NCT02992275

NMES to Improve Hip Abductor Strength and Balance

Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation as an Adjunct to Improve Hip Abductor Muscle Quality and Reduce Fall Risk

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 14 (actual)
• Sponsor: Baltimore VA Medical Center · Federal
• Sex: All
• Age: 60 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This study will examine the addition of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) on the hip abductors during strength training and a fall prevention program for improving muscle strength and improving balance. All individuals in this study will receive NMES to their hip abductors and will participate in a fall reduction program.

Detailed description

Falls are a leading cause of disability in older adults. Decreased lower extremity muscle mass and strength contribute to balance and mobility limitations. Our more recent work also suggests that in addition to the traditional targets of muscle mass of the thigh and leg muscles, dysfunction of the hip abductors may contribute to balance and mobility limitations resulting in increased fall risk. Older adults with impaired hip abductor muscles demonstrate increased amounts of intramuscular fat (IMAT) in and around the muscles, decreased hip abductor strength, lower balance scores, increased gait variability (a predictor of future falls), and poor stepping mechanics when recovering from a balance perturbation. Increased IMAT and muscle dysfunction of the hip abductors may contribute to poor hip abductor muscle recruitment and make changing these muscle during a traditional intervention difficult. Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is one method to improve muscle mass, strength and quality in older adults, but has not traditionally been used on the hip abductors. We propose that a targeted multimodality balance intervention (MMBI) focused on the lateral and diagonal stepping and hip abductor strengthening when combined with NMES will result in improvements in mobility and balance.

Conditions

• Postural Balance

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES)	Participants will receive NMES to the hip abductors while performing strength training 3 times per week for 24 weeks
OTHER	Multi-Modality Balance Intervention (MMBI)	Participants will attend a group balance class that focuses on movement and obstacle negotiation 3 times per week for 24 weeks

Timeline

• Start date: 2017-06-01
• Primary completion: 2021-10-01
• Completion: 2022-12-31
• First posted: 2016-12-14
• Last updated: 2023-02-08

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States