Attentional Focus Training on Visuomotor Control in Older Adults

Attentional Focus Training on Visuomotor Control in Older Adults

This study will be a pilot randomized controlled trial, to investigate the effectiveness of an external focus training on visuomotor performance while comparing with an active control group.

All eligible participants will be randomly divided into two groups: external focus gait training group (EXT) and active control group (CON). All participants will complete two assessment sessions: at baseline (T0) and immediately following the completion of all training sessions (T1). A total of twelve training sessions (about 45 minutes per session), held twice a week for six weeks, would be provided to participants in both training groups.

Inclusion Criteria:

• aged 65 or above
• able to walk independently indoor for at least 40 metres
• static visual acuity score 20/40 or above
• scoring 22/30 or above in the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Hong Kong version
• without any history of untreated major neurological, vestibular or musculoskeletal deficits (e.g., stroke or Parkinson's disease)
• without any unstable medical condition that can compromise safety during the experiment
• scoring less than 24/28 in the Tinetti Balance Assessment Tool or scoring 50/56 or below in the Berg Balance Scale

Exclusion Criteria:

• none