Could water workouts stop falls in seniors? new study dives in
NCT ID NCT06720974
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Aug 07, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This study explores whether doing balance exercises in water can help older adults avoid falls. Fifteen people aged 65 and older who have fallen before will do water-based training twice a week for six weeks. Researchers will check if the program is practical and if it improves balance, mobility, and quality of life.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Aquatic reactive balance training (water-based exercise with therapist-applied perturbations)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a safer, effective way to reduce falls in older adults using water-based training.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small feasibility study with only 15 participants, so results may not apply widely. It is not yet recruiting and may not lead to a larger trial.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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12 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Dec 2025
- Finished
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Aug 2026
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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65 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * 65 years and older * able to stand ≥1 min * able to independently walk ≥10 m without assistance * a history of ≥2 falls in the past 12 months, history of an injurious fall in the past 12 months, and/or self-reported balance difficulties Exclusion Criteria: * Current diagnosis of neurological or sensory disorders * uncorrected vision problems * recurrent dizziness * cognitive deficits * medical conditions that could increase injury risk during balance tests (e.g. presence of a prior fragility fracture) * conditions that would not allow the participant to get into the therapy pool (e.g. wounds, fear of water) * currently attending physiotherapy or supervised exercise.
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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KITE Research Institute
Toronto, Canada
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