Effects of Motor Imagery and Action Observation on Electromyographic Activity and Intramuscular Oxygenation in the Hand Gripping Gesture
NCT ID: NCT03324217
Last Updated: 2017-10-30
Study Results
The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.
Basic Information
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COMPLETED
NA
60 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
2017-06-01
2017-10-13
Brief Summary
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Detailed Description
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Several studies have shown that patients can report a significant improvement in strength with motor imagery training. There is also evidence regarding the improvements in motor skills in participants who perform motor imagery training combined with mirror therapy. Motor imagery is recognized as one of the most popular and effective forms of training to improve learning strategies and to increase the capacity to perfect sports movements, as has been observed in rhythmic gymnastics athletes.
In addition to the previously mentioned adaptations, a recent research proved that motor imagery and action observation provoke an activation of the sympathetic-excitatory nervous system. Changes in respiration, heart rate and skin temperature are produced, as well as an increase in electrodermal activity.
Both motor imagery and action observation are interventions that can generate adaptive neuroplastic changes on a cortical level, leading to a decrease in chronic pain. These rehabilitation techniques are used in pain treatment and impaired movement injuries that could be due to a nervous system alteration.
Action observation effectively facilitates motor learning, and is a tool for rehabilitation in neurological and musculoskeletal diseases. Action observation training leads to significant improvements in static balance and helps improve gait in patients with hemiparesis after an ictus.
A recent study showed that the patient's functionality loss is lessened if motor imagery and action observation are applied after an immobilization process, reducing the loss of wrist mobility, strength and muscle mass.
The effectiveness of motor imagery is controversial; several studies have presented unfavorable outcomes from this technique. Some variables, such as the duration of the sessions, the time employed the type of motor task or the number of sessions can influence the outcomes of these studies. Thus, it is necessary to clarify the controversial aspects of motor imagery, which lead us to perform this study.
This study evaluates variables that have not yet shown conclusive results: intramuscular oxygenation and electromyography. Focusing principally on the effectiveness of the treatment and the adaptations that are generated on an intramuscular level leads to a better understanding of what occurs as a result of training with motor imagery and action observation, and also whether these variables influence the effectiveness of the treatment.
Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of motor imagery and action observation combined with a hand grip strength program on strength gains in asymptomatic participants. The secondary objective was to assess the influence of motor imagery and action observation training combined with a hand grip strength program on electromyographic activity and intramuscular oxygenation of the forearm muscles.
Conditions
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Keywords
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Study Design
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RANDOMIZED
PARALLEL
BASIC_SCIENCE
SINGLE
Study Groups
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Motor Imagery Group
The participants in the motor imagery group were given instructions to perform a daily training composed of two sets of activities. The main set consisted of 10 isometric hand grip contractions for 3 seconds each with a tennis ball, leaving a 20-second break between contractions. In the first set, the participant only had to imagine that he was performing that task, placed in the standard position with the tennis ball in the hand. Once the first set was completed, the participant had to take a 2-minute break before starting the second set, in which they had to complete the set both imagining and actively performing the isometric contractions with the tennis ball.
Mental Practise
They made a mental task to produce a neurophysiological activation of the brain areas related to the planning and execution of voluntary movement in a manner that resembles how the action is performed in reality in combination with real exercises.
Action Observation Group
The participants in the action observation group were given instructions to perform a daily training comprised of two sets of activities. The main set consisted of 10 isometric hand grip contractions for 3 seconds each with a tennis ball, leaving a 20-second break between contractions. In the first set, the participant simply watched a video that showed a forearm performing the task, placed in the standard position and with the tennis ball in the hand. Once that first set was completed, the participant took a 2-minute break before starting the second set, in which they performed the 10 isometric contractions with the tennis ball while they watched the video.
Mental Practise
They made a mental task to produce a neurophysiological activation of the brain areas related to the planning and execution of voluntary movement in a manner that resembles how the action is performed in reality in combination with real exercises.
Control Group
The participants in the control group were given instructions to perform a daily training of a single set. The set consisted of 10 isometric hand grip contractions for 3 seconds each with a tennis ball, leaving a 20-second break between contractions.
Mental Practise
They made a mental task to produce a neurophysiological activation of the brain areas related to the planning and execution of voluntary movement in a manner that resembles how the action is performed in reality in combination with real exercises.
Interventions
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Mental Practise
They made a mental task to produce a neurophysiological activation of the brain areas related to the planning and execution of voluntary movement in a manner that resembles how the action is performed in reality in combination with real exercises.
Other Intervention Names
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria
* men and women aged 18 to 65 years.
Exclusion Criteria
* underage participants;
* participants with pain at the time of the study;
* participants with any type of neurological disease.
18 Years
65 Years
ALL
Yes
Sponsors
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Universidad Autonoma de Madrid
OTHER
Responsible Party
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Roy La Touche Arbizu
Principal Investigator
Principal Investigators
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Roy A La Touche, PT, PhD
Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR
Departamento de Fisioterapia. Centro Superior de Estudios Universitarios de La Salle. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. Madrid. Spain
Locations
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CSEU La Salle
Madrid, , Spain
Countries
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Other Identifiers
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uamadrid 3
Identifier Type: -
Identifier Source: org_study_id