Effect of balance training exercises with stroboscopic glasses on postural control, gait, and physical performance in the elderly population: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Aging is the process that declines all the sensory elements that are involved in postural control-"particularly vestibular and proprioceptive"-and these changes are generally compensated with reliance on visual inputs for postural control in this population. Stroboscopic glasses can intermittently disrupt the visual feedback to possibly stimulate sensory reweighting toward the vestibular and proprioceptive inputs. In this study, the impact of balance training with stroboscopic glasses against balance training with non-stroboscopic sunglasses on postural control, gait, and physical function among the elderly is evaluated. METHODS: A total of fifty participants aged 60 years and above will be assigned randomly to either intervention (with stroboscopic glasses that intermittently block visual information) or control (the same exercises with regular sunglasses) groups. Primary outcomes postural control (force plate assessments under eyes-open and eyes-closed condition in feet-together and tandem stance), gait (10-Meter Walk Test), and physical function (Timed Up and Go, Five Times Sit-to-Stand, Functional Reach, and Push and Release Tests) will be measured at baseline, post-intervention, and 4-week follow-up. Exercises based on the Otago Exercise Program will take three sessions per week for 4 weeks, with the last session used as an attendance record session. DISCUSSION: Positive outcomes from this study will support the practice of older adult balance training under stroboscopic glasses. We hypothesized greater improvements in all outcome measures for the stroboscopic balance exercise group compared to the control group. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT20201112049361N2), registered 2025-02-21, https://irct.behdasht.gov.ir/user/trial/80977/view.