Dual-Task Balance Training for Motor Skill Development among Children with Intelligence Quotient Discrepancy

The motor skills of people with mental disabilities are reportedly reduced compared with those of their peers. Therefore, any task incorporating both motor and cognitive skills was hypothesized to provide better motor recovery. The aim of this study is to find the effect of dual-task balance training (DTBT) on motor skill development in children of 6–13 years with intelligence quotient discrepancy (IQD) (score: 50–79). Overall, 30 individuals with mental disabilities aged 6–13 years having an IQ score of 50–79 were included. The participants were randomly divided into two groups that received dual-task training and standard balance training, respectively. IQ was measured with the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised, motor proficiency with the Bruininks–Oseretsky test, reaction time with COGNIBOARD, and balance with Functional Reach Test scores. Intervention was provided twice a week for 12 consecutive weeks. Participants in both groups showed higher test scores in all tests after the training program. Both training programs positively affected the motor performance of the participants. The DTBT was more effective in improving balance performance than the standard balance training. DTBT is a better tool than conventional balance training for improving motor skills and balance in children of 6–13 years with IQD (score: 50–79).

The Effect of Red and Blue on Gross and Fine Motor Tasks: Confirming the Inverted-U Hypothesis

Previous studies have shown that the color red can affect basic motor functioning. However, these studies utilized simple gross motor tasks rather than those assessing complex fine motor skills. Moreover, these empirical studies were theoretically based on the threat–behavior link in human and non-human animals, and neglected the relationship between arousal and motor performance. According to the Yerkes–Dodson law and the inverted-U hypothesis in sport psychology, for simple motor tasks, high arousal (associated with the color red) is more advantageous than low arousal (associated with the color blue); for complex motor tasks, low arousal (blue color) is more advantageous than high arousal (red color). The current research examined the effect of color on different kinds of motor skills (fine motor and gross motor) based on the inverted U-hypothesis. In Experiment 1, we examined the effect of red and blue on dart-throwing performance, whereas in Experiment 2, we examined the effect of red and blue on grip strength performance. The results showed that performance of fine motor skill (dart-throwing) in the blue condition was better than in the red condition, and performance of gross motor skill (handgrip) in the red context was better than in the blue context. These results indicate that the type of motor skill assessed moderates the influence of red and blue on motor performance.

Are Gross Motor Skill Interventions an Equitable Replacement for Outdoor Free Play Regarding Children’s Physical Activity?

Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine if children engaged in equal amounts of physical activity during an established gross motor skill intervention (the Children’s Health Activity Motor Program (CHAMP)) and outdoor free play. Design Cross-sectional study; sample: Ninety-nine children (Mage = 4.21, 51% boys) were randomly divided into two movement environments: CHAMP (n = 55) or control/outdoor free play (n = 44). Measures Physical activity was assessed using GT3X+ Actigraph accelerometers worn on the waist across four mornings. Average physical activity across the four days during either CHAMP or outdoor free play was extracted and categorized as light, moderate, vigorous, or MVPA. Physical activity data were reduced in the Actilife software using the cutpoints from Evenson et al. Analysis A 2 (treatment) x 2 (sex) mixed measures ANOVA was used to compare the amount of time children spent in light, moderate, vigorous, and MVPA. Results There was a significant main effect for treatment for light PA (F(3,95) =13.60, P<.001, partial η2=.125), and post hoc t-tests support that children in the control/outdoor free play group engaged in more light PA compared with children in CHAMP (t95 = −3.75, P<.001). Conclusions Results show that children in CHAMP engaged in less light PA but equal amounts of all other physical activity behaviors than their peers in outdoor free play.

Fisioterapi Pada Kasus Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy merupakan suatu kondisi kerusakan jaringan otak pada pusat motorik atau jaringan penghubungnya, yang terjadi pada selama prenatal, persalinan atau proses pembentukan syaraf pusat, ditandai dengan adanya paralisis, paresis, gangguan kordinasi atau kelainan fungsi motorik. Cerebral palsy dapat disebabkan oleh bayi lahir prematur, ibu terjangkit virus selama masa kehamilan, terjadinya trauma selama lahir. Karena kerusakan otak yang dialaminya akan mempengaruhi sistem sehingga menyebabkan koordinasi yang buruk, kesimbangan yang buruk, pola gerakan yang abnomal. Jurnal ini bertujuan untuk menjelaskan tentang fisioterapi pada kasus cerebral pasly. Metode penelitian yang digunakan deskriptif kualitatif dengan pengambilan materi berbasis literatur rivew. Hasil penelitian menunjukan bahwa pemberian Neurosensomotor Reflex Integration dan Neuro Development Treatment (NDT) dapat memperbaiki tonus postural, merubah pola-pola abnormal, mengajarkan pola-pola motor skill dan mengembangkan pola-pola gerakan dasar.

12-15 yaş futbolcuların motor beceri düzeylerinde biyo-gruplama önemli midir?

Chronological age is used as a basis for determining and comparing the motor skill levels of football players. However, it is known that there are early maturing and late maturing players in the same age group. The aim of this study is to compare the motor skill levels of football players in the same age group by bio-banding and to investigate the importance of bio-banding on motor skill levels. 81 male football players between the ages of 12-15 participated in the study voluntarily. Gross motor skills of the football players participating in the study were determined with Deutscher Motoric Test (DMT 6-18), which consists of 8 tests, namely, (DMT20m sprint, DMTside jump, DMTflexibility, DMT standing long jump, DMT sit-up, DMTbalance, DMT push-up, DMT6 min running). Bio-banding was used to determine the maturity level of football players. As a result of the study, it was determined that there are football players with different maturity levels in the same chronological age grouping. There was no difference in the comparison of sprint, side jump, flexibility, push-up variables between groups according to bio-banding. There was a significant difference in the comparison of balance, sit-up, standing jump and running variables between groups according to bio-banding. It was determined that it was in favor of prepubertal in the sit-up variable, and in favor of pubertal in the balance and sit-up, running and standing jump variables. As a result, it has been determined that there are football players with different maturation levels in the same age group in the bio-bandinged football players, and this situation affects the motor skill levels. It is recommended to use bio-grouping in addition to chronological age when determining the motor skill levels of athletes in all team sports, especially football players. ​Extended English summary is in the end of Full Text PDF (TURKISH) file. Özet Kronolojik yaş futbolcuların motor beceri düzeylerinin belirlenmesinde ve karşılaştırılmasında temel olarak kullanılmaktadır. Fakat aynı yaş grubu içerisinde erken olgunlaşan ve geç olgunlaşan futbolcuların olduğu bilinmektedir. Bu çalışmanın amacı aynı yaş grubu içerisinde yer alan futbolculara biyo-gruplama yapılarak motor beceri düzeylerinin karşılaştırılması ve biyo-gruplamanın motor beceri düzeyleri üzerine öneminin araştırılmasıdır. Çalışmaya 12-15 yaş arası 81 erkek futbolcu gönüllü olarak katılmıştır. Çalışmaya katılan futbolcuların kaba motor becerileri 8 testten oluşan Deutscher Motorik Test (DMT 6-18) (DMT20m sprint, DMTyana sıçrama, DMTesneklik, DMTdurarak uzun atlama, DMTmekik, DMTdenge, DMTşınav, DMT6 dk koşu) ile belirlenirken, futbolcuların olgunluk düzeylerinin belirlenmesinde Biyo-gruplama kullanılmıştır. Çalışma sonucunda aynı kronolojik yaş gruplamasında farklı olgunluk seviyelerine sahip futbolcuların olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Sprint, yana atlama, esneklik, şınav değişkenlerinin biyo-gruplamaya göre gruplar arası karşılaştırılmasında fark saptanmamıştır. Denge, mekik, durarak atlama ve koşu değişkenlerinin biyo-gruplamaya göre gruplar arası karşılaştırılmasında anlamlı fark olduğu, mekik değişkeninde pubertal öncesi lehine, denge ve mekik, koşu ve durarak atlama değişkenlerinde pubertal lehine olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Sonuç olarak, biyo-gruplama yapılan futbolcularda aynı yaş grubu içerisinde farklı olgunlaşma seviyesine sahip futbolcuların olduğu, bu durumun motor beceri düzeylerini etkilediği tespit edilmiştir. Başta futbolcular olmak üzere bütün takım sporlarında sporcuların motor beceri düzeyleri tespit edilirken kronolojik yaşa ek olarak biyo-gruplamanın da kullanılması önerilmektedir.

Long-Term Motor Learning in the “Wild” With High Volume Video Game Data

Motor learning occurs over long periods of practice during which motor acuity, the ability to execute actions more accurately, precisely, and in less time, improves. Laboratory-based studies of motor learning are typically limited to a small number of participants and a time frame of minutes to several hours per participant. There is a need to assess the generalizability of theories and findings from lab-based motor learning studies on larger samples and time scales. In addition, laboratory-based studies of motor learning use relatively simple motor tasks which participants are unlikely to be intrinsically motivated to learn, limiting the interpretation of their findings in more ecologically valid settings (“in the wild”). We studied the acquisition and longitudinal refinement of a complex sensorimotor skill embodied in a first-person shooter video game scenario, with a large sample size (N = 7174, 682,564 repeats of the 60 s game) over a period of months. Participants voluntarily practiced the gaming scenario for up to several hours per day up to 100 days. We found improvement in performance accuracy (quantified as hit rate) was modest over time but motor acuity (quantified as hits per second) improved considerably, with 40–60% retention from 1 day to the next. We observed steady improvements in motor acuity across multiple days of video game practice, unlike most motor learning tasks studied in the lab that hit a performance ceiling rather quickly. Learning rate was a non-linear function of baseline performance level, amount of daily practice, and to a lesser extent, number of days between practice sessions. In addition, we found that the benefit of additional practice on any given day was non-monotonic; the greatest improvements in motor acuity were evident with about an hour of practice and 90% of the learning benefit was achieved by practicing 30 min per day. Taken together, these results provide a proof-of-concept in studying motor skill acquisition outside the confines of the traditional laboratory, in the presence of unmeasured confounds, and provide new insights into how a complex motor skill is acquired in an ecologically valid setting and refined across much longer time scales than typically explored.