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Stair ClimbingSCTSNCT06999850

Implementation and Validation of Instrumented Stair Climb Test

A study testing Instrumented Stair Climb Test, Walk Test and Repaeted Instrumented Stair Climb Test in people with Stair Climbing and Instrumentation, run by IRCCS Eugenio Medea at 3 sites in Italy.

Recruiting

Looking for participants now. Contact the study team or a site below to ask about taking part.

Sites and contacts
Official record
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Trial summary

The aim of this study is to design an instrumented test for the evaluation of the climb of stairs. In particular, the main purpose is to characterize and compare the performance of subjects, both pediatrics and adults, with different pathologies (cerebral palsy, amputee, Parkinson's disease, stroke and arthroplasty)… Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 4 to 80 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Stair Climbing, Instrumentation, Test
What is being tested?
Instrumented Stair Climb Test, Walk Test and Repaeted Instrumented Stair Climb Test
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
64 participants
Where
3 sitesItaly
Study dates
4 Apr 2025to 4 Apr 2026
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

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 4 to 80 years
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Child, Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • age 4-80 years (8 subjects 4-18 years; 8 subjects 19-65 years; 8 subjects 65-80 years);
  • absence of diagnosis of neurological or orthopaedic pathologies, which impair the patient's mobility.
  • age range 4-18 years;
  • Diagnosis of Infantile Cerebral Palsy;
  • right or left hemiparesis;
  • ability motor skills in levels I - III according to the GMFCS (Gross Motor Function Classification System).
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  • Age 65-80 years;
  • postoperative postoperative hip or knee arthroplasty (in election and post-fracture, any revisions will be excluded).
  • age range from 19 to 80 years;
  • Leg amputation (trans-tibial), fitted with limb prosthesis.
  • age range from 65 years;
  • diagnosis of Parkinson's disease or Parkinsonism also on a vascular basis.
  • Age 65-80 years;
  • Aftereffects of Ictus Cerebri;
  • left or right hemiparesis.

Who cannot join

None listed.

Trial locations and contacts

3 sites in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.

Giovanni Pintabona, Medicine contact

+39031877836

giovanni.pintabona@lanostrafamiglia.it

Italy3 sites, 3 recruiting
  • IRCCS E. Medea

    Bosisio Parini, Lecco, 23842

    Giovanni Pintabona, Medicine, 031877836, giovanni.pintabona@lanostrafamiglia.it

    Recruiting
  • ASP Istituti Milanesi Martinitt e Stelline e Pio Albergo Trivulzio

    Milan, Milano, 20146

    Calogero Malfitano, Medicine, 02-40291532, calogero.malfitano@pioalbergotrivulzio.it

    Recruiting
  • IRCCS Istituti Clinici Maugeri Tradate

    Tradate, Varese, 21049

    Francesco Negrini, Medicine, 0331-829111, francesco.negrini@icsmaugeri.it

    Recruiting

Other trials in Italy

About this study

Official title: Implementazione e Validazione di un Test Per l'Analisi Del Movimento Della Salita e Discesa Delle Scale Con Sensori Indossabili

The aim of this study is to design an instrumented test for the evaluation of the climb of stairs. In particular, the main purpose is to characterize and compare the performance of subjects, both pediatrics and adults, with different pathologies (cerebral palsy, amputee, Parkinson's disease, stroke and arthroplasty) in carrying out the instrumented test of climbing and descending stairs. This would provide potentially useful information to complement the clinical assessment, including investigating the existence of correlations between the instrumental data obtained and the clinical scales collected. The secondary objective is to evaluate, in a first phase of the study, the feasibility and reliability of the test, analyzing the validity of the indices obtained in terms of intra- and inter-operator reliability on healthy subjects.

Read the detailed description

In today's clinical practice there are several assessment tools available to measure strength, endurance and balance. These tools include manual testing, standardised measurement scales or disease-specific scoring systems in which the results obtained during the performance of different motor tasks are calculated to obtain an overall score reflecting the functional level. Among the most used tests, for example, we remember the Six Minute Walking Test, in which the maximum distance walked, expressed in meters, is measured in a time of 6 minutes under standardized conditions, allowing the evaluation of muscular endurance and gait aspects. In addition to tests that monitor walking abilities, there are tests for more complex activities such as climbing and descending stairs. The ability to climb stairs, in contrast to flat walking, can be considered a more challenging task, as it places greater emphasis on muscle strength of lower limbs, requires a greater range of motion of the lower limb joints and increases the demand for posture control and balance system. In addition, falls from stairs can cause more serious injury or even death than falls on a floor. Therefore, for patients with a higher risk of falling, an objective assessment of the performance of climbing stairs could be of great interest, providing fundamental support in managing the activities of the patient's daily life. In the past, a number of methods and technologies have been proposed to analyse and quantify human gait. Measurement systems range from optoelectronic systems, pressure pads or force plates to mobile sensors worn on the body such as inertial units (IMUs) or pressure pads. Mobile gait analysis systems based on IMU, in particular, are attracting increasing interest for use in long-term assessments that can be easily performed in clinical practice. Similarly, inertial sensors could be adopted for an objective evaluation of the ascent and descent of ladders thanks to adapted step analysis algorithms capable of segmenting, parameterizing and classifying the ascent and descent of ladders. The aim of this study, therefore, is to design a test for the evaluation of climbing stairs based on the use of wearable sensors. In particular, the main objective will be to characterise and compare the performance of subjects with different pathologies, providing potentially useful information to complement clinical evaluation. The secondary objective of the study will be to analyse the reliability of the indices obtained. This work proposal is the result of collaboration between several centres: IRCCS E. Medea, IRCCS Istituti Clinici Maugeri Tradate, Pio Albergo Trivulzio and Politecnico di Milano. In particular, IRCCS E. Medea, IRCCS Istituti Clinici Maugeri Tradate and Pio Albergo Trivulzio will be responsible for the recruitment of subjects and data collection. These centres will have the support of the Politecnico di Milano for the processing of data and for the development of the algorithms necessary for the extraction of the monitored parameters from the devices used.

Being tested
Instrumented Stair Climb Test, Walk Test, Repaeted Instrumented Stair Climb Test
Keywords
Stair Climb Test, Cerebral Palsy, Stroke, amputee, Parkinson
Medical subject headings
Cerebral Palsy, Stroke

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Instrumented Stair Climb TestOther

    Instrumented test of climbing and descending stairs for the evaluation of kinematic and electromyographic variables. The test consists of repeating the ascent and descent of a flight of 10-12 steps;

  • Walk TestOther

    Assessment of climbing and walking skills through test series:

    Borg scale: An evaluation scale for measuring effort perception. The evaluation scale consists of answering some questions at the end of the exercise described above; 10-metre walk test (10MWT): Test to assess walking speed in metres per second over a short distance. Can be used to determine functional mobility, gait and vestibular function. The test consists of walking at a steady speed and safely for 10 metres; 30 second sit to stand test: test for the evaluation of strength and endurance of the legs in the elderly. The test consists in performing the movement of standing up and sitting down from a chair for 30 consecutive seconds; Timed Up \& Go test (TUG): test to assess the risk of falling and balance. During the test, patients wear normal footwear and may use a walking aid if necessary. The patient starts in a sitting position, gets up on the therapist's command, walks in a straight line for a distance of 3 m

  • Repaeted Instrumented Stair Climb TestOther

    Instrumented test of climbing and descending stairs for the evaluation of kinematic and electromyographic variables. The test consists of repeating the ascent and descent of a flight of 10-12 steps. In this case, the ascent and descent of the stairs must be repeated two times. Between the two trial the IMU units must be repositioned.

Study groups in NCT06999850
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
healthy childrenOtherThis group involves healthy children aged 4-18 years old, without gait impairmets
Receives: Other: Walk Test; Other: Repaeted Instrumented Stair Climb Test
Healthy adultsOtherThis group involves healthy adults aged 18-65 years old, without gait impairmets
Receives: Other: Walk Test; Other: Repaeted Instrumented Stair Climb Test
Healthy elderlyOtherThis group involves healthy eleferly aged 65-85 years old, without gait impairmets
Receives: Other: Walk Test; Other: Repaeted Instrumented Stair Climb Test
CP subjectsOtherpediatric subjects diagnosed with Infantile Cerebral Paralysis (PCI) and clinical sign of left or right hemiparesis;
Receives: Other: Instrumented Stair Climb Test; Other: Walk Test
Leg amputee subjectsOtherPatients aged 19-80 years, with results of leg amputation (transtibial), who carry limb prostheses
Receives: Other: Instrumented Stair Climb Test; Other: Walk Test
Arthroplasty SubjectsOtherpatients aged 65-80 years, with aftereffects of hip or knee arthroplasty, excluding prosthetic revision procedures
Receives: Other: Instrumented Stair Climb Test; Other: Walk Test
Parkinson SubjectsOtheratients aged 65-80 years, with diagnosis of Parkinson's disease or Parkinsonism even on a vascular basis
Receives: Other: Instrumented Stair Climb Test; Other: Walk Test
Stroke SubjectsOtherPatients aged 65-80 years, with aftereffects of Cerebral Stroke with left or right hemiparesis
Receives: Other: Instrumented Stair Climb Test; Other: Walk Test

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Absolue error automatic test time

    Absolute errors were calculated for the duration time of the stair ascent and descent and for each variable by taking the absolute value after subtracting the values obtained using IMU methods from the value measured using the tradional chronometer method

    Measured: Through study completion, an average of 1 year

  2. Intra - inter operator variability

    To ensure consistency between the data obtained by the IMU method and the data obtained by the traditional chronometric method, the investigators first calculated the normality of the data. The two-way mixed effects model, absolute agreement, and average measurements were used to calculate the ICCs between the duration time of both systems in case of normality. Instead, the Sperman test was used by the investigator if the data had a non-normal distribution

    Measured: Through study completion, an average of 1 year

Secondary outcomes (4)
  1. correlations with Ten meters Walk Test (10mWT)

    The investigators determine if there are any correlations between the instrumental data gathered from a test performed using the IMU method and the clinical test of the Ten meters walking test (10mWT). In the 10mWT the total time taken to ambulate 6 meters (m) is recorded to the nearest hundredth of a second. 6 m is then divided by the total time (in seconds) taken to ambulate and recorded in m/s.

    Measured: Through study completion, an average of 1 year

  2. correlations with 30 seconds chair to stand test

    The investigators determine if there are any correlations between the instrumental data gathered from a test performed using the IMU method and the clinical test of the 30 seconds chair to stand test. The test score is the total number of lifts completed in 30 seconds. During the test, the participant can stop and rest if he is tired without stopping time. If a person fails to perform any high the score for the test is zero

    Measured: Through study completion, an average of 1 year

  3. correlations with Timed Up and Go (TUG)

    The investigators determine if there are any correlations between the instrumental data gathered from a test performed using the IMU method and the clinical test Timed Up and Go test (TuG). The score in the text corresponds to the time taken by the participants to get up, walk to a distance of 3 m, turn around and return to their seats. Regular walking aids are permitted and recorded if necessary.

    Measured: Through study completion, an average of 1 year

  4. correlations with Borg Scale

    The investigators determine if there are any correlations between the instrumental data gathered from a test performed using the IMU method and the clinical Borg Scale. This is a scale to assess the intensity of exercise without having to rely on physiological parameters. The original Borg version is a scale of 6-20.

    Measured: Through study completion, an average of 1 year

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted31 May 2025
  2. Study start4 Apr 2025
  3. Primary completion4 Apr 2026 (estimated)
  4. Study completion4 Apr 2026 (estimated)

Resources

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
Other
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
64 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT06999850
Sponsor's protocol ID
106_24 (ex1134)
Acronym
SCTS
Status last verified
Feb 2026
First submitted
22 May 2025
Last updated
27 Feb 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Instrumented Stair Climb Test, Walk Test and Repaeted Instrumented Stair Climb Test in people with Stair Climbing and Instrumentation, run by IRCCS Eugenio Medea at 3 sites in Italy.

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 15 inclusion and 0 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: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 27 Feb 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 3 sites in Italy. 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?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

Contact Giovanni Pintabona, Medicine (+39031877836, giovanni.pintabona@lanostrafamiglia.it), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Absolue error automatic test time (time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 year). 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 27 Feb 2026.

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