Gait, StumblingNCT05890755
Mimicking Slipping Responses Using a Novel Mechanical Perturbation Algorithm
An observational study of Gait, Stumbling and Gait, Perturbation, run by University of Zurich at 1 site in Switzerland.
Trial summary
Healthy subjects will be invited to fill out a questionnaire regarding falls and balance skills followed by normal walking trials on a treadmill at 9 different speeds (0.28-1.4 m/s). Key gait parameters for the normative database will be collected. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 80 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Gait, Stumbling, Gait, Perturbation
- What is being tested?
- Mechanical pertubation
- How many people
- 43 participants
- Where
- 1 siteSwitzerland
- Study dates
- 6 Jun 2023to 6 Dec 2024
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 80 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Study population: Healthy population
Who may be able to join
- Healthy subjects aged 18-40 years and 60-80 years
- Ability to walk at minimum 30 minutes at a regular pace without assistance or breaks
- Written informed consent as documented by signature (see informed consent form)
Who cannot join
- Women who are pregnant or breast feeding
- Current neurological problems affecting walking function and balance
- Current orthopedic problems affecting upper and lower extremity movements
- History of alcohol abuse or the intake of psychotropic drugs
- History of major cardiac condition (e.g., infarction, insufficiency (NYHA II-IV))
- History of major pulmonary condition (e.g., chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (GOLD II-IV))
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- Current major depression or psychosis
- Inability to follow the procedures of the study, e.g. due to language problems, psychological disorders, dementia
- Fever of unknown origin
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Healthy subjects will be invited to fill out a questionnaire regarding falls and balance skills followed by normal walking trials on a treadmill at 9 different speeds (0.28-1.4 m/s). Key gait parameters for the normative database will be collected. During the perturbation trials, the subjects will walk at a constant speed (1.2 m/s). The treadmill belts are ac, - or decelerated during the perturbations according to three different perturbation algorithms with varying perturbation onset. Movements will be analyzed by 3D motion capture, force plates, surface electromyography and IMU sensors. All methods are non-invasive and commonly used in the field of biomechanics.
- Conditions
- Gait, Stumbling, Gait, Perturbation
- Being tested
- Mechanical pertubation
- Medical subject headings
- Gait Disorders, Neurologic
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Mechanical pertubationOther
Acceleration or deacceleration of one treadmill gait belt.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Healthy participants between 18 and 40 years of age | Not described Receives: Other: Mechanical pertubation | |
| Healthy participants between 60 and 80 years of age | Not described Receives: Other: Mechanical pertubation |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Calculation of Margins of Stability (MoS) in anterior-posterior direction at foot contact
Difference between base of support and interpolated center of mass (mm), based on 3D motion capture.
Measured: Once during visit 1
Step length at baseline, before (Pre) and after (Recovery step 1-10) perturbation
Measured: Once during visit 1
Secondary outcomes (12)
Step width at foot contact of baseline, before (Pre) and Recovery steps 1-10
Measured: Once during visit 1
Calculation of Margin of stability medial-lateral direction at foot contact of baseline, before (Pre) and Recovery steps 1-10
Difference between base of support and interpolated center of mass (mm), based on 3D motion capture.
Measured: Once during visit 1
Maximal trunk velocity during gait cycle at of baseline, before (Pre) and Recovery steps 1-10 to detect fast trunk movement to gain balance
Optical markers are placed on the upper body of the subjects and will be used for calculation (distance over time) of the trunk velocity.
Measured: Once during visit 1
3D kinematic gait profiles to analyze detailed movement patterns/strategies
The optical markers are placed according to the Plug-in gait marker set in Vicon Nexus (motion capture system). Hip, knee, ankle and trunk angles are calculated from this marker set.
Measured: Once during visit 1
EMG analysis to detect reaction time and activity patterns of different leg muscles
Measured: Once during visit 1
Questionnaire regarding the incidence of falls in the last six months
Contains questions how often und the reason why the subject falls
Measured: Once during visit 1
Activities specific Balance Confidence scale (ABC scale)
Contains 16 questions rating the balance confidence between 0-100%. 100% means absolutely confident in doing some activity
Measured: Once during visit 1
Questionnaire regarding the perceived intensities of the three perturbation algorithms
Judging the three pertubation algorithms according to their intensity, inconvenience and how realistic the slipping felt. Scale ranges from 0-10, whereas 10 is the most intense
Measured: Once during visit 1
Functional Gait Assessment (FGA) as a clinical balance test
Assess the dynamic stability during different walking tasks. In total, 30 points are possible, at 22 points is the cut off score to classify the fall risk in older adults in predicting falls.
Measured: Once during visit 1
A set of kinematic parameters
Measurement of hip, knee, ankle and spine angles during walking in degrees (°).
Measured: Once during visit 1
A set of kinetic parameters
Ground reaction forces measured by force plates in Newton (N).
Measured: Once during visit 1
A set of spatiotemporal parameters
Stance time, double stance time in seconds (s).
Measured: Once during visit 1
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted6 Jun 2023
- Study start6 Jun 2023
- Primary completion6 Dec 2024
- Study completion6 Dec 2024
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Gait, StumblingStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Enrolment
- 43 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Zurich
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Linard Filli, Dr., Principal investigator, University of Zurich
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05890755
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2023-00213
- Other IDs
- 2023
- Status last verified
- Aug 2025
- First submitted
- 31 Mar 2023
- Last updated
- 28 Aug 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 28 Aug 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Mimicking Slipping Responses Using a Novel Mechanical Perturbation Algorithm
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05890755
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 2023-00213
- Conditions
- Gait, Stumbling, Gait, Perturbation
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 43 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of ZurichUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 6 Jun 2023 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 6 Dec 2024 (actual)
- Study completion
- 6 Dec 2024 (actual)
- First posted
- 6 Jun 2023 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Healthy subjects will be invited to fill out a questionnaire regarding falls and balance skills followed by normal walking trials on a treadmill at 9 different speeds (0.28-1.4 m/s). Key gait parameters for the normative database will be collected. During the perturbation trials, the subjects will walk at a constant speed (1.2 m/s). The treadmill belts are ac, - or decelerated during the perturbations according to three different perturbation algorithms with varying perturbation onset. Movements will be analyzed by 3D motion capture, force plates, surface electromyography and IMU sensors. All methods are non-invasive and commonly used in the field of biomechanics.
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Healthy participants between 18 and 40 years of age | – | Other: Mechanical pertubation |
| Healthy participants between 60 and 80 years of age | – | Other: Mechanical pertubation |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 80 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- Healthy population
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Healthy subjects aged 18-40 years and 60-80 years
- Ability to walk at minimum 30 minutes at a regular pace without assistance or breaks
- Written informed consent as documented by signature (see informed consent form)
Key exclusion criteria (9 listed)
- Women who are pregnant or breast feeding
- Current neurological problems affecting walking function and balance
- Current orthopedic problems affecting upper and lower extremity movements
- History of alcohol abuse or the intake of psychotropic drugs
- History of major cardiac condition (e.g., infarction, insufficiency (NYHA II-IV))
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical pertubationAcceleration or deacceleration of one treadmill gait belt. | Other | Healthy participants between 18 and 40 years of age, Healthy participants between 60 and 80 years of age |
Primary outcome
Calculation of Margins of Stability (MoS) in anterior-posterior direction at foot contact
Time frame: Once during visit 1
Difference between base of support and interpolated center of mass (mm), based on 3D motion capture.
Step length at baseline, before (Pre) and after (Recovery step 1-10) perturbation
Time frame: Once during visit 1
12 secondary outcomes
Step width at foot contact of baseline, before (Pre) and Recovery steps 1-10
Time frame: Once during visit 1
Calculation of Margin of stability medial-lateral direction at foot contact of baseline, before (Pre) and Recovery steps 1-10
Time frame: Once during visit 1
Maximal trunk velocity during gait cycle at of baseline, before (Pre) and Recovery steps 1-10 to detect fast trunk movement to gain balance
Time frame: Once during visit 1
3D kinematic gait profiles to analyze detailed movement patterns/strategies
Time frame: Once during visit 1
EMG analysis to detect reaction time and activity patterns of different leg muscles
Time frame: Once during visit 1
Questionnaire regarding the incidence of falls in the last six months
Time frame: Once during visit 1
Activities specific Balance Confidence scale (ABC scale)
Time frame: Once during visit 1
Questionnaire regarding the perceived intensities of the three perturbation algorithms
Time frame: Once during visit 1
Functional Gait Assessment (FGA) as a clinical balance test
Time frame: Once during visit 1
A set of kinematic parameters
Time frame: Once during visit 1
A set of kinetic parameters
Time frame: Once during visit 1
A set of spatiotemporal parameters
Time frame: Once during visit 1
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 28 Aug 2025.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Linard Filli, Dr. principal investigator
University of Zurich
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Gait, Stumbling and Gait, Perturbation, run by University of Zurich at 1 site in Switzerland.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 9 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 28 Aug 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Switzerland. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Calculation of Margins of Stability (MoS) in anterior-posterior direction at foot contact (time frame: Once during visit 1). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 28 Aug 2025.