Attentional Focus Training on Visuomotor Control in Older Adults
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Attentional focus, Control.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Gait, Attention, Older Adults. Basic parameters: from 65 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Center list to be confirmed — check the primary protocol.
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
Unsure about the terms? Read our patient guide →
Overview
This study will be a pilot randomized controlled trial, to investigate the effectiveness of an external focus training on visuomotor performance while comparing with an active control group.
Detailed description
All eligible participants will be randomly divided into two groups: external focus gait training group (EXT) and active control group (CON). All participants will complete two assessment sessions: at baseline (T0) and immediately following the completion of all training sessions (T1). A total of twelve training sessions (about 45 minutes per session), held twice a week for six weeks, would be provided to participants in both training groups.
Interventions
- Behavioral Attentional focus
Every training session will include the following activities for both groups: a 5-minute warm-up; a 30-minute walking training; and a 5-minute cool-down. The walking training will be conducted within a level-ground walking field. Participants will be instructed to look at and step on specific markers/labels that will be attached along the walking paths. - Behavioral Control
Every training session will include the following activities for both groups: a 5-minute warm-up; a 30-minute walking training; and a 5-minute cool-down. The walking training will be conducted within a level-ground walking field. No markers/labels will be attached and no relevant instructions will be provided apart from the general instruction.
Primary outcome measures
- Gait stability - variability of stride time [Time frame: baseline (pre-intervention), immediately after intervention (post-intervention)]
- Gait stability - variability of stride length [Time frame: baseline (pre-intervention), immediately after intervention (post-intervention)]
- Gait stability - variability of step width [Time frame: baseline (pre-intervention), immediately after intervention (post-intervention)]
- Visual search behaviours - location of fixation [Time frame: baseline (pre-intervention), immediately after intervention (post-intervention)]
- Visual search behaviours - the number of fixation [Time frame: baseline (pre-intervention), immediately after intervention (post-intervention)]
- Visual search behaviours - fixation duration [Time frame: baseline (pre-intervention), immediately after intervention (post-intervention)]
Secondary outcome measures (5)
- Functional balance and gait [Time frame: baseline (pre-intervention), immediately after intervention (post-intervention)]
- Falls efficacy [Time frame: baseline (pre-intervention), immediately after intervention (post-intervention)]
- Conscious movement processing [Time frame: baseline (pre-intervention), immediately after intervention (post-intervention)]
- Functional balance [Time frame: baseline (pre-intervention), immediately after intervention (post-intervention)]
- Functional mobility [Time frame: baseline (pre-intervention), immediately after intervention (post-intervention)]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- aged 65 or above
- able to walk independently indoor for at least 40 metres
- static visual acuity score 20/40 or above
- scoring 22/30 or above in the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Hong Kong version
- without any history of untreated major neurological, vestibular or musculoskeletal deficits (e.g., stroke or Parkinson's disease)
- without any unstable medical condition that can compromise safety during the experiment
- scoring less than 24/28 in the Tinetti Balance Assessment Tool or scoring 50/56 or below in the Berg Balance Scale
Exclusion criteria
- none
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: Yes
Study design
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Model
- Parallel assignment
- Masking
- Single blind
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
Study locations
Center list to be confirmed — check the primary protocol.
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07085364 · HSEARS20250107004