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NCT Number: NCT07699848

Active Versus Passive Sitting, Cognition and Energy

The study will compare cognitive capacity, muscle utilization patterns, soft tissue seated pressure and caloric output during four seated conditions:

1. passive sitting in a regular chair; 2. passive sitting in an exercise chair; 3. sitting in the exercise chair during active dynamic exercise; and, 4. sitting in the chair during active static exercise.

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Key information

Conditions

Electromyography Pressure Injury of Back

Age range

18 year–70 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Adult (18-70)

Exclusion criteria

  • Any current injury in the lower limb or trunk.
  • Use of prescription drugs or supplements that may affect cardiovascular or neuromuscular responses.
  • Reported lack of sleep or stress that may affect physiological responses to exercise.
  • Cardiovascular, respiratory, neurologic, balance, metabolic, or musculoskeletal conditions that could increase risk during exercise testing

Treatment and study plan

Chaircise

Behavioral

A chair-based exercise program using a specialized chair with a foot lever that allows participants to lift their body weight.

Primary outcomes

  1. Differences in cognitive performance among chair conditions as measured by the Psychomotor Vigilance Test in number of key depressions

    Time frame: Approximately 3 minutes

    Cognitive performance will be assessed using the 3-minute Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT). During the test, participants will press the space bar as quickly as possible in response to the appearance of a visual stimulus on a computer screen. Performance will be measured as the total number of valid responses recorded during the test. Higher values indicate greater alertness, sustained attention, and reaction speed.

  2. Executive function among chair conditions as measured by the Stroop Test using words counted.

    Time frame: Approximately 5 minutes.

    Executive function will be assessed using the Stroop Test, a cognitive task requiring participants to respond to color word stimuli. The outcome will be measured by total words counted, reported as the number of words.

  3. Executive function among chair conditions as measured by the Stroop Test using error rate.

    Time frame: Approximately 5 minutes.

    Executive function will be assessed using the Stroop Test, a cognitive task requiring participants to respond to color word stimuli. The outcome will be measured by error rate, reported as the percentage of errors.

  4. Muscle activity among chair conditions using electromyography

    Time frame: Approximately 45 minutes

    Muscle activity will be assessed using surface electromyography (EMG). Muscle activation will be quantified as EMG amplitude, measured in microvolts (µV) from EMG recordings. Higher values indicate greater muscle activity.

  5. Peak seated tissue pressure among chair conditions using a pressure sensitive mat

    Time frame: Approximately 15 minutes

    Seated tissue pressure will be assessed using a pressure-sensitive mat placed on the seat surface of each chair. Peak pressure will be recorded to quantify the highest pressure exerted at the seating interface during each chair condition, measured in kilopascals. Higher values indicate greater localized pressure on seated tissues.

  6. Metabolic cost of sitting among the chair conditions using a portable oxygen consumption unit

    Time frame: Approximately 25 minutes

    Metabolic cost during sitting will be assessed under each chair condition using a portable indirect calorimetry device. Participants will wear a facemask that measures oxygen consumption (VO₂) and carbon dioxide production (VCO₂). These measurements will be used to estimate energy expenditure during the sitting period. Higher values indicate greater metabolic cost.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Ethan J Elkins, MS

CONTACT

[email protected]

3052844173

Joseph Signorile J Joseph Signorile, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

3058981458

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Miami

Other

Collaborators

  • Robot Studios

Registry information

Official study title

Differences in Muscle Utilization, Tissue Pressure, Cognitive Performance, and Caloric Output Among Active and Passive Sitting Positions.

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2027
Study completion
2027
First posted
Jul 13, 2026
Registry last updated
Jul 13, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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