations

Country Name City State
n/a

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor Collaborator
University of Massachusetts, Boston

Outcome

Type Measure Description Time frame Safety issue
Primary Pain severity Pain severity will be assessed using the Brief Pain Inventory. 24 weeks
Primary Pain interference Pain interference will be assessed using the Brief Pain Inventory. 24 weeks
Primary Fear of falling Fear of falling will be assessed using the Tinetti Falls Efficacy Scale. 48 weeks
Primary Rate of total falls Rate of total falls will be assessed using monthly falls calendar postcards. 48 weeks
Primary Rate of injurious falls Rate of injurious falls will be assessed using the Abbreviated Injury Scale. 48 weeks
Secondary Inflammatory markers Plasma levels of C-reactive protein, interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor alpha and Nuclear Factor kappa B will be measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. 24 weeks
Secondary Beta endorphin Plasma levels of beta endorphin will be measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. 24 weeks
Secondary Attention Attention will be assessed by using 4 subscales of the Test of Everyday Attention. 24 weeks
Secondary Executive function Executive function will be assessed using the Trailmaking test, which requires the connection of sequentially numbered circles (part A), and the connection of circles marked by numbers and letters in alternating sequence (part B). 24 weeks
Secondary Single-task gait Gait will be assessed using a sensored gait mat that has embedded pressure sensors distributed throughout the mat. The mat measures location and timing of individual steps, which then can be used to calculate spatio-temporal gait parameters including our outcome measures of stride time, stride length, and swing time. 24 weeks
Secondary Dual-task gait Gait will be assessed using a sensored gait mat that has embedded pressure sensors distributed throughout the mat. The mat measures location and timing of individual steps, which then can be used to calculate spatio-temporal gait parameters including our outcome measures of stride time, stride length, and swing time. During the dual task walking, the participants will perform 2 sets of cognitive challenges in random order: serial subtractions 3 and 5 from 100. Dual task performance and number of errors on the serial subtractions will be recorded. Coefficient of variation will be used as a measure of gait variability (SD/mean x 100). The dual task decrement, the difference between single task and dual task gait variability will be measured. 24 weeks
See also
  Status Clinical Trial Phase
Completed NCT01659073 - Using Perfusion MRI to Measure the Dynamic Changes in Neural Activation Associated With Caloric Vestibular Stimulation N/A
Recruiting NCT05914311 - Use of Dermabond in Mitigation of Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) Trial Lead Migration N/A
Recruiting NCT05422456 - The Turkish Version of Functional Disability Inventory
Enrolling by invitation NCT05422443 - The Turkish Version of Pain Coping Questionnaire
Completed NCT05057988 - Virtual Empowered Relief for Chronic Pain N/A
Completed NCT04385030 - Neurostimulation and Mirror Therapy in Traumatic Brachial Plexus Injury N/A
Recruiting NCT06206252 - Can Medical Cannabis Affect Opioid Use?
Completed NCT05103319 - Simultaneous Application of Ketamine and Lidocaine During an Ambulatory Infusion Therapy as a Treatment Option in Refractory Chronic Pain Conditions
Completed NCT03687762 - Back on Track to Healthy Living Study N/A
Completed NCT04171336 - Animal-assisted Therapy for Children and Adolescents With Chronic Pain N/A
Completed NCT03179475 - Targin® for Chronic Pain Management in Patients With Spinal Cord Injury Phase 4
Completed NCT03418129 - Neuromodulatory Treatments for Pain Management in TBI N/A
Completed NCT03268551 - MEMO-Medical Marijuana and Opioids Study
Recruiting NCT06060028 - The Power of Touch. Non-Invasive C-Tactile Stimulation for Chronic Osteoarthritis Pain N/A
Recruiting NCT06204627 - TDCS* and Laterality Trainnning in Patients With Chronic Neck Pain N/A
Completed NCT05496205 - A SAD Study to Evaluate the Safety, Tolerability and PK/PD of iN1011-N17 in Healthy Volunteers Phase 1
Completed NCT00983385 - Evaluation of Effectiveness and Tolerability of Tapentadol Hydrochloride in Subjects With Severe Chronic Low Back Pain Taking Either WHO Step I or Step II Analgesics or no Regular Analgesics Phase 3
Recruiting NCT05118204 - Randomized Trial of Buprenorphine Microdose Inductions During Hospitalization Phase 4
Terminated NCT03538444 - Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Opiate Use Disorder N/A
Not yet recruiting NCT05812703 - Biometrics and Self-reported Health Changes in Adults Receiving Behavioral Treatments for Chronic Pain