Pole Walking Intervention in Retirement Communities

NCT ID: NCT05388227

Last Updated: 2025-09-19

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

50 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2022-06-28

Study Completion Date

2025-12-31

Brief Summary

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This patient-oriented, multi-site study aims to co-design and test a pole walking program with resident and staff representatives from participating independent living and retirement communities.

The first part of the study (feasibility phase) is a single-group trial designed to answer the main question: Is the pole walking program feasible in these settings? In this phase, all participants will take part in the program.

The second part of the study (pilot phase) is a two-group randomized trial that will assess whether the program helps improve physical activity, physical function, body composition, fear of falling, and health-related quality of life, while also reducing sedentary time (time spent sitting or being inactive) in older adults living in independent living and retirement communities. Communities will be randomly assigned to either start the program right away or join a wait-list control group.

The program will include supervised group sessions held at the participating communities, 2-3 times per week, for 20-60 minutes each session, over a 12-week period. Sessions will take place outdoors when possible, or indoors if the weather is not suitable.

After follow-up assessments are complete, participants in the control group will also be offered the pole walking program at their communities.

Detailed Description

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Pole walking provides an attractive form of exercise therapy for older adults. It is a simple, well-tolerated, and effective means to improve overall functional fitness in older adults. Pole walking has improved upper and lower body muscle strength, cardiovascular endurance, and flexibility in community-dwelling older adults. It has been positively associated with balance, functional mobility, muscle strength, and aerobic exercise capacity in older adults. Pole walking is considered to offer a safe format for walking, as poles provide support and help with balance, and thus contribute to confidence in being active. However, there has not yet been a study assessing the feasibility and efficacy of a pole walking intervention in improving physical activity, physical function, body composition, fear of falling, and health-related quality of life, and decreasing sedentary time in older adults living in independent living/retirement communities.

This patient-oriented, multi-site study consists of a feasibility and a pilot phase. The feasibility phase is a single-arm trial that will assess the feasibility and safety of implementing a pole walking intervention within independent living/retirement communities. In this phase, all participants will receive the intervention. The pilot phase is a two-arm, parallel-group, cluster-randomized, wait-list controlled trial that will assess the efficacy of the pole walking intervention in improving physical activity, physical function, body composition, fear of falling, and health-related quality of life, and decreasing sedentary time in older adults living in independent living/retirement communities. In this phase, our target is to include 50 residents from independent living/retirement communities. Sites will be randomized to either the intervention or a wait-list control group. The intervention will consist of group sessions held at the participating communities, 2-3 times per week, for 20-60 minutes per session, over a 12-week period. Pole walking exercises are tailored for participants and progressive in nature. Sessions will be led by trained peer, staff, or student instructors and conducted outdoors (indoors if weather conditions do not permit). After completing follow-up assessments, participants in the control group will also be offered the pole walking program at their sites.

Conditions

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Fall Injury Osteoporotic Fractures

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

The feasibility phase of this study is a single-group trial with a primary purpose of assessing the feasibility of implementing a pole walking intervention within independent living/retirement communities. The pilot phase of this study is a two-arm, parallel-group, cluster-randomized, wait-list controlled trial with a primary purpose of assessing the efficacy of the pole walking intervention in improving physical activity, physical function, body composition, fear of falling, and health-related quality of life, and decreasing sedentary time in older adults living in independent living/retirement communities. In this phase, we anticipate enrolling 50 participants from residents of independent living/retirement communities. Communities will be randomly allocated to either the intervention or a wait-list control group.
Primary Study Purpose

OTHER

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Pole walking intervention

Will participate in supervised, group pole walking intervention sessions held at the participating communities, 2-3 times per week, for 20-60 minutes per session, over a 12-week period.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Pole walking

Intervention Type OTHER

The intervention will consist of group sessions held at the participating communities, 2-3 times per week, for 20-60 minutes per session, over a 12-week period. Pole walking exercises are tailored for participants and progressive in nature. Sessions will be led by trained peer, staff, or student instructors and conducted outdoors (indoors if weather conditions do not permit).

Wait-list control

Will continue life as usual during the 12-week period. However, after completing follow-up assessments, will also be offered the pole walking intervention at their communities.

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

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Pole walking

The intervention will consist of group sessions held at the participating communities, 2-3 times per week, for 20-60 minutes per session, over a 12-week period. Pole walking exercises are tailored for participants and progressive in nature. Sessions will be led by trained peer, staff, or student instructors and conducted outdoors (indoors if weather conditions do not permit).

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Being an ambulatory resident in the independent living/retirement communities.
* Pass the Get Active Questionnaire. If the participant has heart conditions, angina during daily living, balance, and bone or joint problems, then a Physician Clearance Form is required to be filled out and signed by the participant's family physician.

Exclusion Criteria

* Using assistive devices for mobility.
* Being active (moderate-to-vigorous physical activity ≥150 min/week).
* Diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.
Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Saskatchewan Centre for Patient-Oriented Research

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of Saskatchewan

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Saija Kontulainen

Professor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Saija A Kontulainen, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Professor, College of Kinesiology, University of Saskatchewan

Locations

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Saija Kontulainen, University of Saskatchewan

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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Canada

Central Contacts

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Saija A Kontulainen, PhD

Role: CONTACT

(306) 966-1077

Mohsen Keramati, MSc

Role: CONTACT

(306) 371-4823

Facility Contacts

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Saija Kontulainen, PhD

Role: primary

(306) 966-1077

Mohsen Keramati, MSc

Role: backup

(306) 371-4823

Other Identifiers

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141

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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