Aging
Conditions
Keywords
Manual dexterity
Brief summary
The objective of the clinical trial is to evaluate the mediating influence of force control on the pegboard times of adults (50-89 years) who are stratified into groups of faster and slower pegboard times. The hypothesis is that practice of either a pegboard test or a force-control task will reduce pegboard times, but the decrease will be greater and less similar after the two practice interventions for the slower group of participants. The outcomes are expected to demonstrate that force control is a modifiable mediator of pegboard times for this cohort, but the effect will be stronger for the group with faster pegboard times.
Detailed description
The study will involve a randomized, cross-over design with a one-week washout between arms. The two arms (3 weeks each) will comprise practice of the grooved pegboard test and practice of steady contractions while lifting and lowering light loads with a hand muscle. Randomization into practice order will be accomplished with a block approach (block size = 4) for each of the two groups. The outcome assessors will be blinded to practice order. The outcomes will comprise three tests of manual dexterity and the measurement of force control during submaximal contractions. The outcomes will be obtained before and after the six sessions in each practice arm.
Interventions
OTHERPegboard practice
Practice of the grooved pegboard test
OTHERForce control practice
Practice performing steady muscle contractions
Sponsors
University of Colorado, Boulder
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
50 Years to 89 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Able to read, write, and speak English * Able to arrange transportation to the Boulder campus
Exclusion criteria
* Cognitive impairment * Major psychiatric condition * Unstable depressive disorder * Progressive neurological, muscular, cardiovascular, or skeletal disorder * Chronic pain condition * Currently taking medication known to influence neuromuscular function * Recent hospitalization * Unable to attend 12 practice sessions in 6 weeks
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Grooved pegboard test | Changes from baseline (week 1) at weeks 4 and 7 | Time to complete the test as quickly as possible |
| 9-hole pegboard test | Changes from baseline (week 1) at weeks 4 and 7 | Time to complete the test as quickly as possible |
| Jebsen Hand Function test | Changes from baseline (week 1) at weeks 4 and 7 | Time to complete the test as quickly as possible |
| Force control | Changes from baseline (week 1) at weeks 4 and 7 | The coefficient of variation for force when subjects exert a constant submaximal force |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| EMG amplitude | Changes from baseline (week 1) at weeks 4 and 7 | Absolute amplitude of the electromyographic (EMG) signal for the involved muscles during the steady contractions |
| Motor unit discharge rates | Changes from baseline (week 1) at weeks 4 and 7 | The discharge times of action potentials by motor units during the steady submaximal contractions |
| MVC force | Changes from baseline (week 1) at weeks 4 and 7 | The peak force exerted during a maximal isometric contractions |
| 1-RM load | Changes from baseline (week 1) at weeks 4 and 7 | The maximal weight that can be lifted once |
| Index finger acceleration | Changes from baseline (week 1) at weeks 4 and 7 | The average standard deviation of index finger acceleration in the abduction-adduction plane when a light load is being lifted and lowered during the practice intervention |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed