Community-based Tai Chi, Balance, and Fall Risk

Fall Clinical Trial

Official title:

Effects of a Community-based Tai Chi Program on Balance, Functional Outcomes, and Sensorimotor Function in Older Adults

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT04173936
• Other study ID #: 1373542-1
• Status: Completed
• Start date: January 11, 2014
• Est. completion date: June 15, 2017

Study information

• Verified date: November 2019
• Source: University of North Carolina at Asheville
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Observational

Clinical Trial Summary

Aims: Examine the effects of a community Tai Chi program on measures of balance and sensorimotor function.

Methods: In a pre-test and post-test design, balance was measured in older adults (N=344; 73.4±7.4 years) with 30-second chair stand, timed-up and go, and 4-stage balance test following a 12-week community-based tai chi intervention. Balance measures and additional sensorimotor measures, including hip abductor electromechanical delay and hip proprioception, were measured in a smaller sample of older adults (n=11; 67.3±3.7 years).

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 405
• Est. completion date: June 15, 2017
• Est. primary completion date: June 15, 2017
• Gender: All
• Age group: 60 Years to 95 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• age 60 years or older

• ability to independently ambulate

• self-described concern with stability and/or mobility.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Neurological diagnosis

• Participants body weight exceeds >450 pounds).

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Fall
• Postural Balance
• Proprioceptive Disorders
• Somatosensory Disorders

Intervention

Behavioral:
• tai chi
12-week community-based tai chi program

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	UNC Asheville	Asheville	North Carolina

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University of North Carolina at Asheville

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	30-second chair number	The number of times a person can stand up and sit down from a chair in 30 seconds	12 weeks
Primary	Timed Up and Go	The time (in seconds) for a person to stand from a chair, walk 10 feet, turn 180 degrees and return to sit in the chair	12 weeks
Primary	4 stage balance test	How long (in seconds) can a person stand with feet together, stand with one foot forward and to the side, stand in tandem (one foot immediately in front of the other, and stand on one foot	12 weeks
Primary	Hip abductor muscle contraction time	Hip abductor muscle contraction speed as measured as the time (in milliseconds) between the onset of electromyography signal and torque onset from hip muscle abduction	12 weeks
Primary	Brief-Balance Evaluation System Test	The bBESTest is an 8-item, clinically-based assessment measuring anticipatory postural adjustments, compensatory postural responses, sensory orientation, stability in gait, and the timed up-and-go test.	12 weeks
Primary	Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC) scale	the ABC scale assesses self-reported confidence during 16 activities related to mobility.	12 weeks
Primary	Hip joint proprioception error	The magnitude of proprioception error was measured on the participant's dominant lower extremity with a custom-built device25,51 that allows for rotation around the axis of a semi-goniometer to measure proprioception in the transverse plane at the hip joint. Proprioception was assessed by measuring the accuracy of actively pointing a marked line on the second toe to target angles along the semi-goniometer during two conditions, a vision condition and an occluded vision condition.	12 weeks