NCT04042961

Reactive Balance Training and Fitness

Terminated NA Last updated 9 September 2025

What this trial tests

NA trial testing Reactive balance training in CVA (Cerebrovascular Accident) in 28 participants. Terminated before completion.

Timeline

1 September 2019

Primary endpoint
28 May 2024

16 May 2025

Quick facts

Lead sponsor	Toronto Rehabilitation Institute
Phase	NA
Status	Terminated
Study type	INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation	randomized
Design	parallel
Masking	single
Primary purpose	treatment
Enrollment	28
Start date	1 September 2019
Primary completion	28 May 2024
Estimated completion	16 May 2025
Sites	1 location across Canada

Drugs / interventions tested

• Reactive balance training
• Aerobic and strength training (AST)

Conditions studied

• CVA (Cerebrovascular Accident) — all drugs for CVA (Cerebrovascular Accident) →

Sponsor

Toronto Rehabilitation Institute

Who can join

18 and older, any sex, with CVA (Cerebrovascular Accident). Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Sponsor's own description

People with stroke should exercise to maintain function and reduce the risk of another stroke. Different types of exercise target different components of fitness, such as aerobic, strength, and balance. Post-stroke exercise guidelines exist for each type of exercise separately (eg, brisk walking as aerobic exercise, resistance training for strength, and Tai Chi for balance). Meeting these recommendations means spending a lot of time exercising, and people with stroke say that lack of time and fatigue are barriers to exercise. It is possible to target several components of fitness with one type of exercise.

'Reactive balance training' (RBT) is a type of exercise that improves control of reactions that are needed to prevent a fall after losing balance, and is the only type of exercise with potential to prevent falls in daily life post-stroke. Because RBT involves repeated whole-body movements it may have similar aerobic benefit as other exercises using whole-body movements (eg, brisk walking). Also, leg muscles need to generate a lot of force to make rapid steps in RBT; repeatedly generating this force may help to improve strength.

The purpose of this study is to determine if RBT improves two important components of fitness among people with chronic stroke: aerobic capacity and strength. The investigators expect that the improvements in aerobic capacity and strength after RBT will not be any worse than after an exercise program that specifically targets aerobic fitness and strength. A secondary purpose of this study is to determine the effects of RBT compared to aerobic and strength training on balance control and balance confidence. The investigators expect that RBT will lead to greater improvements in balance control and balance confidence than an aerobic and strength training program.

Publications & conference data

3 peer-reviewed publications reference this trial (live from Europe PMC):

1. Trunk training following stroke.
   Thijs L, Voets E, Denissen S, Mehrholz J, et al · · 2023 · cited 19× · PMID 36864008 · DOI 10.1002/14651858.cd013712.pub2
2. Effect of reactive balance training on physical fitness poststroke: study protocol for a randomised non-inferiority trial.
   Barzideh A, Marzolini S, Danells C, Jagroop D, et al · · 2020 · cited 5× · PMID 32606059 · DOI 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-035740
3. The effects of reactive balance training on cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle strength: a pilot randomized controlled trial
   Devasahayam AJ, Barzideh A, Jagroop D, Danells C, et al · · 2024 · DOI 10.1101/2024.12.16.24319109