The Effect of Feldenkrais Lessons on Walking and Balance

Exercise Clinical Trial

Official title:

The Effect of Feldenkrais Lessons on Walking and Balance

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Active, not recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT00222287
• Other study ID #: HREC No. 040730
• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Phase: Phase 1
• First received: September 13, 2005
• Last updated: September 21, 2006
• Start date: September 2004
• Est. completion date: December 2005

Study information

• Verified date: September 2006
• Source: University of Melbourne
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: Australia: Human Research Ethics Committee
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of a series of Feldenkrais movement lessons on mobility and balance, particularly for older adults. The investigators hypothesise that mobility and balance will improve following the classes.

Description:

The Feldenkrais Method is an educational process which involves exploration of novel movement sequences that lead to expansion of the movement repertoire. This Method has been used with the aim of improving balance and mobility in several studies, and has been compared to the benefits of Tai Chi for improving balance in older adults. The current study investigates the effects of a 10 week series of Feldenkrais movement classes on gait parameters as measured on an instrumented gait mat, a balance test of stepping and turning (the Four Square Step Test) and a questionnaire about balance confidence (the Activites Specific Balance Confidence scale.

Other known NCT identifiers

• NCT00222313

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Enrollment: 60
• Est. completion date: December 2005
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: Both
• Age group: 65 Years to 90 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• community dwelling older adults (aged over 65)

• able to independently ambulate indoors and outdoors

Exclusion Criteria:

• currently undergoing physiotherapy treatment

• unable to comprehend written english

• unable to give informed consent

• walking with a walking frame indoors

Study Design

Allocation: Non-Randomized, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Single Blind, Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Accidental Falls
• Exercise

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Feldenkrais Movement class

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Australia	University of Melbourne	Melbourne	Victoria

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University of Melbourne

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Australia, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Balance Confidence (as measured by ABC scale)
Primary	Tempo-spatial parameters of gait
Primary	Time to complete Four Square Step Test

External Links

•   Link