Tai Chi-muscle Power Training for Primary School Children With Developmental Coordination Disorder

NCT ID: NCT03598478

Last Updated: 2021-11-23

Study Results

Results pending

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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Recruitment Status

UNKNOWN

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

156 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2020-01-01

Study Completion Date

2023-12-31

Brief Summary

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Objectives: To compare the effectiveness of Tai Chi-muscle power training (TC-MPT), Tai Chi (TC) alone, muscle power training (MPT) alone, and usual care (as a control) for improving the limits of stability (LOS) of balance control in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) and to explore the relationship among LOS, falls, and functional performance in this population.

Design: A randomized controlled trial. Sample: 156 children with DCD. Interventions: TC-MPT, TC alone, MPT alone, or usual care for 12 weeks. Major outcomes: Outcomes will be evaluated at baseline, post-intervention, and a 3-month follow-up. An LOS test will give a dynamic LOS score, an isokinetic test will quantify leg muscle force production speed, Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 will be used to assess functional motor performance, and fall history will be obtained via interviews.

Anticipated results and significance: The TC-MPT group is predicted to display the best LOS balance performance, which is associated with reduced fall incidents and improved functional performance. This novel training regime could be readily adopted into school or clinical settings to improve physical well-being in children with DCD, an outcome with positive socioeconomic implications.

Detailed Description

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Children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD), who comprise about 6% of the primary school population, display marked movement and balance difficulties. Reduced limits of stability (LOS), the maximum spatial area in which a standing person can lean, in these children is a major concern because it predisposes them to falls and affects their motor development.

The investigator's recent studies demonstrate the underlying causes of impaired LOS in children with DCD to include suboptimal volitional control of the center of gravity (COG) and reduced leg muscle force production speed. Tai chi (TC) is a particularly suitable exercise for improving COG control, yet the speed of movement is too slow to improve muscle power. Hence, muscle power training (MPT), which can hasten leg muscle force production, in conjunction with TC (TC-MPT) may be an ideal therapy for improving LOS, preventing falls, and improving functional performance in children with DCD.

In the proposed study, the investigators will pioneer the treatment of both COG control and leg muscular deficit in children with DCD by incorporating MPT into TC. It is hypothesized that the LOS of balance control in these children can best be improved by treating both their COG control and muscular deficits. This hypothesis is supported by the prediction that TC-MPT is superior to either TC or MPT alone in improving LOS balance performance. Furthermore, improved LOS is associated with fewer fall incidents and better functional performance in children with DCD.

Objectives: To compare the effectiveness of TC-MPT, TC alone, MPT alone, and usual care (as a control) for improving the LOS of balance control in children with DCD and to explore the relationship among LOS, falls, and functional performance in this population.

Design: A randomized controlled trial. Sample: 156 children with DCD. Interventions: TC-MPT, TC alone, MPT alone, or usual care for 12 weeks. Major outcomes: Outcomes will be evaluated at baseline, post-intervention, and a 3-month follow-up. An LOS test will give a dynamic LOS score, an isokinetic test will quantify leg muscle force production speed, Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 will be used to assess functional motor performance, and fall history will be obtained via interviews.

Anticipated results and significance: The TC-MPT group is predicted to display the best LOS balance performance, which is associated with reduced fall incidents and improved functional performance. This novel training regime could be readily adopted into school or clinical settings to improve physical well-being in children with DCD, an outcome with positive socioeconomic implications.

Conditions

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Developmental Coordination Disorder

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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TC-MPT group

Tai Chi-muscle power training group

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

TC-MPT

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants will receive two levels of training within each 90-minute session over a 12-week period: (1) TC training and (2) MPT. The TC training protocol consists of five basic TC movements. After receiving TC training, the participants in this group will take a 5-minute break and then receive MPT. During MPT, the participants will contract their major postural muscles bilaterally as fast as possible against a resistance equivalent to 70% of one repetition maximum.

TC group

Tai Chi group

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

TC

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Children in the TC group will skip the MPT session and practice TC movements repeatedly for 90 minutes. The exercise progression pattern in the TC-alone group will be the same as that in the TC-MPT group.

MPT group

Muscle power training group

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

MPT

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Those children in the MPT group will perform strengthening exercises repeatedly for 90 minutes, with a short 5-minute break between the three sets of exercises if necessary. The exercise progression pattern in the MPT-alone group will be the same as that in the TC-MPT group.

Control group

Usual medical care is allowed.

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

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TC-MPT

Participants will receive two levels of training within each 90-minute session over a 12-week period: (1) TC training and (2) MPT. The TC training protocol consists of five basic TC movements. After receiving TC training, the participants in this group will take a 5-minute break and then receive MPT. During MPT, the participants will contract their major postural muscles bilaterally as fast as possible against a resistance equivalent to 70% of one repetition maximum.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

TC

Children in the TC group will skip the MPT session and practice TC movements repeatedly for 90 minutes. The exercise progression pattern in the TC-alone group will be the same as that in the TC-MPT group.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

MPT

Those children in the MPT group will perform strengthening exercises repeatedly for 90 minutes, with a short 5-minute break between the three sets of exercises if necessary. The exercise progression pattern in the MPT-alone group will be the same as that in the TC-MPT group.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

9- to 12-years-old

Classified as DCD according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders V (DSM-5)

A percentile score of \< 5th percentile on the MABC-2

A total score of \< 55 (for children aged 8 to 9 years 11 months) or \< 57 (for children aged 10 or above) on the DCD questionnaire 2007 (Chinese version)

Attending a mainstream primary school (i.e., intelligence level within the normal range)

Exclusion Criteria

Any known significant congenital, cognitive, psychiatric (other than comorbid attention deficit hyperactivity disorder \[ADHD\] or autism spectrum disorder \[ASD\]), neurological, sensory, musculoskeletal, or cardiopulmonary disorder that may affect motor performance

Receiving active treatment such as physiotherapy

Demonstrating excessive disruptive behavior during the assessments

Those unable to follow instructions properly
Minimum Eligible Age

9 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

12 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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The University of Hong Kong

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Shirley S.M. Fong

Assistant Professor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Shirley Fong, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

The University of Hong Kong

Locations

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University of Hong Kong

Hong Kong, , Hong Kong

Site Status

Countries

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Hong Kong

Other Identifiers

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002

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id