Workplace Fall Prevention Through Slip Recovery Training

Accidental Fall Clinical Trial

Official title:

Workplace Fall Prevention Through Slip Recovery Training

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT05740124
• Other study ID #: 22-853
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: June 1, 2023
• Est. completion date: December 1, 2024

Study information

• Verified date: June 2023
• Source: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
• Contact: Michael L Madigan, PhD
• Phone: (540) 231-3543
• Email: mlm[@]vt.edu
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the feasibility of applying slip recovery training, a novel balance training exercise intervention, to workers who are at increased risk of slip-induced falls. This will be done via field studies with industrial partners.

The main specific aims are are:

• To investigate the feasibility of on-site slip recovery training

• To validate field assessments for evaluating slip recovery training efficacy in subsequent research

Participants will complete 3-6 once-weekly sessions of slip recovery training, answer daily text messages indicating any falls they experience while working over the 12 weeks after completing slip recovery training, and a subset of workers will be asked to participate in focus group discussions after the 12 weeks to provide information on the long-term feasibility of slip recovery training. A group of workers at Virginia Tech will also be asked to complete a laboratory session of testing during which they will be exposed to a laboratory-induced slip so that gold-standard measures of slip-induced fall recovery can be used to validate field assessments.

Workers who complete slip recovery training will be compared to another group of workers who complete an alternative balance training that should improve balance but not improve slip recovery that is targeted by slip recovery training.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Recruiting
• Enrollment: 80
• Est. completion date: December 1, 2024
• Est. primary completion date: September 1, 2024
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years to 65 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Virginia Tech workers in Dining Services, Facilities and Housekeeping, and construction.

• Veolia field workers in water distribution and water main construction

• age 18-65 years old

• willing to complete 3 or 6 training sessions, lab testing session, and daily falls tracking for 12 weeks

Exclusion Criteria:

• weigh over 250 pounds

• answer 'no' to all questions of the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Accidental Fall

Intervention

Behavioral:
• slip recovery training
Participants practice volitional and reactive stepping responses that mimic those needed when recovering balance after slipping.
• alternative balance training
Participants practice standing and walking under varied sensory conditions.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	Virginia Tech	Blacksburg	Virginia

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	evaluation of recruitment methods	number of prospective participants who contact the investigators with interest in participating	2 years
Primary	evaluation of screening methods	percentage of prospective participants who are deemed a poor fit for the study based upon not passing the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire.	2 years
Primary	worker adherence to slip recovery training	average number of slip recovery training sessions completed across all participants assigned to slip recovery training	during 3 or 6 weeks of balance training
Primary	worker adherence to alternative balance training	average number of alternative balance training sessions completed across all participants assigned to alternative balance training	during 3 or 6 weeks of balance training
Primary	worker retention during 12 weeks of falls tracking	average number of weeks participants responded to text messages from investigators regarding slips and falls	during the12 weeks after completing the training intervention
Primary	lab-induced slip outcome (fall or recovery)	a binary measure determined based on the force applied to the safety harness worn by all participants when exposed to a laboratory-induced slip	during the laboratory testing session that will take place within one week of completing training intervention
Primary	lab-induced slip distance	the distance the slipping foot slides when exposed to a laboratory-induced slip	during the laboratory testing session that will take place within one week of completing training intervention
Primary	lab-induced slip peak slip speed	the peak speed of the slipping foot during slip when exposed to a laboratory-induced slip	during the laboratory testing session that will take place within one week of completing training intervention
Primary	efficacy of field assessments of balance	Pearson product correlation coefficient between field assessment of slip distance and lab-induced slip distance	during the field session one week after completing the training intervention
Secondary	field assessment of slip distance	the distance the slipping foot slides when exposed to a slip induced in the field	one week after intervention
Secondary	field assessment of slip distance	the distance the slipping foot slides when exposed to a slip induced in the field	12 weeks after intervention
Secondary	field assessment of peak slip speed	the maximum slipping speed of the foot during recovery from an induced slip	one week after intervention
Secondary	field assessment of peak slip speed	the maximum slipping speed of the foot during recovery from an induced slip	12 weeks after intervention
Secondary	postural sway during quiet standing	mean center of pressure speed	one week after intervention
Secondary	postural sway during quiet standing	mean center of pressure speed	12 weeks after intervention
Secondary	dynamic balance performance	maximum number of consecutive backward toe-to-heel steps completed while walking three times along a 3cm-wide, 3m-long beam on the floor without touching the ground	one week after intervention
Secondary	dynamic balance performance	maximum number of consecutive backward toe-to-heel steps completed while walking three times along a 3cm-wide, 3m-long beam on the floor without touching the ground	12 weeks after intervention
Secondary	number of falls while working during 12-week follow up	determined using a daily text message questionnaire	during the 12 week follow up after intervention
Secondary	number of near-falls while working during 12-week follow up	determined using a daily text message questionnaire	during the 12 week follow up after intervention