walk2Wellness: Long-term Effects of Walkasins® Wearable Sensory Prosthesis
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| ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03538756 |
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Recruitment Status :
Recruiting
First Posted : May 29, 2018
Last Update Posted : May 15, 2020
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| Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
|---|---|---|
| Sensory Peripheral Neuropathy Balance; Distorted Sensation Disorders | Device: Walkasins | Not Applicable |
The main objective of the current study is to show a long-term (10 weeks) sustained improvement in FGA score >4 following Walkasins use as compared to initial baseline assessment and to examine a potential relationship between initial baseline assessment data and long-term outcome. The finding of a short-term FGA change >4 during Walkasins use justifies a pre-post study design to investigate the long-term effects of walkasins use.
The investigators also intend to extend their observations of the short-term effects of walkasins by replicating the randomized cross-over design of a previous short-term study. (The replication will occur during the baseline visit.) This study will help to further refine the prescription criteria for Walkasins and determine whether the presence of a short-term response is indicative of long-term improvements or not.
A subset of 10 participants at the Harvard Medical School site will be enrolled in a pilot study to investigate possible structural and functional changes in cortical areas of the brain related to somatosensory connectivity using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Structural as well as functional MRI scans will be acquired at baseline and after 26 weeks of daily Walkasins use. An exploratory analysis of MRI data will be performed and related to functional clinical outcomes associated with Walkasins use over the same time period.
| Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
| Estimated Enrollment : | 120 participants |
| Allocation: | Randomized |
| Intervention Model: | Crossover Assignment |
| Masking: | None (Open Label) |
| Primary Purpose: | Treatment |
| Official Title: | walk2Wellness: Long-term Use Effects of Walkasins® Wearable Sensory Prosthesis on Gait Function, Balance-Confidence, and Social Participation |
| Actual Study Start Date : | October 22, 2018 |
| Estimated Primary Completion Date : | June 2021 |
| Estimated Study Completion Date : | June 2022 |
| Arm | Intervention/treatment |
|---|---|
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Experimental: Group A--Walkasins On Then Off
Subjects will first wear Walkasins and receive vibrotactile feedback that reflects real changes in center of pressure sway. Following a one-hour rest period, they will be retested with Walkasins turned off. After the baseline visit, subjects will take the devices home for long-term use and return for periodic follow-up visits. |
Device: Walkasins
Walkasins® consist of two parts for each leg: the leg unit and the foot pad. The leg unit wraps around the lower leg of the user and contains electronics for reading foot pad pressure signals, a microprocessor, and four vibrating motors that provide gentle tactile sensory cues to the front, back, medial, and lateral surfaces of the user's leg. These cues reflect real-time foot pressure information at a location above the ankle where skin sensation is still present. |
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Experimental: Group B--Walkasins Off Then On
Subjects will first wear Walkasins turned off and not receive any vibrotactile feedback. Following a one-hour rest period, they will be retested with Walkasins turned on. After the baseline visit, subjects will take the devices home for long-term use and return for periodic follow-up visits. |
Device: Walkasins
Walkasins® consist of two parts for each leg: the leg unit and the foot pad. The leg unit wraps around the lower leg of the user and contains electronics for reading foot pad pressure signals, a microprocessor, and four vibrating motors that provide gentle tactile sensory cues to the front, back, medial, and lateral surfaces of the user's leg. These cues reflect real-time foot pressure information at a location above the ankle where skin sensation is still present. |
- Improvement in Functional Gait Assessment [ Time Frame: 10 Weeks ]Subjects will show a sustained improvement of their Functional Gait Assessment (FGA) of at least 4 compared to their initial assessment.
- 10-Meter Walk Test [ Time Frame: 10 Weeks ]The investigators expect to see trends of increasing gait speed as assessed by the 10-meter Walk Test. (The middle 6 meters are timed.)
- Timed Up and Go Test (TUG) [ Time Frame: 10 Weeks ]The investigators expect to see improvement in subjects' performance in the Timed Up and Go Test, which is part of the CDC-recommended STEADI test protocol for balance function. The tester will record the time taken from the command "Go" until the subject sits down again.
- Four-Stage Balance Test [ Time Frame: 10 Weeks ]The 4-Stage Balance Test is part of the CDC-recommended test protocol for balance function. It includes four gradually more challenging postures the subject is exposed to.
- PHQ-9 [ Time Frame: 10 Weeks ]Subjects will complete the PHQ-9 to assess their emotional well-being.
- PROMIS Pain Interference Short Form 6b [ Time Frame: 10 Weeks ]Subjects will complete the Pain Interference Short Form 6b to determine how much their pain interferes will their activities.
- PROMIS Pain Intensity Form 1a [ Time Frame: 10 Weeks ]The PROMIS Pain Intensity instrument assesses how much a person hurts.
- PROMIS Ability to Participate Short Form 8a [ Time Frame: 10 Weeks ]The PROMIS Ability to Participate in Social Roles and Activities assesses the perceived ability to perform one's usual social roles and activities.
- PROMIS Satisfaction with Participation in Social Roles Short Form 8a [ Time Frame: 10 Weeks ]The PROMIS Satisfaction with Social Roles and Activities items assess satisfaction with performing one's usual social roles and activities (e.g., "I am satisfied with my ability to participate in family activities").
- Falls [ Time Frame: 10 Weeks ]Subjects will be asked about the number of times they have fallen in the past 6 and 12 months and whether they incurred an injury from falling. These data will be compared to falls during their participation in the trial as tracked with a calendar and reported as adverse events. Falls data will be monitored as overall number of fallers pre-and post-study participation as well as the number of falls/1000 patient days.
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
| Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years to 90 Years (Adult, Older Adult) |
| Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
| Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- Age: 18-90 years, male or female
- Formal diagnosis of sensory peripheral neuropathy prior to participating in the study
- Self-reported balance problems
- Ability for transfers or ambulation on level surfaces at fixed cadence as assessed by the physical therapist during the FGA
- FGA <23, the cut-off score for high fall-risk
- Ability to understand and provide informed consent
- Foot size that allows Walkasins® to function appropriately
- Must be able to complete all functional outcome measures without the use of an assistive device
Exclusion Criteria:
- Inability to perceive vibration from Walkasins leg unit
- Use of ankle-foot orthosis for ambulation that prevents donning of Walkasins
- Acute thrombophlebitis including deep vein thrombosis
- Untreated lymphedema
- Untreated lesion of any kind, swelling, infection, inflamed area of skin or eruptions on the lower leg near product use
- Untreated fractures in the foot and ankle
- Severe peripheral vascular disease
- Musculoskeletal or other neurological conditions that prohibit use of Walkasins as determined by clinician
- Weighs more than 300 pounds
- Plans to begin balance physical therapy (PT) during the first ten weeks of the clinical trial (Ongoing or previous balance PT is not an exclusionary criterion.)
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT03538756
| Contact: Lars Oddsson, PhD | 612-358-2140 | loddsson@rxfunction.com | |
| Contact: Customer Service | 612-358-2225 | info@rxfunction.com |
| United States, Maryland | |
| Johns Hopkins School of Medicine | Recruiting |
| Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 21287 | |
| Contact: Jing Ye 410-955-0938 jye23@jhmi.edu | |
| Contact: Mohammad Khoshnoodi, MD mkhoshn1@jhmi.edu | |
| Principal Investigator: Mohammad Khoshnoodi, MD | |
| United States, Massachusetts | |
| Marcus Institute for Aging Research, Harvard Medical School | Recruiting |
| Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02131 | |
| Contact: Lewis A. Lipsitz, MD 617-971-5318 Lipsitz@hsl.harvard.edu | |
| Contact: Brad Manor, PhD 617-971-5332 BradManor@hsl.harvard.edu | |
| Principal Investigator: Lewis A. Lipsitz, MD | |
| United States, Minnesota | |
| Minneapolis VA Health Care System | Active, not recruiting |
| Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, 55417 | |
| Fairview Health Services | Recruiting |
| Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States, 55114 | |
| Contact: Teresa Bisson, DPT 612-273-6510 tbisson2@Fairview.org | |
| Contact: Front Desk 612-273-3868 | |
| Principal Investigator: Teresa Bisson, DPT | |
| United States, Texas | |
| Baylor College of Medicine | Active, not recruiting |
| Houston, Texas, United States, 77030 | |
| Study Director: | Lars Oddsson, PhD | RxFunction Inc. |
| Responsible Party: | RxFunction Inc. |
| ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT03538756 |
| Other Study ID Numbers: |
CIP-0002 & CIP-0003 |
| First Posted: | May 29, 2018 Key Record Dates |
| Last Update Posted: | May 15, 2020 |
| Last Verified: | May 2020 |
| Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement: | |
| Plan to Share IPD: | No |
| Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product: | No |
| Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product: | Yes |
| Device Product Not Approved or Cleared by U.S. FDA: | Yes |
| Product Manufactured in and Exported from the U.S.: | Yes |
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Balance Peripheral Neuropathy Neuropathy |
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Peripheral Nervous System Diseases Sensation Disorders Neuromuscular Diseases |
Nervous System Diseases Neurologic Manifestations Signs and Symptoms |