Upper extremity motor abilities and cognitive capability mediate the causal dependency between somatosensory capability and daily function in stroke individuals

Stroke individuals’ daily function has been demonstrated to be influenced by their somatosensory capability, cognitive capability, and upper extremity (UE) motor abilities. However, the structural relationships among these abilities on stroke individuals’ independence in daily function remain unclear. We analyzed the pretest measures of 153 stroke individuals in outpatient rehabilitation settings by structural equation modeling to determine the structural relationship among somatosensory capability, UE muscle strength, UE motor function, and cognitive capability that influences independence in daily function. The standardized results indicated somatosensory capability negatively influenced UE muscle strength, but positively influenced UE muscle strength mediated by UE motor function. UE muscle strength, then, positively influenced individuals’ independence in daily function. On the other hand, somatosensory capability positively influenced cognitive capability, which marginally and positively affected the performance of independence in daily function. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate the influence of somatosensory capability on the daily function is mediated mainly by motor functions and marginally by cognitive capability. This structural model may allow future clinical therapists to design more effective task-related training protocols to promote the independence in daily function for stroke individuals.

A Repertoire of Virtual-Reality, Occupational Therapy Exercises for Motor Rehabilitation Based on Action Observation

There is a growing interest in action observation treatment (AOT), i.e., a rehabilitative procedure combining action observation, motor imagery, and action execution to promote the recovery, maintenance, and acquisition of motor abilities. AOT studies employed basic upper limb gestures as stimuli, but—in principle—the AOT approach can be effectively extended to more complex actions like occupational gestures. Here, we present a repertoire of virtual-reality (VR) stimuli depicting occupational therapy exercises intended for AOT, potentially suitable for occupational safety and injury prevention. We animated a humanoid avatar by fitting the kinematics recorded by a healthy subject performing the exercises. All the stimuli are available via a custom-made graphical user interface, which allows the user to adjust several visualization parameters like the viewpoint, the number of repetitions, and the observed movement’s speed. Beyond providing clinicians with a set of VR stimuli promoting via AOT the recovery of goal-oriented, occupational gestures, such a repertoire could extend the use of AOT to the field of occupational safety and injury prevention.

Relationship between Isokinetic Knee Strength and Speed, Agility, and Explosive Power in Elite Soccer Players

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the isokinetic characteristics of knee extensors and flexors with selected motor abilities: Speed, agility, and explosive power of lower extremities of professional football players in the preparation period of a yearly training cycle. Twenty-one players (age: 24.5 ± 3.9 years; body mass: 76.7 ± 4.7 kg and body height: 183.5 ± 5.5 cm) playing in the highest Polish soccer league participated in the study. The isokinetic concentric torque of the knee extensors and flexors was measured at 300°/s, 180°/s, and 60°/s velocities. Sprint performance was assessed in the 30 m sprint test (standing start). The forward, lateral, and backward movements were assessed using the T-Test of agility. Explosive power was quantified by performing the squat jump (SJ) and countermovement (CMJ), using the force platform. Due to sport-specific demands of soccer activities measured in this experiment, the relationships between peak torque (PT) and the 30 m sprint, T-Test of agility, and power of vertical jumps (SJ and CMJ) were low or medium at speeds of 60°/s and 300°/s. One of the main reasons for the lack of high dependence of the above-mentioned factors are that the measurements were performed during the initial training period where the level of individual abilities is at a low level. Additionally, this experiment may also indicate that the measurement of isokinetic knee flexion and extension peak is effective when performed at the correct angular velocity in relation to the evaluation of the intended motion structure.

Discriminant analysis: peculiarities of impact of sports specialization on 3rd-year female students’ functional and motor fitness

Background and Study Aim. The objective of the study was to determine the peculiarities of impact of sports specialization on 3rd-year female students’ functional and motor fitness. Materials and methods. The study involved 3rd-year female students of the Donbas State Engineering Academy in Kramatorsk, who practiced badminton (n = 43), aerobics (n = 43), and callanetics (n = 43). To solve the tasks set, the following research methods were used: analysis of scientific literature, pedagogical observation, pedagogical testing; index method and medical-biological methods. Pedagogical methods were used to study the peculiarities of students’ functional state of the body and motor abilities; for data processing discriminant analysis was used. Sectional classes were held in groups according to the schedule – twice a week. Results. The study revealed the peculiarities of impact of attending badminton, aerobics, and callanetics sports sections on the level of 3rd-year female students’ functional and motor fitness. The female students who play badminton show better results in the 100-meter dash and the Standing long jump. In the exercise “Push-ups”, better results are shown by the female students who do aerobics. Conclusions. The results of classification of students by the level of motor and functional fitness and the analysis of multidimensional averages (centroids) point to the peculiarities of dynamics of female students’ state depending on sports specialization. The results of the following tests are most important for differentiated assessment of the state of motor and functional fitness at the first level: Romberg test (r = 0.662), 100-meter dash (r = 0.491), Push-ups (r = 0.491). At the second level – Stange test (r = 0.417), Standing long jump (r = 0.412).

Cornerstones of teaching tennis for children aged four to six years

The first tennis training stage, which usually takes place between four and six years of age, cannot simply follow an adult training regime with quantitatively reduced loads. Training should account for children’s cognitive, emotional, social, physical and motor development. This article highlights the cornerstones of early tennis teaching, including fundamental motor skills, which help to develop more complex motor actions, and motor abilities, especially strength fitness, which determines posture, jumping, running and throws. This is achieved through fun plays and games, which should include various coordination tasks providing motor experiences and develop more complex actions in future.

The effect of a dynamic program on developing some cognitive-motor abilities for second grade primary school Students

Research objectives are: - Preparing the kinetic games program to develop some cognitive-kinetic abilities for second grade primary students. - recognize the effect of using the Kinetic Games program in developing some cognitive abilities - the kinematic for the second elementary grade students. Research hypotheses: - There are statistically significant differences between pre and posttests of the experimental and control group. - There are statistically significant differences between the post-tests of the experimental and control groups and in favor of the experimental group. The experimental method was used, and the curriculum was applied to the second elementary class students (40) students, and they were randomly divided into two experimental and control groups, and at a rate of (20) students in each group, the experimental group applied the motor games program prepared by the researcher, either The control group applied the traditional physical education program of the school. The two programs were implemented with (9) educational units each and by two educational units in the week

The Development of Sewing Board Media to Optimize the Fine Motor Abilities of Students with Cerebral Palsy

Disability can be classified into two types, namely disorders of the function of the orthopedic limb (orthopedic disability) and disorders of the function of the nerve (neurological disability). The purpose of this study was to optimize the fine motor skills of students with cerebral palsy at TKLB SLB D YPAC, South Jakarta, through sewing board media. In this study, the ADDIE Approach (Analysis-Design-Develop-ImplementEvaluate) was used. The sewing board media developed in this study were shown to be effective and can be used in optimizing the fine motor skills of students with cerebral palsy. Keywords: children with special needs, cerebral palsy, fine motor, sewing board media

Clinical and Genetic Findings in a Series of Eight Families with Arthrogryposis

The term “arthrogryposis” is used to indicate multiple congenital contractures affecting two or more areas of the body. Arthrogryposis is the consequence of an impairment of embryofetal neuromuscular function and development. The causes of arthrogryposis are multiple, and in newborns, it is difficult to predict the molecular defect as well as the clinical evolution just based on clinical findings. We studied a consecutive series of 13 participants who had amyoplasia, distal arthrogryposis (DA), or syndromic forms of arthrogryposis with normal intellectual development and other motor abilities. The underlying pathogenic variants were identified in 11 out of 13 participants. Correlating the genotype with the clinical features indicated that prenatal findings were specific for DA; this was helpful to identify familial cases, but features were non-specific for the involved gene. Perinatal clinical findings were similar among the participants, except for amyoplasia. Dilatation of the aortic root led to the diagnosis of Loeys–Dietz syndrome (LDS) in one case. The phenotype of DA type 5D (DA5D) and Escobar syndrome became more characteristic at later ages due to more pronounced pterygia. Follow-up indicated that DA type 1 (DA1)/DA type 2B (DA2B) spectrum and LDS had a more favorable course than the other forms. Hand clenching and talipes equinovarus/rocker bottom foot showed an improvement in all participants, and adducted thumb resolved in all forms except in amyoplasia. The combination of clinical evaluation with Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) analysis in the newborn may allow for an early diagnosis and, particularly in the DAs, suggests a favorable prognosis.

Development of motor abilities in girls with scoliosis of 1-2 degrees by means of recreational aerobics and therapeutic physical culture

In the specialized literature, you can find data from a number of authors indicating that children with scoliosis have a lag in the level of physical development and physical fitness. The article presents the results of a study indicating the positive effect of recreational aerobics and therapeutic physical culture on the development of motor abilities in primary school-age girls with 1-2-degree scoliosis. Key words: health, posture, scoliosis, aerobics, therapeutic physical education, development.

Discrepancies in Objective and Subjective Fine Motor Abilities in Octogenarians

Older individuals may have discrepancies between self-reported and performance-based abilities on activities of daily living (ADL). We examined objective and self-reported fine motor abilities (FMA). FMA are required for many ADLs, but are examined less frequently than gross-motor tasks in this population. We used two waves of the population-based OCTO-Twin study including mono-/dizygotic Swedish twins, aged 80+. One twin was randomly selected for analyses (baseline N=262; wave 2 N=198; Meanage =83.27; SDage=2.90; 66.4% female). Participants self-reported their ability to manipulate things with hands (cannot do, some problem, no problem) and completed a timed FMA assessment including five everyday tasks (e.g. inserting a key in a lock). Slow performance was coded as 1+ SD from the mean (=80+ seconds). At baseline, 65.8% of slow performers reported ‘no problems’ with hand manipulation. Over two waves (two years), a two-factor ANOVA (including slowness-by-perception interaction) supported a significant difference in total motor task performance between slow performers reporting ‘no problems’ and fast performers reporting ‘no problems’, for both rate of change (diff = -26 seconds, p<.0001) and wave 2 level (diff = 50 seconds, p < .0001). 82% of slow performers at wave 2 reported ‘no problems’, which is surprising given that they had become even slower over the past two years. Findings suggest that objective FMA measures are needed, as self-report is inaccurate and not prognostic. Future work will examine if discrepancies in performance/perceived FMA predict poorer outcomes, and/or if reporting ‘no problems’ despite slower performance is protective against cognitive adaptation to slowing.