An active video game intervention does not improve physical activity and sedentary time of children at-risk for developmental coordination disorder: A crossover randomized trial

© 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Background: Children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) are highly inactive and sedentary. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of a home-based active video game intervention on objectively measured physical activity and sedentary behaviour in children at risk for DCD. Methods: In a crossover randomized clinical trial, 21 children (mean age 11.0, SD 1.0; n=11 girls) in Perth, Western Australia participated in two 16-week periods: no active video games (AVGs) control period and AVGs intervention period. Two active input consoles were provided to participants along with a selection of non-violent AVGs for participants to play at home. Participants wore accelerometers at baseline and following each period to determine minutes of sedentary, light, moderate and vigorous times in addition to self-reported types of activities in a diary. Linear mixed models, adjusted for the order of periods, compared physical activity and sedentary time during the last week of each period. Results: There were no significant differences between the intervention and control periods in time spent in sedentary (decrease of -1.0min/day during the intervention period, 95%CI -12.1, 10.1), light (increase of 2.2min/day, 95%CI -8.8, 13.2), moderate (decrease of 0.7min/day, 95%CI -4.6, 3.3) or vigorous (decrease of -0.6min/day, 95%CI -1.6, 0.4). Conclusions: Among children at risk for DCD, participating in this AVG intervention did not improve objectively measured physical activity and sedentary time

THE EFFECT OF MOTION CONTROL SHOES ON LOWER LIMB MECHANICS IN FEMALE RUNNERS WITH PATELLOFEMORAL PAIN

Patellofemoral pain (PFP) is the most common complaint affecting runners and is understood to be a multifactorial condition. Excessive pronation of the subtalar joint has been associated with almost all maladies of the lower limb throughout the sports medicine literature however biomechanical research linking excessive subtalar joint pronation and patellofemoral pain is scarce. This study set out to ascertain the role of foot eversion on skeletal alignment and PFPS. Secondary to this, the effechveness of Motion Control shoes to carry out their primary function was also investigated. A second type of neutral running shoe, ASICS Nimbus, was used as the control comparison. The results of this study found that Motion Control running shoes reduced leg adduction and thigh external rotation (p>O.01), thereby resulting in the adoption of a more neutral lower limb skeletal alignment. The neutral shoe (Nimbus) induced no change to leg or thigh mechanics over the adaptation period

A comparison of the upper limb movement kinematics utilized by children playing virtual and real table tennis

Active virtual games (AVG) may facilitate gross motor skill development, depending on their fidelity. This study compared the movement patterns of nineteen 10–12 yr old children, while playing table tennis on three AVG consoles (Nintendo Wii, Xbox Kinect, Sony Move) and as a real world task. Wrist and elbow joint angles and hand path distance and speed were captured. Children playing real table tennis had significantly smaller (e.g. Wrist Angle Forehand Real-Kinect: Mean Difference (MD): -18.2°, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): -26.15 to -10.26) and slower (e.g. Average Speed Forehand Real-Kinect: MD: -1.98 m s-1, 95% CI: -2.35 to -1.61) movements than when using all three AVGs. Hand path distance was smaller in forehand and backhand strokes (e.g. Kinect-Wii: MD: 0.46 m, 95% CI: 0.13–0.79) during playing with Kinect than Move and Wii. The movement patterns when playing real and virtual table tennis were different and this may impede the development of real world gross motor skills. Several elements, including display, input and task characteristics, may have contributed to the differences in movement patterns observed. Understanding the interface components for AVGs may help development of higher fidelity games to potentially enhance the development of gross motor skill and thus participation in PA

Kinetic Sensitivity of a New Lumbo-Pelvic Model to Variation in Segment Parameter Input

This study aimed to assess variability in lumbo-pelvic forces and moments during a dynamic high-impact activity (cricket fast bowling) when calculated using different body segment parameters (BSPs). The first three BSPs were estimated using methods where the trunk was divided into segments according to nonspinal anatomical landmarks. The final approach defined segment boundaries according to vertebral level. Three-dimensional motion analysis data from nine male cricketers’ bowling trials were processed using the four BSPs. A repeated-measures analysis of variance revealed no significant effect on peak lumbo-pelvic forces. However, the segmentation approach based on vertebral level resulted in significantly larger peak flexion and lateral flexion moments than the other BSP data sets. This has implications for comparisons between studies using different BSP parameters. Further, given that a method defined with reference to vertebral level more closely corresponds with relevant anatomical structures, this approach may more accurately reflect lumbar moments

FUNCTIONAL SCREENING TEST ASSOCIATED WITH ALTERED TRUNK AND PELVIS KINEMATICS AND LOW BACK INJURY INCIDENCE IN ADOLESCENT FAST BOWLERS

This study investigated the relationship between pelvi-femoral stability and low back injury incidence in adolescent fast bowlers using the single leg decline squat test, and examined the relationship between knee kinematics during this clinical test and bowling kinematics during the delivery stride. Twenty-five uninjured male fast bowlers participated in a prospective cohort study. Bowlers who suffered a low back injury had significantly increased knee valgus angle during the single leg decline squat on the dominant leg (8.6° ±3.2 vs 4.5° ±2.6, t=3.495, p=0.002) and non-dominant leg (9.1° ±4.2 vs 5.5° ±3.3, t=2.362, p=0.027). Increased knee valgus angle during the test was associated with increased frontal plane hip and knee motion, pelvis rotation and thorax lateral flexion during bowling, which may lead to increased torsional stress on the lumbar spine

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SHOULDER COUNTER-ROTATION ANDLUMBAR MECHANICS DURING FAST BOWLING

The purpose of this study was to quantify lumbar kinematics and kinetics during fast bowling using a novel inverse dynamics model, and to explore the relationship between shoulder counter-rotation (SCR) (a variable that has been associated with the development of spondylolysis in fast bowlers) and lumbar range of motion and moments. Ten fast bowlers participated in the study. A large correlation was found between SCR and lumbar rotation range of motion between front foot contact and ball release (r=0.628,

Upper and lower lumbar segments move differently during sit-to-stand

Sit-to-stand (STS) is a functional dynamic task, requiring movement of the lumbar spine, however, little is known about whether regional differences or between-gender differences exist during this task. The aim of this study was to confirm whether kinematic differences existed within regions of the lumbar spine during STS and also to determine whether between-gender differences were evident. An electromagnetic measurement device, recording at 25 Hz, determined how different lumbar spine regions (combined, lower and upper) moved during STS in 29 healthy participants (16 males, 13 females). Discrete outputs including mean range of motion (ROM), maximum and minimum were calculated for each lumbar spine region. Analyses of covariance (ANCOVA) with repeated measures were used to determine whether regional differences and between-gender differences were evident in the lumbar spine during STS. With the lumbar spine modelled as two segments, the lower lumbar (LLx) and upper lumbar (ULx) regions made different contributions to STS: F1, 27=21.8; p < 0.001. No between-gender differences were found with the lumbar spine modelled as a single region (combined lumbar: CLx), however, modelled as two regions there was a significant gender difference between the LLx and ULx regions: F1, 27=7.3 (p=0.012). The results indicate that modelling the lumbar spine as a single segment during STS does not adequately represent lumbar spine kinematics and there are important gender differences. These findings also need to be considered when investigating STS in clinical populations

Investigation of spinal posture signatures and ground reaction forces during landing in elite female gymnasts

The link between static and dynamic landing lumbar postures, when gymnasts are exposed to large ground reaction forces, has not been established. This investigation aimed to (a) determine if a relationship exists between sagittal static and dynamic landing lumbar spine angles at peak ground reaction force (GRF) and (b) quantify how close to end-range postures the gymnasts were at landing peak GRF. Twenty-one female gymnasts’ upper and lower lumbar spine angles were recorded: statically in sitting and standing, during landing of three gymnastic skills, and during active end-range lumbar flexion. Pearson’s correlations were used to investigate relationships between the angles in different postures. Significant correlations (r = .77–.89, p < .01) were found between all the static/dynamic postures in the lower lumbar spine angle, while fewer and less significant upper lumbar spine correlations were reported. Thirty percent of gymnasts landed a backsault with their lower lumbar spine flexed beyond their active end-range while experiencing GRF 6.8–13.3 times their body weight. These results inform low back pain prevention and management strategies in this population and highlight areas for future research

ADVANCES IN UPPER LIMB MODELLING: IMPLICATIONS FOR TESTING CRICKET BOWLING ACTIONS

This study investigates the effect of glenohumeral joint centre (GHJ) mislocation on elbow flexion-extension kinematics and outlines the development and validation of functionally based 2DoF upper-limb model that is proposed to more accurately measure elbow flexion-extension angles. The findings suggest that a new regression equation be adopted to calculate the GHJ centre used in the definition of the upper arm anatomical coordinate system. The research also proposes that a 2DoF mean finite helical axis model (HAM) be used to describe upper limb motion as it more accurately measures flexion-extension angles when compared with traditional anatomically based models as validated against a mechanical arm moving through known ranges and angles. The HAM model also eliminated cross-talk on elbow flexion-extension kinematics

Spinal Kinematics of Adolescent Male Rowers With Back Pain in Comparison to Matched Controls During Ergometer Rowing.

There is a high prevalence of low back pain (LBP) in adolescent male rowers. In this study, regional lumbar spinal kinematics and self-reported LBP intensity were compared between 10 adolescent rowers with moderate levels of LBP relating to rowing with 10 reporting no history of LBP during a 15-minute ergometer trial using an electromagnetic tracking system. Adolescent male rowers with LBP reported increasing pain intensity during ergometer rowing. No significant differences were detected in mean upper or lower lumbar angles between rowers with and without LBP. However, compared to rowers without pain, rowers with pain had: 1) relatively less excursion of the upper lumbar spine into extension over the drive phase, 2) relatively less excursion of the lower lumbar spine into extension over time, 3) greater variability in upper and lower lumbar angles over the 15-minute ergometer trial, 4) positioned their upper lumbar spine closer to end range flexion for a greater proportion of the drive phase, and 5) showed increased time in sustained flexion loading in the upper lumbar spine. Differences in regional lumbar kinematics exist between adolescent male rowers with and without LBP, which may have injury implication and intervention strategies