Sedentary Behavior / Physical InactivityNCT07841379
Variable vs Fixed Auditory-Cued Stepping Training
A study testing Variable-Timing, Variable-Direction Auditory-Cued Stepping Training and Fixed-Timing, Fixed-Direction Auditory-Cued Stepping Training in people with Sedentary Behavior / Physical Inactivity and Sedentary Healthy Young Individuals, run by Beshoy Maher Rezk Hanna at 1 site in Egypt.
Trial summary
This study investigates whether stepping training that uses an unpredictable, variable auditory cue - changing both the timing and the direction of each step - improves dynamic balance and stepping adaptability more than stepping training with a constant, predictable auditory cue. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 35 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Sedentary Behavior / Physical Inactivity, Sedentary Healthy Young Individuals, Sedentary Lifestyle
- What is being tested?
- Variable-Timing, Variable-Direction Auditory-Cued Stepping Training and Fixed-Timing, Fixed-Direction Auditory-Cued Stepping Training
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 85 participants
- Where
- 1 siteEgypt
- Study dates
- 8 Sep 2026to 6 Oct 2026
- 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 to 35 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Age 18-35 years
- Sedentary lifestyle (International Physical Activity Questionnaire short-form 'inactive/low' category, or <150 minutes/week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity)
- Able to stand and walk independently without an assistive device
- Normal or corrected-to-normal hearing and vision
- Body Mass Index (BMI) 18.5-29.9 kg/m²
- Willing and able to provide written informed consent and comply with the 4-week training schedule and assessment sessions
Who cannot join
- Diagnosed neurological, vestibular, or orthopedic/musculoskeletal condition known to affect balance or gait (e.g., stroke, Parkinson's disease, vestibular disorders, lower-limb fracture/surgery in the past 6 months)
- History of falls within the past 12 months
- Hearing impairment or use of a hearing aid/cochlear implant
- Uncorrected visual impairment
- Regular participation in structured exercise, sport, or balance/agility training (>150 min/week of moderate-to-vigorous activity)
- Pregnancy
Show all 10Show fewer
- Cardiovascular, respiratory, or other medical contraindication to physical exertion/exercise testing
- Current use of medication known to affect balance, reaction time, or central nervous system function (e.g., sedatives, anti-vertigo medication)
- Cognitive or communication impairment that would limit the ability to follow auditory-cued instructions
- Concurrent enrollment in another balance, stepping, or exercise-intervention study
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: "Variable Versus Fixed Auditory-Cued Stepping Training on Balance and Stepping Adaptability in Sedentary Young Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial."
This study investigates whether stepping training that uses an unpredictable, variable auditory cue - changing both the timing and the direction of each step - improves dynamic balance and stepping adaptability more than stepping training with a constant, predictable auditory cue. Sedentary young adults will be randomly assigned to one of two 4-week training programs and assessed before and after training.
Read the detailed description
Reduced physical activity is associated with diminished neuromuscular reactivity and postural control. While auditory-cued stepping/gait training has demonstrated benefits for balance and stepping performance in clinical populations (e.g., stroke, Parkinson's disease), evidence in healthy, sedentary young adults remains limited. Motor-learning theory suggests that greater practice variability - in both timing and spatial direction - promotes superior motor adaptation and retention compared with fixed, predictable practice conditions. This randomized controlled trial will compare a combined variable-timing and variable-direction auditory-cued stepping training protocol against a fixed-timing, fixed-direction protocol, in terms of their effects on dynamic balance (Y-Balance Test) and stepping adaptability (Choice Stepping Reaction Time), in sedentary young adults aged 18-35 years, over a 4-week supervised training period.
- Conditions
- Sedentary Behavior / Physical Inactivity, Sedentary Healthy Young Individuals, Sedentary Lifestyle
- Being tested
- Variable-Timing, Variable-Direction Auditory-Cued Stepping Training, Fixed-Timing, Fixed-Direction Auditory-Cued Stepping Training
- Keywords
- auditory cueing, stepping training, dynamic balance, stepping adaptability, motor learning, contextual interference, sedentary young adult, rehabilitation
- Medical subject headings
- Sedentary Behavior
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Variable-Timing, Variable-Direction Auditory-Cued Stepping TrainingBehavioural
A supervised stepping-training program delivered 3 sessions/week for 4 weeks (12 sessions total). Each session includes a 5-minute warm-up, 20-25 minutes of auditory-cued stepping training, and a 5-minute cool-down. During the main training phase, participants respond to auditory cues with randomly varying inter-stimulus timing (1.5-3.5 seconds) and randomly varying step direction (anterior, posterior, lateral), stepping onto the cued target as quickly as possible before returning to a central start position.
Fixed-Timing, Fixed-Direction Auditory-Cued Stepping TrainingBehavioural
A supervised stepping-training program delivered 3 sessions/week for 4 weeks (12 sessions total), identical in structure, duration, and total training volume to the Variable Cueing Group. During the main training phase, participants respond to auditory cues delivered at a constant, fixed inter-stimulus interval (every 2.5 seconds) and a single, fixed step direction (forward only), stepping onto the fixed target before returning to a central start position.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Variable Cueing Group | Experimental | Participants will receive auditory-cued stepping training with randomly varying inter-stimulus timing (1.5-3.5 seconds) and randomly varying step direction (anterior, posterior, lateral), 3 sessions/week for 4 weeks. Receives: Behavioral: Variable-Timing, Variable-Direction Auditory-Cued Stepping Training |
| Fixed Cueing Group | Active comparator | Participants will receive auditory-cued stepping training with constant, fixed inter-stimulus timing (every 2.5 seconds) and a single, fixed step direction (forward only), 3 sessions/week for 4 weeks, matched for total training volume with the Variable Cueing Group. Receives: Behavioral: Fixed-Timing, Fixed-Direction Auditory-Cued Stepping Training |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in Y-Balance Test Composite Reach Score
Dynamic balance assessed using the Y-Balance Test, with composite reach score (anterior, posteromedial, posterolateral directions) normalized to limb length and expressed as a percentage.
Measured: Baseline and 4 weeks
Change in Choice Stepping Reaction Time
Stepping adaptability assessed using Choice Stepping Reaction Time, measured as mean reaction time in milliseconds in response to randomized directional auditory cues.
Measured: Baseline and 4 weeks
Change in Choice Stepping Reaction Time
Stepping adaptability assessed using Choice Stepping Reaction Time, measured as accuracy (percentage of correct responses) in response to randomized directional auditory cues.
Measured: Baseline and 4 weeks
Secondary outcomes (3)
Change in Four Square Step Test Time
Stepping agility and coordination assessed using the Four Square Step Test (FSST), recorded as the time (in seconds) taken to complete a standardized four-directional stepping sequence. Lower scores indicate better performance.
Measured: Baseline and 4 weeks
Change in Timed Up and Go Test Time
Functional mobility assessed using the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, recorded as the time (in seconds) taken to rise from a chair, walk 3 meters, turn, return, and sit back down. Lower scores indicate better functional mobility.
Measured: Baseline and 4 weeks
Change in Berg Balance Scale Score
Overall functional balance assessed using the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), a 14-item performance-based scale with each item scored from 0 to 4, yielding a total score ranging from 0 to 56. Higher scores indicate better functional balance.
Measured: Baseline and 4 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted25 Sep 2026
- Study start8 Sep 2026
- Primary completion6 Oct 2026
- Study completion6 Oct 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Sedentary Behavior / Physical InactivityStudies 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
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 85 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Beshoy Maher Rezk Hanna
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Badr University
- Responsible party
- Sponsor-investigator, Beshoy Maher Rezk Hanna, Badr University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07841379
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- IRB00014233-92
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 7 Sep 2026
- Last updated
- 13 Oct 2026
- 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 13 Oct 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- "Variable Versus Fixed Auditory-Cued Stepping Training on Balance and Stepping Adaptability in Sedentary Young Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial."
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07841379
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- IRB00014233-92
- Conditions
- Sedentary Behavior / Physical Inactivity, Sedentary Healthy Young Individuals, Sedentary Lifestyle
- Keywords
- auditory cueing, stepping training, dynamic balance, stepping adaptability, motor learning, contextual interference, sedentary young adult, rehabilitation
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 85 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Beshoy Maher Rezk HannaUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Badr University
- Study start
- 8 Sep 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 6 Oct 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 6 Oct 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 25 Sep 2026 (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.
This study investigates whether stepping training that uses an unpredictable, variable auditory cue - changing both the timing and the direction of each step - improves dynamic balance and stepping adaptability more than stepping training with a constant, predictable auditory cue. Sedentary young adults will be randomly assigned to one of two 4-week training programs and assessed before and after training.
Detailed description
Reduced physical activity is associated with diminished neuromuscular reactivity and postural control. While auditory-cued stepping/gait training has demonstrated benefits for balance and stepping performance in clinical populations (e.g., stroke, Parkinson's disease), evidence in healthy, sedentary young adults remains limited. Motor-learning theory suggests that greater practice variability - in both timing and spatial direction - promotes superior motor adaptation and retention compared with fixed, predictable practice conditions. This randomized controlled trial will compare a combined variable-timing and variable-direction auditory-cued stepping training protocol against a fixed-timing, fixed-direction protocol, in terms of their effects on dynamic balance (Y-Balance Test) and stepping adaptability (Choice Stepping Reaction Time), in sedentary young adults aged 18-35 years, over a 4-week supervised training period.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Variable Cueing Group | Experimental | Behavioral: Variable-Timing, Variable-Direction Auditory-Cued Stepping TrainingParticipants will receive auditory-cued stepping training with randomly varying inter-stimulus timing (1.5-3.5 seconds) and randomly varying step direction (anterior, posterior, lateral), 3 sessions/week for 4 weeks. |
| Fixed Cueing Group | Active comparator | Behavioral: Fixed-Timing, Fixed-Direction Auditory-Cued Stepping TrainingParticipants will receive auditory-cued stepping training with constant, fixed inter-stimulus timing (every 2.5 seconds) and a single, fixed step direction (forward only), 3 sessions/week for 4 weeks, matched for total training volume with the Variable Cueing Group. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 35 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Age 18-35 years
- Sedentary lifestyle (International Physical Activity Questionnaire short-form 'inactive/low' category, or <150 minutes/week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity)
- Able to stand and walk independently without an assistive device
- Normal or corrected-to-normal hearing and vision
- Body Mass Index (BMI) 18.5-29.9 kg/m²
Key exclusion criteria (10 listed)
- Diagnosed neurological, vestibular, or orthopedic/musculoskeletal condition known to affect balance or gait (e.g., stroke, Parkinson's disease, vestibular disorders, lower-limb fracture/surgery in the past 6 months)
- History of falls within the past 12 months
- Hearing impairment or use of a hearing aid/cochlear implant
- Uncorrected visual impairment
- Regular participation in structured exercise, sport, or balance/agility training (>150 min/week of moderate-to-vigorous activity)
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Variable-Timing, Variable-Direction Auditory-Cued Stepping TrainingA supervised stepping-training program delivered 3 sessions/week for 4 weeks (12 sessions total). Each session includes a 5-minute warm-up, 20-25 minutes of auditory-cued stepping training, and a 5-minute cool-down. During the main training phase, participants respond to auditory cues with randomly varying inter-stimulus timing (1.5-3.5 seconds) and randomly varying step direction (anterior, posterior, lateral), stepping onto the cued target as quickly as possible before returning to a central start position. | Behavioural | Variable Cueing Group |
| Fixed-Timing, Fixed-Direction Auditory-Cued Stepping TrainingA supervised stepping-training program delivered 3 sessions/week for 4 weeks (12 sessions total), identical in structure, duration, and total training volume to the Variable Cueing Group. During the main training phase, participants respond to auditory cues delivered at a constant, fixed inter-stimulus interval (every 2.5 seconds) and a single, fixed step direction (forward only), stepping onto the fixed target before returning to a central start position. | Behavioural | Fixed Cueing Group |
Primary outcome
Change in Y-Balance Test Composite Reach Score
Time frame: Baseline and 4 weeks
Dynamic balance assessed using the Y-Balance Test, with composite reach score (anterior, posteromedial, posterolateral directions) normalized to limb length and expressed as a percentage.
Change in Choice Stepping Reaction Time
Time frame: Baseline and 4 weeks
Stepping adaptability assessed using Choice Stepping Reaction Time, measured as mean reaction time in milliseconds in response to randomized directional auditory cues.
Change in Choice Stepping Reaction Time
Time frame: Baseline and 4 weeks
Stepping adaptability assessed using Choice Stepping Reaction Time, measured as accuracy (percentage of correct responses) in response to randomized directional auditory cues.
3 secondary outcomes
Change in Four Square Step Test Time
Time frame: Baseline and 4 weeks
Change in Timed Up and Go Test Time
Time frame: Baseline and 4 weeks
Change in Berg Balance Scale Score
Time frame: Baseline and 4 weeks
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 13 Oct 2026.
- 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.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Variable-Timing, Variable-Direction Auditory-Cued Stepping Training and Fixed-Timing, Fixed-Direction Auditory-Cued Stepping Training in people with Sedentary Behavior / Physical Inactivity and Sedentary Healthy Young Individuals, run by Beshoy Maher Rezk Hanna at 1 site in Egypt.
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 6 inclusion and 10 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 13 Oct 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 Egypt. 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?
Change in Y-Balance Test Composite Reach Score (time frame: Baseline and 4 weeks). 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?
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 13 Oct 2026.