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NCT Number: NCT07738653

Changes in Spatiotemporal Gait Parameters in Experienced Meditators

This research project aims to investigate whether participation in a 5-day meditation retreat is associated with changes in biomechanical gait parameters in experienced meditators. Walking is a complex motor function that integrates cognitive, sensory, and neuromuscular processes, and alterations in gait have been linked to neurological, psychological, and emotional functioning. Recent advances in wearable sensor technology enable precise assessment of gait characteristics, including stance and swing phases, foot-rocker timing, acceleration, and joint kinematics, providing objective measures of motor performance. Mindfulness has consistently demonstrated beneficial effects on psychological well-being, emotion regulation, and body awareness, and growing evidence suggests that emotional states influence motor behavior, including gait. Furthermore, mindfulness-based interventions have shown promising effects on motor symptoms in some clinical populations, although the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Meditation retreats, which combine intensive mindfulness practice with a distraction-free environment, have been associated with sustained improvements in stress, anxiety, quality of life, and neuroplasticity-related processes. However, despite increasing interest in mind-body interventions, no published studies have specifically examined the effects of meditation retreats on gait biomechanics. This pilot study therefore seeks to address this knowledge gap by evaluating changes in gait and foot-strike biomechanics before and after a 5-day meditation retreat using wearable gait analysis technology. In addition, the study will explore the relationship between changes in biomechanical gait variables and participants' levels of mindfulness and quality of life. The findings are expected to provide preliminary evidence on the potential motor effects of intensive meditation practice and contribute to a better understanding of the interaction between mindfulness, body awareness, and locomotor function in healthy individuals.

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Key information

Conditions

Mindfulness Gait Biomechanics

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Department of Psychiatry. Miguel Servet University Hospital, Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50009

Zaragoza, Spain

About this study

Walking requires multiple and complex afferent and efferent networks-both cognitive and sensory-so that body weight can be borne alternately by both lower limbs, thereby achieving adequate overall bodily coordination . Some authors consider gait to be the "sixth vital sign", because gait disturbances in the absence of trauma may be prodromal features of neurodegeneration and contribute to disability in organic, psychological, and psychiatric disorders such as depression, thereby reducing quality of life In the last two decades, the development of sensors and wireless communication-based computing systems has complemented the information provided by classic observation-based parameters. This technology yields more detailed information in gait analysis by allowing measurement of stance and swing times, the duration of the three foot rockers (heel, ankle, and forefoot), maximal acceleration, and pronation-supination and flexion-extension angles.

Mindfulness is "a process of self-regulation of attention so that it is maintained on immediate experience, with an attitude of curiosity, openness, and acceptance toward that experience". It increases body awareness and helps reduce stress and anxiety by enabling individuals to become aware of thoughts and emotions without judgment through processes that affect emotion regulation . Mindfulness-based programs such as MBSR and MBCT have shown beneficial effects both in healthy individuals and in people with mental or physical illnesses associated with chronic pain, anxiety, or depression.

Emotional states affect the somatovisceral and motor systems, while the experience of bodily states influences emotional information processing . This occurs both in disease states and in healthy individuals . Recently, Wakabayashi et al. demonstrated that gait alone can convey emotional information, as observers were able to identify emotions such as anger, sadness, and fear from body movement in isolation. These gait-related patterns were captured through motion-capture sensor measurements obtained from 17 body regions. This finding suggests that different bodily experiences may shape gait and, in turn, influence the emotional information it communicates.

Reviews and meta-analyses indicate that mindfulness has shown beneficial effects not only on psychological symptoms but also on motor alterations in patients with Parkinson's disease , although a recent paper by Trinh et al. points out that the evidence is conflicting and not always significant . In other conditions, such as stroke rehabilitation, the evidence is weaker because it is difficult to disentangle the specific effect of mindfulness from that of other maneuvers affecting motor recovery, as also occurs in other organic diseases . This is partly because many medical conditions are associated with autonomic dysregulation, which may have a widespread negative impact on multiple body systems and lead to health deterioration, as noted by Churchill.

In healthy individuals, mindfulness improves overall health and quality of life, and some authors advocate its incorporation into health programs for older adults in order to promote more successful aging.

In the last decade, meditation retreats have proliferated in developed countries. These programs integrate relaxation with mindfulness by incorporating activities such as meditation, silence, diet, yoga, or similar practices. Participants seek serene, distraction-free environments that facilitate introspection. A systematic meta-analysis showed that traditional meditation retreats reduce anxiety, depression, and stress, and improve emotion regulation and quality of life, with sustained effects at follow-up and benefits that may last longer than those of conventional vacations . Another meta-analysis focused on Vipassana meditation supports these findings . Jinich-Diamant et al. observed that a 7-day intensive intervention focused on mind-body reconceptualization, meditation, and open-label placebo was associated with brain and molecular changes consistent with enhanced neuroplasticity and metabolic modulation. Although these findings suggest the biological potential of mind-body interventions, they should be interpreted with caution due to the absence of a control group.

This effect is not limited to healthy individuals: the American Heart Association recognizes that meditation, including retreats, may improve perceived stress, mood, and quality of life, although the strength of evidence is modest and more studies are required to define the underlying physiological mechanisms.

In summary, the medical literature supports that meditation retreats provide significant benefits for mental health and for some physical parameters, with sustained effects and a low risk of relevant adverse events. However, there is very little information on their motor neurological impact. Naranjo et al. found a positive effect on visuomotor integration processes after a task eliciting perceptual-motor conflict in the upper limbs. The authors suggested that greater connection with the body allows movement to be adjusted in real time, thereby improving precision and response. Nevertheless, information is still lacking regarding gait, where involvement of the lower limbs is essential.

After searching the terms "meditation retreat and/or mindfulness and gait and retreats" in Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, PsycINFO, Google Scholar, Fisterra, MEDLINE OvidSP, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library, we found no published studies analyzing this topic. It was therefore considered appropriate to conduct a pilot study in healthy meditators attending a retreat for meditative practice in order to assess possible changes in gait, given the interaction between emotional states and somatovisceral systems.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Taking part in the meditation retreat
  • Being able to read and understand the Spanish language
  • Not have been diagnosed with any serious medical or psychiatric conditions
  • Not have been diagnosed with any condition that impairs or alters foot strike or gait

Exclusion criteria

  • Age: <18 years old

Treatment and study plan

Meditation

Behavioral

This is a 5-day meditation retreat during which participants take part in various practices.

Primary outcomes

  1. Biomechanical Variables

    Time frame: Baseline

    Inertial sensors: These sensors consist of accelerometers and gyroscopes that enable the estimation of foot movements. Electronic baropodometer: This is a device comprising a platform with digital sensors designed to assess the points of maximum pressure on the foot whilst stationary, as well as to analyse the feet whilst in motion, obtaining data on pressure, rotation and displacement.

  2. 15-item Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ-15)

    Time frame: Baseline

    The FFMQ is a test comprising 39 items, which measures the general tendency to practise mindfulness based on five skills: Observation, Description, Mindful Action, Non-judgement and Non-reactivity. This scale is valid and reliable, with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.84. Total scores range from 15 to 75, with higher scores indicating greater levels of mindfulness.

  3. Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7)

    Time frame: Baseline

    Generalised Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7): The GAD-7 is a tool that demonstrates adequate indicators of validity and reliability. It is an excellent, reliable, easy and quick-to-use tool for detecting symptoms of generalised anxiety; its internal consistency yielded a Cronbach's alpha of 0.88. Total scores range from 0 to 21, with higher scores indicating greater anxiety symptom severity. Scores of 0-4 indicate minimal anxiety, 5-9 mild anxiety, 10-14 moderate anxiety, and 15-21 severe anxiety.

  4. Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9)

    Time frame: Baseline

    Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9): The PHQ-9 is a nine-item self-report measure that evaluates the presence of depressive symptoms based on the DSM-IV criteria for major depressive episode. This questionnaire demonstrates good internal consistency, with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.80. Total scores range from 0 to 27, with higher scores indicating greater depressive symptom severity. Scores of 0-4 indicate minimal depression, 5-9 mild depression, 10-14 moderate depression, 15-19 moderately severe depression, and 20-27 severe depression.

  5. 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12)

    Time frame: Baseline

    The SF-12 is a generic measure of health-related quality of life that evaluates physical, mental, and social health. It is a shortened version of the SF-36 and assesses the same eight health domains: Physical Functioning, Role Physical, Bodily Pain, General Health, Vitality, Social Functioning, Role Emotional, and Mental Health. Domain scores are transformed to a 0-100 scale, where 0 represents the worst possible health status and 100 the best possible health status. Higher scores indicate better perceived health-related quality of life. The SF-12 also provides Physical Component Summary (PCS) and Mental Component Summary (MCS) scores.

  6. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS)

    Time frame: Baseline

    The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) is a single-item self-report measure used to assess the intensity of emotional states. Each emotion is rated on a 0-10 scale, with higher scores indicating greater emotional intensity. In this study, the VAS was used to assess the intensity of happiness, sadness, anger, surprise, anxiety, relaxation/calm, and vigor/energy. A score of 0 indicates the complete absence of the emotion, whereas a score of 10 indicates the maximum intensity of that emotion.

  7. Biomechanical Variables

    Time frame: Up to 5 days

    Inertial sensors: These sensors consist of accelerometers and gyroscopes that enable the estimation of foot movements. Electronic baropodometer: This is a device comprising a platform with digital sensors designed to assess the points of maximum pressure on the foot whilst stationary, as well as to analyse the feet whilst in motion, obtaining data on pressure, rotation and displacement.

  8. 15-item Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ-15)

    Time frame: Up to 5 days

    The FFMQ is a test comprising 39 items, which measures the general tendency to practise mindfulness based on five skills: Observation, Description, Mindful Action, Non-judgement and Non-reactivity. This scale is valid and reliable, with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.84. Total scores range from 15 to 75, with higher scores indicating greater levels of mindfulness.

  9. Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7)

    Time frame: Up to 5 days

    Generalised Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7): The GAD-7 is a tool that demonstrates adequate indicators of validity and reliability. It is an excellent, reliable, easy and quick-to-use tool for detecting symptoms of generalised anxiety; its internal consistency yielded a Cronbach's alpha of 0.88. Total scores range from 0 to 21, with higher scores indicating greater anxiety symptom severity. Scores of 0-4 indicate minimal anxiety, 5-9 mild anxiety, 10-14 moderate anxiety, and 15-21 severe anxiety.

  10. Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)

    Time frame: Up to 5 days

    Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9): The PHQ-9 is a nine-item self-report measure that evaluates the presence of depressive symptoms based on the DSM-IV criteria for major depressive episode. This questionnaire demonstrates good internal consistency, with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.80. Total scores range from 0 to 27, with higher scores indicating greater depressive symptom severity. Scores of 0-4 indicate minimal depression, 5-9 mild depression, 10-14 moderate depression, 15-19 moderately severe depression, and 20-27 severe depression.

  11. 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12)

    Time frame: Up to 5 days

    The SF-12 is a generic measure of health-related quality of life that evaluates physical, mental, and social health. It is a shortened version of the SF-36 and assesses the same eight health domains: Physical Functioning, Role Physical, Bodily Pain, General Health, Vitality, Social Functioning, Role Emotional, and Mental Health. Domain scores are transformed to a 0-100 scale, where 0 represents the worst possible health status and 100 the best possible health status. Higher scores indicate better perceived health-related quality of life. The SF-12 also provides Physical Component Summary (PCS) and Mental Component Summary (MCS) scores.

  12. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS)

    Time frame: Up to 5 days

    The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) is a single-item self-report measure used to assess the intensity of emotional states. Each emotion is rated on a 0-10 scale, with higher scores indicating greater emotional intensity. In this study, the VAS was used to assess the intensity of happiness, sadness, anger, surprise, anxiety, relaxation/calm, and vigor/energy. A score of 0 indicates the complete absence of the emotion, whereas a score of 10 indicates the maximum intensity of that emotion.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Gender

    Time frame: Baseline

    Gender of participants: male, female, other.

  2. Age

    Time frame: Baseline

    Open-ended question where subjects are asked to indicate numerically their current age.

  3. Nationality

    Time frame: Baseline

    Country of birth of participants: Spain, other (please specify).

  4. Current city of residence

    Time frame: Baseline

    Place of current residence

  5. Cohabitation

    Time frame: Baseline

    Who do you live with

  6. Education

    Time frame: Baseline

    Level of education completed

  7. Employment situation

    Time frame: Baseline

    Current employment status

  8. Meditative practice

    Time frame: Baseline

    A meditation practice questionnaire will be administered to collect detailed information about participants' meditation experience. Specifically, it assesses the onset of meditation practice (e.g., when participants began meditating), the way in which they learned or were introduced to meditation (e.g., through formal courses, retreats, self-guided learning, or teachers), and the characteristics of their current practice. The questionnaire also gathers information on the frequency and duration of meditation, including the amount of time devoted to different types of practices (e.g., focused attention, open monitoring, loving-kindness, body scan, or other meditation techniques), providing a comprehensive overview of each participant's meditation background and habits.

  9. Body weight

    Time frame: Baseline

    Participants were asked to self-report their current body weight in kilograms (kg). Higher values indicate greater body weight.

  10. Height

    Time frame: Baseline

    Participants were asked to self-report their height in centimeters (cm). Higher values indicate greater stature.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Hospital Miguel Servet

Other

Collaborators

  • Fundacion Podoactiva

Registry information

Official study title

Changes in Spatiotemporal Gait Parameters After a 5-Day Mindfulness Retreat: A Pre-Post Pilot Study in Experienced Meditators

Important dates

Study start
2023
Primary completion
2023
Study completion
2023
First posted
Jul 31, 2026
Registry last updated
Jul 31, 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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