Healthy AgingNCT07070336
Neuroathletic Exercise In The Elderly
A study testing Neuroathletic exercise in people with Healthy Aging, run by KTO Karatay University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
Objective: The aim of this protocol study was to investigate the effect of neuroathletic exercise on walking speed, fall risk and cognitive function in the elderly. Method: The study is planned as a single-centre, double-blind, parallel group randomised controlled experimental design and will be conducted in… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 60 to 80 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Healthy Aging
- What is being tested?
- Neuroathletic exercise
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 40 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 1 May 2025to 1 Dec 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 60 to 80 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Ages between 60-80
- Volunteering to participate in the study
- Having the ability to perform physical, cognitive and sensory tests and exercises
Who cannot join
- Having a history of injury to the lower and upper extremities within the last year
- Having regular physical activity or sports habits.
- Having participated in any physical activity program in the last 6 months
- Having a sensory pathology that prevents participation in the study
- Having any musculoskeletal, neurological, respiratory or cardiovascular pathology that will limit exercise
- Having a history of malignant disease
- Having an eye defect that cannot be corrected with lenses, such as cataracts, that prevents tests
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Turkey (Türkiye)1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
KTO Karatay University
Konya
Merve arı, 05458898689, merveari89@gmail.com
About this study
Official title: The Effect Of Neuroathletic Exercise On Walking Speed, Fall Risk And Cognitive Functions In The Elderly
Objective: The aim of this protocol study was to investigate the effect of neuroathletic exercise on walking speed, fall risk and cognitive function in the elderly.
Method: The study is planned as a single-centre, double-blind, parallel group randomised controlled experimental design and will be conducted in accordance with SPIRIT. The sample of the study will consist of healthy elderly people aged 60-80 years. In order to ensure parametric conditions, the sample will be divided into two groups as experimental group (n=20) in which neuroathletic exercise will be performed and control group (n=20) in which Turkey Physical Activity Guidelines will be given and a total of 40 elderly people will be randomly assigned to the groups. The elderly assigned to the experimental and control groups according to the order of randomisation will be administered the timed up and go test (TUG), short physical performance battery (SPPB), geriatric depression scale (GDÖ), MoCA test as pre-test and post-test. The experimental group will be asked to perform neuroathletic exercises two days a week for 12 weeks under the supervision of a physiotherapist, and will be asked to perform a home exercise programme one day a week. The control group will be given the Turkish Physical Activity guide. Data will be collected by the researcher.
Results: Considering the limited number of studies on the use of neuroathletic exercises in the literature, it is thought that our randomised controlled study designed to determine the effect of neuroathletic exercise on walking speed, fall risk and cognitive functions in the elderly will contribute to the literature.
Read the detailed description
Neuroathletic exercise is an umbrella term encompassing the disciplines of athletic training and neuroscience. The term refers to the further development of biomechanically controlled and defined athletic training through components of movement control by the nervous system. In the early 2000s, athletic trainer Eric Cobb began to combine the two disciplines of athletic training and neuroscience and began to develop a neuroathletic exercise training system for trainers and therapists based on neuroscientific findings. Finally, Cobb combined findings from neuroscience with practical experience from therapy and training to create his own training concept, the Z-Health Performance Training System. The aim of the Z-Health Performance Training System was to integrate movement control systems into classical athletic training, which until then had been completely biomechanically controlled and designed. Neuroathletic training works like this: for every movement perform, the brain needs sensory information from the three movement control systems: the eyes (visual system), balance (vestibular system) and self-perception in space (proprioceptive system). The three movement control systems are very important for neuroathletic exercise. The three movement control systems are very important for neuroathletic exercise. The clearer and better the quality of the signals from these systems, the better the physical performance, and if the communication between the systems is disrupted or the information is too poor, this will negatively affect the success of the exercise. Exercise that focuses on these processes and the weak points of the nervous system is called neuroathletic exercise. It helps to streamline these processes to improve performance and prevent injury. Neuroathletic exercise can help the body regain its ability to process original stimuli and thus improve our quality of life and performance in almost all areas of sport and daily life.
- Conditions
- Healthy Aging
- Being tested
- Neuroathletic exercise
- Keywords
- aging, neuroathletic exercise, walking speed, gait speed, fall risk, cognitive function
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Neuroathletic exerciseOther
After warm-up and resetting exercises, it will start with eye muscle training with a star chart. It then consists of exercises that regulate the accommodation reflex, balance the right and left lobes, regulate the vestibular system and rhythm exercises.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Neuroathletic exercise group | Experimental | After warm-up and reset exercises, eye muscle training will begin with a star chart. Then, it consists of exercises that regulate the accommodation reflex, balance the right and left lobes, regulate the vestibular system, and rhythm exercises.
After explaining the purpose of the study to the individuals who will be given exercises according to the randomization order, the first measurements will be taken and the exercises will begin. At the end of the 12th week, the measurements will be taken again and the effectiveness of the exercises will be evaluated. The exercises will be done with a physiotherapist 2 days a week, and will be given as a home exercise program for 1 day. Receives: Other: Neuroathletic exercise |
| Control Group | No intervention | Within the scope of the research, after the purpose of the study is explained to the individuals in this group, pre-tests will be conducted according to the randomization order. The individuals in this group will be given the 'Physical Activity in the Elderly' section of the Turkish Physical Activity Guide. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Walking speed
- 4-Meter Walking Speed Test: Allows the calculation of walking speed according to the time the participant walks 4 meters on a flat surface. It is a reliable scale widely used to predict mobility and fall risk in elderly individuals (Mehmet et al., 2020)
Measured: 12 week
Fall risk
- Time Up and Go (TUG) Test: It evaluates the functional mobility level and fall risk by measuring the time it takes for the participant to get up from the chair and walk 3 meters, turn around, come back and sit down again in seconds (Podsiadlo et al., 1991).
Measured: 12 week
Cognitive function
- Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA): It is a valid and reliable scale that evaluates the participants' performance in cognitive areas such as executive functions, attention, memory, language, and visual-spatial skills. The total score is evaluated out of 30, and scores of 21 and above are considered normal cognitive levels (Nasreddine et al., 1991).
Measured: 12 week
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted17 Jul 2025
- Study start1 May 2025
- Primary completion1 Oct 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion1 Dec 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (3)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Healthy AgingStudies 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
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- The study consists of an experimental and control group. After the pre-tests are applied to the individuals in the experimental groups, neuroathletic exercises will be performed 3 days a week for 12 weeks. Exercises will be performed with the help of a physiotherapist at the KTO Karatay University laboratory 2 days a week, and they will be asked to do it as a home program 1 day a week. At the end of 12 weeks, the final test will be applied and evaluated. The preliminary tests of the control panel are organized as the Activity in the Elderly section of the Activity Guide in Türkiye. During this process, confirmation is collected by frequently calling whether they do any activity outside of their daily routine activities. At the end of 12 weeks, the final test will be applied and the results will be supported with the exercise group.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 40 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- KTO Karatay University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Dokuz Eylul University
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07070336
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 0001
- Status last verified
- May 2026
- First submitted
- 26 May 2025
- Last updated
- 10 Aug 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: It is planned to write a report and article with the data of the study.
Publications
Evers J, Stolz I, Klein M. Neuroathletic training in stroke rehabilitation? A single-blind randomized controlled pilot study on the potential of neuroathletic training for balance ability in stroke outpatient rehabilitation. BMC Res Notes. 2024 Dec 12;17(1):358. doi: 10.1186/s13104-024-07022-0.
PubMed 39668364Lienhard, L., Schmid-Fetzer, U., & Cobb, E. (2019). Neuronale Heilung: Mit einfachen Übungen den Vagusnerv aktivieren-gegen Stress, Depressionen, Ängste, Schmerzen und Verdauungsprobleme. Riva Verlag.
Broglio SP, Register-Mihalik JK, Guskiewicz KM, Leddy JJ, Merriman A, Valovich McLeod TC. National Athletic Trainers' Association Bridge Statement: Management of Sport-Related Concussion. J Athl Train. 2024 Mar 1;59(3):225-242. doi: 10.4085/1062-6050-0046.22.
PubMed 38530653
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 10 Aug 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Effect Of Neuroathletic Exercise On Walking Speed, Fall Risk And Cognitive Functions In The Elderly
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07070336
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 0001
- Conditions
- Healthy Aging
- Keywords
- aging, neuroathletic exercise, walking speed, gait speed, fall risk, cognitive function
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 40 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- KTO Karatay UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Dokuz Eylul University
- Study start
- 1 May 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 1 Oct 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 1 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 17 Jul 2025 (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.
Objective: The aim of this protocol study was to investigate the effect of neuroathletic exercise on walking speed, fall risk and cognitive function in the elderly.
Method: The study is planned as a single-centre, double-blind, parallel group randomised controlled experimental design and will be conducted in accordance with SPIRIT. The sample of the study will consist of healthy elderly people aged 60-80 years. In order to ensure parametric conditions, the sample will be divided into two groups as experimental group (n=20) in which neuroathletic exercise will be performed and control group (n=20) in which Turkey Physical Activity Guidelines will be given and a total of 40 elderly people will be randomly assigned to the groups. The elderly assigned to the experimental and control groups according to the order of randomisation will be administered the timed up and go test (TUG), short physical performance battery (SPPB), geriatric depression scale (GDÖ), MoCA test as pre-test and post-test. The experimental group will be asked to perform neuroathletic exercises two days a week for 12 weeks under the supervision of a physiotherapist, and will be asked to perform a home exercise programme one day a week. The control group will be given the Turkish Physical Activity guide. Data will be collected by the researcher.
Results: Considering the limited number of studies on the use of neuroathletic exercises in the literature, it is thought that our randomised controlled study designed to determine the effect of neuroathletic exercise on walking speed, fall risk and cognitive functions in the elderly will contribute to the literature.
Detailed description
Neuroathletic exercise is an umbrella term encompassing the disciplines of athletic training and neuroscience. The term refers to the further development of biomechanically controlled and defined athletic training through components of movement control by the nervous system. In the early 2000s, athletic trainer Eric Cobb began to combine the two disciplines of athletic training and neuroscience and began to develop a neuroathletic exercise training system for trainers and therapists based on neuroscientific findings. Finally, Cobb combined findings from neuroscience with practical experience from therapy and training to create his own training concept, the Z-Health Performance Training System. The aim of the Z-Health Performance Training System was to integrate movement control systems into classical athletic training, which until then had been completely biomechanically controlled and designed. Neuroathletic training works like this: for every movement perform, the brain needs sensory information from the three movement control systems: the eyes (visual system), balance (vestibular system) and self-perception in space (proprioceptive system). The three movement control systems are very important for neuroathletic exercise. The three movement control systems are very important for neuroathletic exercise. The clearer and better the quality of the signals from these systems, the better the physical performance, and if the communication between the systems is disrupted or the information is too poor, this will negatively affect the success of the exercise. Exercise that focuses on these processes and the weak points of the nervous system is called neuroathletic exercise. It helps to streamline these processes to improve performance and prevent injury. Neuroathletic exercise can help the body regain its ability to process original stimuli and thus improve our quality of life and performance in almost all areas of sport and daily life.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- The study consists of an experimental and control group. After the pre-tests are applied to the individuals in the experimental groups, neuroathletic exercises will be performed 3 days a week for 12 weeks. Exercises will be performed with the help of a physiotherapist at the KTO Karatay University laboratory 2 days a week, and they will be asked to do it as a home program 1 day a week. At the end of 12 weeks, the final test will be applied and evaluated. The preliminary tests of the control panel are organized as the Activity in the Elderly section of the Activity Guide in Türkiye. During this process, confirmation is collected by frequently calling whether they do any activity outside of their daily routine activities. At the end of 12 weeks, the final test will be applied and the results will be supported with the exercise group.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Neuroathletic exercise group | Experimental | Other: Neuroathletic exerciseAfter warm-up and reset exercises, eye muscle training will begin with a star chart. Then, it consists of exercises that regulate the accommodation reflex, balance the right and left lobes, regulate the vestibular system, and rhythm exercises. After explaining the purpose of the study to the individuals who will be given exercises according to the randomization order, the first measurements will be taken and the exercises will begin. At the end of the 12th week, the measurements will be taken again and the effectiveness of the exercises will be evaluated. The exercises will be done with a physiotherapist 2 days a week, and will be given as a home exercise program for 1 day. |
| Control Group | No intervention | –Within the scope of the research, after the purpose of the study is explained to the individuals in this group, pre-tests will be conducted according to the randomization order. The individuals in this group will be given the 'Physical Activity in the Elderly' section of the Turkish Physical Activity Guide. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 60 to 80 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Ages between 60-80
- Volunteering to participate in the study
- Having the ability to perform physical, cognitive and sensory tests and exercises
Key exclusion criteria (7 listed)
- Having a history of injury to the lower and upper extremities within the last year
- Having regular physical activity or sports habits.
- Having participated in any physical activity program in the last 6 months
- Having a sensory pathology that prevents participation in the study
- Having any musculoskeletal, neurological, respiratory or cardiovascular pathology that will limit exercise
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Neuroathletic exerciseAfter warm-up and resetting exercises, it will start with eye muscle training with a star chart. It then consists of exercises that regulate the accommodation reflex, balance the right and left lobes, regulate the vestibular system and rhythm exercises. | Other | Neuroathletic exercise group |
Primary outcome
Walking speed
Time frame: 12 week
• 4-Meter Walking Speed Test: Allows the calculation of walking speed according to the time the participant walks 4 meters on a flat surface. It is a reliable scale widely used to predict mobility and fall risk in elderly individuals (Mehmet et al., 2020)
Fall risk
Time frame: 12 week
• Time Up and Go (TUG) Test: It evaluates the functional mobility level and fall risk by measuring the time it takes for the participant to get up from the chair and walk 3 meters, turn around, come back and sit down again in seconds (Podsiadlo et al., 1991).
Cognitive function
Time frame: 12 week
• Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA): It is a valid and reliable scale that evaluates the participants' performance in cognitive areas such as executive functions, attention, memory, language, and visual-spatial skills. The total score is evaluated out of 30, and scores of 21 and above are considered normal cognitive levels (Nasreddine et al., 1991).
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 10 Aug 2026.
- Background: PubMed 39668364Evers J, Stolz I, Klein M. Neuroathletic training in stroke rehabilitation? A single-blind randomized controlled pilot study on the potential of neuroathletic training for balance ability in stroke outpatient rehabilitation. BMC Res Notes. 2024 Dec 12;17(1):358. doi: 10.1186/s13104-024-07022-0.
- BackgroundLienhard, L., Schmid-Fetzer, U., & Cobb, E. (2019). Neuronale Heilung: Mit einfachen Übungen den Vagusnerv aktivieren-gegen Stress, Depressionen, Ängste, Schmerzen und Verdauungsprobleme. Riva Verlag.
- Background: PubMed 38530653Broglio SP, Register-Mihalik JK, Guskiewicz KM, Leddy JJ, Merriman A, Valovich McLeod TC. National Athletic Trainers' Association Bridge Statement: Management of Sport-Related Concussion. J Athl Train. 2024 Mar 1;59(3):225-242. doi: 10.4085/1062-6050-0046.22.
- Related InfoLink provided by the sponsor.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. It is planned to write a report and article with the data of the study.
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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.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Neuroathletic exercise in people with Healthy Aging, run by KTO Karatay University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
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 7 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 10 Aug 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 Turkey (Türkiye). 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 Merve arı (05458898689, merveari89@gmail.com), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Walking speed (time frame: 12 week). The study lists 3 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 NCT07070336, which also lists 3 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 10 Aug 2026.