The Effect of Feldenkrais Lessons on Walking and Balance - Full Text View

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of a series of Feldenkrais movement lessons on mobility and balance, particularly for older adults. The investigators hypothesise that mobility and balance will improve following the classes.

Condition	Intervention	Phase
Accidental Falls Exercise	Behavioral: Feldenkrais Movement class	Phase I

U.S. FDA Resources

Study Type:	Interventional
Study Design:	Treatment, Non-Randomized, Single Blind, Uncontrolled, Parallel Assignment

Official Title:	The Effect of Feldenkrais Lessons on Walking and Balance

Further study details as provided by University of Melbourne:

Primary Outcome Measures:

Balance Confidence (as measured by ABC scale)
Tempo-spatial parameters of gait
Time to complete Four Square Step Test

Estimated Enrollment:	60
Study Start Date:	September 2004
Estimated Study Completion Date:	December 2005

Detailed Description:

The Feldenkrais Method is an educational process which involves exploration of novel movement sequences that lead to expansion of the movement repertoire. This Method has been used with the aim of improving balance and mobility in several studies, and has been compared to the benefits of Tai Chi for improving balance in older adults. The current study investigates the effects of a 10 week series of Feldenkrais movement classes on gait parameters as measured on an instrumented gait mat, a balance test of stepping and turning (the Four Square Step Test) and a questionnaire about balance confidence (the Activites Specific Balance Confidence scale.

Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:	65 Years to 90 Years
Genders Eligible for Study:	Both
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:	No

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

community dwelling older adults (aged over 65)
able to independently ambulate indoors and outdoors

Exclusion Criteria:

currently undergoing physiotherapy treatment
unable to comprehend written english
unable to give informed consent
walking with a walking frame indoors

Contacts and Locations

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00222287

Locations


Australia, Victoria
	University of Melbourne
	melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3010

Sponsors and Collaborators

University of Melbourne

Investigators


Study Director:	Mary Galea, PhD, B App Sc (PT)	University of Melbourne

More Information

Related Info This link exits the ClinicalTrials.gov site

Study ID Numbers:	HREC No. 040730
First Received:	September 13, 2005
Last Updated:	September 21, 2006
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:	NCT00222287
Health Authority:	Australia: Human Research Ethics Committee

Keywords provided by University of Melbourne:

Feldenkrais Method

movement class

balance

Four square step test

Activities Specific Balance Confidence Scale

systems theory

ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 05, 2008

Sponsored by:	University of Melbourne
Information provided by:	University of Melbourne
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:	NCT00222287