Balance DisordersROANCT06206668
Effect of Referent Type on Balance in Action Observation.
A study testing Action observation videos in people with Balance Disorders, run by University Rovira i Virgili at 1 site in Spain.
Trial summary
The objective of the study is to analyze whether observing the actions of a referent selected by the participants improves balance in asymptomatic individuals compared to those who observe a standard referent. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Balance Disorders
- What is being tested?
- Action observation videos
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 165 participants
- Where
- 1 siteSpain
- Study dates
- 1 Feb 2024to 30 Jan 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- 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 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Be of legal age.
- Have a mobile device.
- Have normal or corrected-to-normal vision.
- Absence of neurological, orthopedic or vestibular disorders.
- Absence of specific balance skills due to competitive sports.
- Obtain a score of 3 or less on the Tegner activity scale.
- Having voluntarily signed the informed consent and being willing to follow the protocol proposed by the research team.
Who cannot join
- History of participation in any study with movement representation methods.
- Subjects with impaired communication and/or compression.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
Spain1 site
Centre Tecnològic de Nutrició i Salut Eurecat
Reus, Tarragona, 43203
About this study
Official title: Effect of Referent Type on Balance in Action Observation in Healthy People: Randomized Clinical Trial.
The objective of the study is to analyze whether observing the actions of a referent selected by the participants improves balance in asymptomatic individuals compared to those who observe a standard referent.
Read the detailed description
Design: Randomized controlled clinical trial. The primary endpoint of the study was the balance recorded by force platform (estatic) and Y balance test (dynamic).
Setting: The participants will be healthy people in the province of Tarragona.
Participants: They will be randomly assigned to one of three groups using a computerized randomized list:
- Control Group (CG): Participants will watch a video of landscapes without human or animal movement.
- Intervention Group with Referent (GIR): Participants will observe actions whose referent has been selected by themselves based on perceived similarity.
- Standard Intervention Group (GIE): Participants will observe actions with a standard reference.
- Conditions
- Balance Disorders
- Being tested
- Action observation videos
- Keywords
- Action observation, Referent, Gender, Balance
- Medical subject headings
- Coitus
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Action observation videosOther
The participant will see videos of balance exercises performed by the assigned reference, depending on their group, without performing any physical movement.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Control Group | No intervention | Participants will watch a video of landscapes without human or animal movement. |
| Intervention Group with Referent (GIR) | Experimental | Participants will observe actions whose referent has been selected by themselves based on perceived similarity. A total of 16 different videos will be used, with 4 new videos each week. The videos will gradually increase in difficulty as the study progresses. All exercises are exercises used to improve balance. Receives: Other: Action observation videos |
| Standard Intervention Group (GIE) | Active comparator | Participants will observe actions with a standard reference. In this case, a basic digitally designed faceless doll will be used. A total of 16 different videos will be used, with 4 new videos each week. The videos will gradually increase in difficulty as the study progresses. All exercises are exercises used to improve balance. Receives: Other: Action observation videos |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Static balance
Center of pressure analysis: The displacement of the center of pressure (CPD) of the participants will be measured through posturographic tests performed on a force platform. The following variables related to the center of pressure (CoP) will be calculated: the roll area (in square millimeters) and the distribution of the weight load on both sides.
Measured: 1 month
Dynamic Balance
A modified and abbreviated version of the Star Excursion Balance Test, known as mSEBT, will be used. This test has been standardized and validated, and requires a board or floor with three lines indicating directions of movement: anterior (ANT), posteromedial (PM), and posterolateral (PL). These lines form a Y, with an angle of 90° between PM and PL, and 135° between ANT and PM, and ANT and PL.
Measured: 1 month
Secondary outcomes (10)
Age
Age will be measured in years
Measured: 1 day
Biological sex
Biological sex will be measured asking if they born like a boy or a girl.
Measured: 1 day
Weight
Weight will be measured in kg with a Beurer's body analyser scales
Measured: 1 day
Height
Height will be measured in cm.
Measured: 1 day
Body mass index (BMI)
Body mass index (BMI) will be measured in kg with a Beurer's body analyser scales
Measured: 1 day
Length of the lower limb.
Length of the lower limb will be measured in cm.
Measured: 1 day
Dominant lower limb
Dominant lower limb will be measured asking which limb would shoot a ball with.
Measured: 1 day
Morphotype
Morphotype (endomorph, ectomorph and mesoform) will be measured by observation
Measured: 1 day
Trunk and lower extremity muscle strength
Analogue dynamometry will be used as an evaluation method and will be recorded in Newtons (N) with the Saehan SKU SH5007 back, leg and chest dynamometer.
Measured: 1 month
Satisfaction assessed by a selfcreate questionnaire
A questionnaire specifically designed to evaluate participants' satisfaction with their experience in the study will be used once they have completed their participation.
Measured: 1 day
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted16 Jan 2024
- Study start1 Feb 2024
- Primary completion30 Jun 2024
- Study completion30 Jan 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (5)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Balance DisordersStudies 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
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 165 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University Rovira i Virgili
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Tania López Hernández, University Rovira i Virgili
- Investigators
- Cristina Adillón Camón, Dra., Study director, University Rovira i Virgili
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06206668
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 01/2023
- Acronym
- ROA
- Status last verified
- Mar 2026
- First submitted
- 31 Dec 2023
- Last updated
- 9 Mar 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Gatti R, Sarasso E, Pelachin M, Agosta F, Filippi M, Tettamanti A. Can action observation modulate balance performance in healthy subjects? Arch Physiother. 2019 Jan 22;9:1. doi: 10.1186/s40945-018-0053-0. eCollection 2019.
PubMed 30693101Moon Y, Bae Y. The effect of backward walking observational training on gait parameters and balance in chronic stroke: randomized controlled study. Eur J Phys Rehabil Med. 2022 Feb;58(1):9-15. doi: 10.23736/S1973-9087.21.06869-6. Epub 2021 Sep 1.
PubMed 34468110Picot B, Terrier R, Forestier N, Fourchet F, O.McKeon F. The Star Excursion Balance Test: An Update Review and Practical Guidelines. Int. J. Athl. Ther. Train. 2021 Jul 20,26(6):285-93. doi: 10.1123/ijatt.2020-0106.
Leem SH, Kim JH, Lee BH. Effects of Otago exercise combined with action observation training on balance and gait in the old people. J Exerc Rehabil. 2019 Dec 31;15(6):848-854. doi: 10.12965/jer.1938720.360. eCollection 2019 Dec.
PubMed 31938708Cuenca-Martinez F, Suso-Marti L, Sanchez-Martin D, Soria-Soria C, Serrano-Santos J, Paris-Alemany A, La Touche R, Leon-Hernandez JV. Effects of Motor Imagery and Action Observation on Lumbo-pelvic Motor Control, Trunk Muscles Strength and Level of Perceived Fatigue: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Res Q Exerc Sport. 2020 Mar;91(1):34-46. doi: 10.1080/02701367.2019.1645941. Epub 2019 Oct 18.
PubMed 31626568
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 9 Mar 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effect of Referent Type on Balance in Action Observation in Healthy People: Randomized Clinical Trial.
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06206668
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- ROA / 01/2023
- Conditions
- Balance Disorders
- Keywords
- Action observation, Referent, Gender, Balance
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 165 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University Rovira i VirgiliUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Feb 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Jun 2024 (actual)
- Study completion
- 30 Jan 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 16 Jan 2024 (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.
The objective of the study is to analyze whether observing the actions of a referent selected by the participants improves balance in asymptomatic individuals compared to those who observe a standard referent.
Detailed description
Design: Randomized controlled clinical trial. The primary endpoint of the study was the balance recorded by force platform (estatic) and Y balance test (dynamic).
Setting: The participants will be healthy people in the province of Tarragona.
Participants: They will be randomly assigned to one of three groups using a computerized randomized list:
- Control Group (CG): Participants will watch a video of landscapes without human or animal movement.
- Intervention Group with Referent (GIR): Participants will observe actions whose referent has been selected by themselves based on perceived similarity.
- Standard Intervention Group (GIE): Participants will observe actions with a standard reference.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Control Group | No intervention | –Participants will watch a video of landscapes without human or animal movement. |
| Intervention Group with Referent (GIR) | Experimental | Other: Action observation videosParticipants will observe actions whose referent has been selected by themselves based on perceived similarity. A total of 16 different videos will be used, with 4 new videos each week. The videos will gradually increase in difficulty as the study progresses. All exercises are exercises used to improve balance. |
| Standard Intervention Group (GIE) | Active comparator | Other: Action observation videosParticipants will observe actions with a standard reference. In this case, a basic digitally designed faceless doll will be used. A total of 16 different videos will be used, with 4 new videos each week. The videos will gradually increase in difficulty as the study progresses. All exercises are exercises used to improve balance. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (7 listed)
- Be of legal age.
- Have a mobile device.
- Have normal or corrected-to-normal vision.
- Absence of neurological, orthopedic or vestibular disorders.
- Absence of specific balance skills due to competitive sports.
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- History of participation in any study with movement representation methods.
- Subjects with impaired communication and/or compression.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Action observation videosThe participant will see videos of balance exercises performed by the assigned reference, depending on their group, without performing any physical movement. | Other | Intervention Group with Referent (GIR), Standard Intervention Group (GIE) |
Primary outcome
Static balance
Time frame: 1 month
Center of pressure analysis: The displacement of the center of pressure (CPD) of the participants will be measured through posturographic tests performed on a force platform. The following variables related to the center of pressure (CoP) will be calculated: the roll area (in square millimeters) and the distribution of the weight load on both sides.
Dynamic Balance
Time frame: 1 month
A modified and abbreviated version of the Star Excursion Balance Test, known as mSEBT, will be used. This test has been standardized and validated, and requires a board or floor with three lines indicating directions of movement: anterior (ANT), posteromedial (PM), and posterolateral (PL). These lines form a Y, with an angle of 90° between PM and PL, and 135° between ANT and PM, and ANT and PL.
10 secondary outcomes
Age
Time frame: 1 day
Biological sex
Time frame: 1 day
Weight
Time frame: 1 day
Height
Time frame: 1 day
Body mass index (BMI)
Time frame: 1 day
Length of the lower limb.
Time frame: 1 day
Dominant lower limb
Time frame: 1 day
Morphotype
Time frame: 1 day
Trunk and lower extremity muscle strength
Time frame: 1 month
Satisfaction assessed by a selfcreate questionnaire
Time frame: 1 day
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 9 Mar 2026.
- Background: PubMed 30693101Gatti R, Sarasso E, Pelachin M, Agosta F, Filippi M, Tettamanti A. Can action observation modulate balance performance in healthy subjects? Arch Physiother. 2019 Jan 22;9:1. doi: 10.1186/s40945-018-0053-0. eCollection 2019.
- Background: PubMed 34468110Moon Y, Bae Y. The effect of backward walking observational training on gait parameters and balance in chronic stroke: randomized controlled study. Eur J Phys Rehabil Med. 2022 Feb;58(1):9-15. doi: 10.23736/S1973-9087.21.06869-6. Epub 2021 Sep 1.
- BackgroundPicot B, Terrier R, Forestier N, Fourchet F, O.McKeon F. The Star Excursion Balance Test: An Update Review and Practical Guidelines. Int. J. Athl. Ther. Train. 2021 Jul 20,26(6):285-93. doi: 10.1123/ijatt.2020-0106.
- Background: PubMed 31938708Leem SH, Kim JH, Lee BH. Effects of Otago exercise combined with action observation training on balance and gait in the old people. J Exerc Rehabil. 2019 Dec 31;15(6):848-854. doi: 10.12965/jer.1938720.360. eCollection 2019 Dec.
- Background: PubMed 31626568Cuenca-Martinez F, Suso-Marti L, Sanchez-Martin D, Soria-Soria C, Serrano-Santos J, Paris-Alemany A, La Touche R, Leon-Hernandez JV. Effects of Motor Imagery and Action Observation on Lumbo-pelvic Motor Control, Trunk Muscles Strength and Level of Perceived Fatigue: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Res Q Exerc Sport. 2020 Mar;91(1):34-46. doi: 10.1080/02701367.2019.1645941. Epub 2019 Oct 18.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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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.
Cristina Adillón Camón, Dra. study director
University Rovira i Virgili
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Action observation videos in people with Balance Disorders, run by University Rovira i Virgili at 1 site in Spain.
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 7 inclusion and 2 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 9 Mar 2026. 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 Spain. 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?
Static balance (time frame: 1 month). 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?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT06206668, which also lists 5 linked publications.
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 9 Mar 2026.