Enhance home walking and balance
- Trial ID
- NCT06617884
- Official Title
- Comparison of Two Home-based Gait and Balance Trainings With Different Training Frequencies in Patients With Parkinson's Disease and Ataxia
- Goal
- Enhance home walking and balance
- Phase
- NA
- Status
- RECRUITING
- Sponsor
- Forschungszentrum Juelich
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Enrollment
- 80 participants
- Conditions
- Ataxia, Parkinson Disease
- Interventions
- Gait and balance training
Summary For Families
Researchers are testing whether different schedules of home-based gait and balance exercises can improve walking, stability, and daily mobility in people with Parkinson's disease or cerebellar ataxia, and whether one frequency is more effective at reducing fall risk. Participants follow guided at-home training that targets stepping, coordination, timing, and leg strength to retrain balance responses and gait patterns through repetition and motor learning, this is a non-drug approach meant to complement medications like levodopa rather than replace them. Adults 18 to 75 with a clinical diagnosis of idiopathic Parkinson's syndrome or cerebellar ataxia who can walk at least four meters at home are eligible, while those with frequent falls (one or more per week), other major motor-impacting illnesses, severe psychiatric disease, addiction, poor general health, or inability to consent are excluded; Parkinson's participants must be able to be measured during their on-medication phase.
Locations
- Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf, Institut für Klinische Neurowissenschaften und Medizinische Psychologie, Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is this trial testing?
- This trial is studying Gait and balance training. Researchers are testing whether different schedules of home-based gait and balance exercises can improve walking, stability, and daily mobility in people with Parkinson's disease or cerebellar ataxia, and whether one frequency is more effective at reducing fall risk. Participants follow guided at-home training that targets stepping, coordination, timing, and leg strength to retrain balance responses and gait patterns through repetition and motor learning, this is a non-drug approach meant to complement medications like levodopa rather than replace them. Adults 18 to 75 with a clinical diagnosis of idiopathic Parkinson's syndrome or cerebellar ataxia who can walk at least four meters at home are eligible, while those with frequent falls (one or more per week), other major motor-impacting illnesses, severe psychiatric disease, addiction, poor general health, or inability to consent are excluded; Parkinson's participants must be able to be measured during their on-medication phase.
- Who can participate?
- Participants must be between 18 Years and 75 Years.
- Where is this trial located?
- This trial is recruiting at 1 location.
- Does it cost anything to join?
- No. There is no cost to participate. Study-related care and treatment are provided at no charge.
- How long does the trial last?
- This trial is estimated to last approximately 2 years and 11 months.
- Will I get the real drug or a placebo?
- It depends on the trial design. Some Parkinson's trials are placebo controlled, meaning a portion of participants get an inactive comparison while others get the experimental treatment. Some use crossover designs so everyone eventually receives the active treatment at some point. Observational trials do not use a placebo at all because they are not testing a new treatment. The consent form for any specific trial spells out the design and your odds of being assigned to placebo before you enroll.
- How often will I need to visit the study site?
- Visit frequency varies by trial. Many Parkinson's studies require an in person visit every 4 to 12 weeks during the active treatment phase, with shorter or longer gaps depending on the design. The site coordinator can give you the full visit schedule before you sign anything, so you know what the time commitment looks like.
- Can I leave the trial if I change my mind?
- Yes. You can withdraw from any clinical trial at any time, for any reason, without affecting your standard medical care. Trials are voluntary by law. The team may ask if you are willing to do a brief exit visit so they can collect safety information, but you are not obligated.
- Will travel or parking be reimbursed?
- Many trials reimburse for parking, mileage, and sometimes lodging if the site is far from your home. Reimbursement policies vary by sponsor and site. When you contact the trial team, ask specifically what is covered and how reimbursement is processed.
- Can my spouse or care partner come with me to visits?
- In most cases yes, and it is often encouraged. Care partners can help with notes, questions, and getting home safely after a long visit. Some study assessments do need to happen one on one, but care partners are usually welcome for the rest of the appointment.