Mobility is a complex but crucial clinical outcome in older adults. Past observational studies have highlighted that cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), energy cost of walking (ECW), and cognitive ...switching abilities are associated with mobility performance, making these key determinants of mobility intervention targets to enhance mobility in older adults. The objective of this study was to compare, in the same design, the impact of three training methods - each known to improve either CRF, ECW, or cognitive switching abilities - on mobility in healthy older adults.
Seventy-eight participants (69.28 ± 4.85yo) were randomly assigned to one of three twelve-week interventions: Aerobic Exercise (AE; n = 26), Gross Motor Abilities (GMA; n = 27), or Cognitive (COG; n = 25) training. Each intervention was designed to improve one of the three key determinants of mobility (CRF, ECW, and cognitive switching). Primary outcomes (usual gait speed, and TUG performance) and the three mobility determinants were measured before and after the intervention.
Repeated-measures ANOVAs showed a time effect for TUG performance (F(1,75) = 14.92, p < .001): all groups equally improved after the intervention (ΔTUGpost-pre, in seconds, with 95% CI: AE = −0.44 −0.81 to −0.08; GMA = −0.60 −1.10 to −0.10; COG = −0.33 −0.71 to 0.05). No significant between group differences were observed. CRF was improved in the AE group only (Hedges' G = 0.27, small effect), ECW and cognitive switching improved the most in the GMA (Hedges' G = −0.78, moderate effect) and COG groups (Hedges' G = -1.93, large effect) respectively. Smaller improvements in ECW were observed following AE and COG trainings (Hedges' G: AE = -0.39, COG = -0.36, both small effects) as well as in cognitive switching following AE and GMA training (Hedges' G: AE = −0.42, GMA = -0.21, both small effects).
This study provides further support to the notion that multiple interventional approaches (aerobic, gross motor exercise, or cognitive training) can be employed to improve functional mobility in older adults, giving them, and professionals, more options to promote healthy ageing.
•One cognitive and two physical trainings equally improved older adults' TUG score.•Each training program improved key determinants associated with functional mobility.•Multiple roads do exist to promote healthy ageing.
Although most pediatric cancer patients survive, those who undergo anticancer treatments like chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy are at a high risk for late effects, such as cognitive deficits. To ...counteract these deficits, feasible and effective interventions are needed. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of working memory training, exergaming, and a wait-list control condition on cognitive functions in pediatric cancer survivors.
In a parallel-group randomized trial, 69 pediatric cancer survivors aged 7-16 yr (mean = 11.35, SD = 3.53) were randomly assigned to 8-wk working memory training, exergaming, or a wait-list control group. Each training course consisted of three 45-min training sessions per week. The primary outcome comprised the core executive functions (visual working memory, inhibition, switching), and the secondary outcomes included other cognitive domains (intelligence, planning, memory, attention, processing speed), motor abilities, and parent rating on their children's executive functions. Assessments were conducted both before and immediately after the interventions, and at 3-month follow-up.
Linear mixed models revealed that participants in the working memory training group showed a linear improvement in visual working memory after training and at follow-up compared with the control group. No other intervention effects of either type of training could be detected.
This study presents evidence that working memory training improves visual working memory in pediatric cancer survivors. Results show that near-transfer, but no far-transfer effects can be expected from working memory training. Multiple-component interventions tailored to fit the individual's cognitive profile are needed to best support cognitive development after cancer and its treatment.
The aim of this study is to establish the effects of specially programmed circuit training on physical fitness in primary school children. A total of 58 (28 girls) primary school children aged 11-13 ...(experimental group 12.2±1.2, control group 12.4±1.1) years voluntarily participated in this study. Physical fitness of children is assessed based on motor skills, through the following tests: abdominal muscle endurance – Sit-ups test, upper body strength and muscular endurance – Bent-arm hang test, upper-body muscular endurance – Push-ups test, muscular strength and power of the lower limbs – Standing broad jump test, agility and speed – 4x10m test and flexibility – Sit and reach test. During the regular classes of physical education, the experimental group conducted a circular training lasting 15-20 minutes, at the same time control group practiced exercises that were in accordance with the plan and program of teaching physical education for a particular teaching unit. The treatment lasted for 15 weeks, with two classes of physical education per week. The results for the standing broad jump indicated significant differences between groups following 15 weeks. Furthermore, the group that participated in the circuit training program made significantly greater gains compared to the control group (p<0.05) in bent-arm hang, sit-ups and sit and reach. The results for the 4x10m test indicated no significant differences in time, group and their interaction (p≥0.05). To conclude, circuit training appears to be an effective way of improving physical fitness in primary school children. The results of this study indicate that this method was more effective for performance than traditional school program.
The objective of this research was to examine a 12-week exercise program and its impact on the motor proficiency and cognitive abilities of preschool children with overweight and normal weight. The ...study involved a total of 71 participants who were preschool children enrolled in a longitudinal study. Body mass index (BMI) was determined by measuring body height and weight, and the nutritional status of the children was assessed using the World Health Organization's (WHO) criteria. Motor proficiency encompasses both motor abilities and motor skills, and the assessment of motor abilities was conducted using subtests from the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOT-2). These subtests measured fine motor integration, manual dexterity, balance, and bilateral coordination. The evaluation of motor skills involved the utilization of the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-2), which examines both locomotor skills and manipulative skills. Cognitive abilities were assessed using the School Maturity Test (TZS). All participants, regardless of weight status, took part in a 12-week physical exercise program. According to the World Health Organization's criteria, 52 children (73.2%) were categorized as having a normal weight, while 19 children (26.8%) were classified as overweight. These findings indicate that every fourth child in the study was overweight. Using a statistical analysis called SPANOVA (2 × 2, group × time), differences were observed in three out of eleven variables. Specifically, there were significant differences in two motor skill variables: manipulative skills (
= 0.006) and total movement skills (
= 0.014). Additionally, there was a significant difference in one cognitive ability variable: visual memory (
= 0.010). No significant differences were found in the remaining variables. The findings of this study aimed to contribute to the understanding of the potential benefits of regular exercise on motor and cognitive development in preschool children, specifically examining the differences between overweight and normal-weight children. By investigating these effects, the study could provide valuable insights for educators, parents, and health professionals involved in promoting the overall well-being of preschool-aged children. Regular physical exercise has been found to have positive effects on motor and cognitive abilities in both overweight and normal-weight preschool children.
How music training and expertise influence non-musical abilities is a widely researched topic. Most studies focus on the differences between adult professional musicians and non-musicians, or examine ...the effects of intensive instrumental training in childhood. However, the impact of music programs developed in regular school contexts for children from low-income communities is poorly explored. We conducted a longitudinal training study in such communities to examine if collective (Orff-based) music training enhances fine motor abilities, when compared to a homologous training program in sports (basketball), and to no specific training. The training programs in music and sports had the same duration, 24 weeks, and were homologous in structure. A pre-test, training, post-test and follow-up design was adopted. Children attending the 3rd grade (
= 74, 40 girls; mean age 8.31 years) were pseudorandomly divided into three groups, music, sports and control that were matched on demographic and intellectual characteristics. Fine motor abilities were assessed with the Purdue pegboard test (eye-hand coordination and motor speed, both subsumed under manual dexterity, and bimanual coordination) and with the Grooved pegboard (manipulative dexterity) test. All groups improved in manipulative dexterity that was not affected by type of training. On bimanual coordination and manual dexterity, however, a robust and stable advantage of music training emerged. At the end of training (post-test), children from the music group significantly outperformed children from the sports and control groups, an advantage that persisted at follow-up 4 months after training at the start of the following school year. Also, at follow-up none of the children from the music group were performing below the 20th percentile in the Purdue pegboard subtests and more than half were performing at the high end level (>80th percentile). Children from the sports group also improved significantly from pre- to post-test but their performance was not significantly different from that of the control group. These results show that an affordable, collective-based music practice impacts positively on fine-motor abilities, a finding that is relevant for a better understanding of the impact of music in childhood development, and that may have implications for education at the primary grade.
Background
This study aimed to determine the relationship between motor abilities and quality of life in children with severe multiple disabilities.
Methods
In this cross‐sectional study, motor ...abilities of 29 children (mean age 9.8 years; 45% girls) with severe multiple disabilities IQ < 25; Gross Motor Function Motor Classification System level V were measured with the MOtor eVAluation in Kids with Intellectual and Complex disabilities (Movakic) questionnaire (completed by the child's physical therapist). Quality of life was measured with the Quality of Life‐Profound Multiple Disabilities (QoL‐PMD) questionnaire (completed by the child's parents).
Results
A significantly moderate to high correlation was found between the total scores on the Movakic and the QoL‐PMD (r = 0.40, P = 0.03), indicating that higher scores in motor abilities are associated with a higher level of quality of life. Furthermore, significantly moderate to high correlations were found between the total score on the Movakic and the dimension Physical Well‐Being, Development and Activities of the Qol‐PMD. In multiple linear regression models, all significant bivariate relationships between the Movakic total scores and QoL‐PMD dimensions remained significant after controlling for the Gross Motor Function Motor Classification System level.
Conclusions
In these children with severe multiple disabilities, motor abilities (as measured by Movakic) are moderately related to quality of life (as measured by the QoL‐PMD).
The aim of this research was to determine the differences in health-related fitness between preschool children involved in organized and unorganized physical activities. This study was performed on a ...sample of 220 healthy preschool children that were divided into two groups, organized physical activity group (N=99) and unorganized physical activity group (N=121). Beside the set of anthropometric variables children were tested for Standing broad jump, Classic sit- and-reach test, Bent arm hang, Sit-ups in 30 seconds and Handgrip strength test. The t-test applied to determine differences between anthropometric characteristic revealed differences for almost all variables (p≤0.05). Moreover, the organized physical activity group showed better results in all fitness variables compared to unorganized group (p≤0.01). It can be concluded that the developmental gymnastics program has influence on improvement of health-related fitness in preschool children.
The study objective is to determine the possibility of identifying the state of strength abilities development in boys aged 12-14, using the methodology of multidimensional statistics.
Materials and ...methods. The study involved boys: 12 (n =35), 13 (n = 36), 14 (n = 36) years old. The study used the following methods: analysis and collation of scientific and methodological literature, general scientific methods of theoretical level, such as analogy, analysis, synthesis, abstraction, induction, as well as general scientific methods of empirical level: observation, testing, experiment. The testing program included well-known tests.
Results. In identifying the state of motor abilities development in boys aged 12-14, the most important results were obtained in tests: 10 “Squats Test (two legs), quantity of times” (0.519), 9 “Trunk Lift Test, quantity of times” (0.497), 21 “Flamingo Balance Test - single leg balance test” (-0.496), 1 “Pull-Up / Chin Up Test (low crossbar), quantity of times” (0.428), 19 “Hand Tapping Test, sec.” (-0.427), 20 “Seated Forward Bend, cm” (-0.412), 5 “The subject lies in prone position, arms bent at the elbow 90 degrees - hold position in seconds” (0.408). These tests characterize the comprehensive development of motor abilities in boys aged 12-14.
In identifying the state of motor abilities development in boys aged 13-14, the most important results were obtained in tests: 8 “Decline Reverse Crunch on Bench, quantity of times” (-0.989), 11 “Single Leg Squat (SLS) Test - right leg, quantity of times” (0.965), 1 “Pull-Up / Chin Up Test (low crossbar), quantity of times” (0.676), №13 “Single Leg Squat (Pistol) - right leg” (0.682), 17 “Eurofit Sit Up Test (for 30 sec.), quantity of times” (0.454). These tests characterize the development level of relative and static leg strength, strength endurance of abdominal muscles, and dynamic strength of shoulder muscles.
Conclusions. A discriminant analysis made it possible to determine informative indicators for comprehensive control of motor abilities development in boys aged 12-14; to answer the question as to how significantly the states of motor abilities development in boys aged 12, 13 and 14 differ; what motor tests most substantially influence the differentiation of classes; what class the object belongs to based on the values of discriminant variables.
To identify the level of motor abilities development in boys aged 12-14 years, it is necessary to focus on the indicators of relative strength and strength endurance; in boys aged 13 and 14 years – on the indicators of strength endurance of abdominal muscles and endurance of leg muscles.
PDF
