Trial reportPloS one2026
Effects of Square-Stepping Exercise on cognitive function in early geriatric rehabilitation: A randomized controlled explorative study.
Trial report in PloS one, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
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Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesThe aim of the explorative study was to evaluate the effect of Square-Stepping Exercise (SSE) on cognitive function compared to conventional physiotherapy (cPT) in early geriatric rehabilitation. A training effect of SSE on cognitive function particularly on executive functions was expected.
methodsThis explorative study was conducted in the department of early geriatric rehabilitation in a general hospital. Fifty-eight inpatients (27 female), with a median age of 79.1 (range: 63-90) were randomized to the control group (CG, n = 29) or the intervention group (IG, n = 29). CG received cPT five days per week during their hospital stay. For the IG, SSE replaced cPT for at least six sessions throughout the hospital stay, alternating with cPT. Executive function was assessed via the test battery for attentional performance (TAP), memory function was evaluated using the digit span test.
resultsBoth groups improved in the divided attention task (total pre 9.9 missing items; total post 7.5 missing items, p = 0.011), and in the flexibility task (total pre 2034.49 ms; total post 1680.60 ms, p = 0.004). There was no specific training effect of SSE on executive functions measured with the TAP. No improvement in memory function was noted in either group.
conclusionInpatients receiving SSE combined with cPT improved similarly in cognitive domains during early geriatric rehabilitation compared with inpatients offered cPT alone. SSE can be used as an additional component in early geriatric rehabilitation, which due to its playful characteristics might be more motivational or intriguing for some inpatients.
trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov DRKS00026191.
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