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The Effect of Square Stepping Exercises Training on Lower Extremity

The Effect of Square Stepping Exercises Training on Lower Extremity Motor Performance, Muscle Strenght and Muscle Quality in Healthy Young People: a Single-Blind, Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT04910035
Enrollment
120
Registered
2021-06-02
Start date
2019-09-10
Completion date
2020-05-10
Last updated
2024-09-03

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Sedentary Healthy Young Individuals

Keywords

Square-stepping exercises, Healthy young individuals, Motor performance, Muscle strength, Muscle quality

Brief summary

Physical activity plays an indispensable role to lead a healthy life. Square-stepping exercises (SSE) are aerobic exercises.Our study was designed to investigate the effects of square-stepping exercise training on lower-extremity motor performance, muscle strength, and muscle quality of sedentary healthy young individuals.

Detailed description

A total of 120 volunteers within the age range of 20-25 participated in the research. Participants were randomly divided into two groups, as 60 participants were study group (35 females, 25 males) and 60 participants were control group (35 females, 25 males). Demographic data and exercise habit of the individuals were documented. Participants' lower-extremity motor performance was analyzed through Vertical Jumping, Side Jumping, One Leg Squat, and Step-Up tests. Participants' muscle strength was analyzed through Hand-Held Dynamometer. Also, participants' muscle quality was analyzed through Muscle Quality Index. Throughout 3 weeks SSE training was administered 4 days a week for a length of 45 minutes in each session. All the analyses were conducted at the start and at the end of 3-week long training

Interventions

SSE is performed on a thin exercise mat divided into 40 small squares in 250 cm x 100 cm of size (25 cm each part). Participants are given patterns of a few steps and asked to take steps that match them. Participants must, in principal, move ahead in line with the length forward with no contact on the lines forming the squares. Forward, backward, lateral and oblique stepping patterns are required. Stepping patterns get increasingly difficult. Each pattern consists of 2 to 16 steps; participants are asked to repeat step pattern till the end of exercise mat. Upon completing a pattern, another pattern in the same mirror-image is repeated. In essence each pattern is reiterated for 3-5 times and next its mirror-image pattern is repeated but if participants face challenge in performing the pattern it is repeated till the pattern is learnt

Sponsors

Pamukkale University
CollaboratorOTHER
Nigde Omer Halisdemir University
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)

Masking description

Single (Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
20 Years to 25 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* 20-25 years old, * Not attending any exercise program for the last 1 year, * Not having a neurological, orthopedic disease or any disease affecting lower extremity, * Not having any lower-extremity surgery, * Individuals without vision and/or hearing problems were included in the study.

Exclusion criteria

* Having a vision and/or hearing problem, * Having neurological, psychiatric, and/or orthopedic problems that affect walking, * Individuals with lower-extremity surgery were excluded from the study.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Muscle Quality İndex3 weeksMuscle quality was determined through Muscle Quality Index (MQI) which is a valid and reliable method developed by Takai et al. MQI measures 5 repetition sit-to-stand test duration (sec). MQI is calculated by measuring the 5-repetition sit-to-go test duration (sec), body weight (kg), and leg length (L-m). In the calculation, the formula (L-0,5)\*5\*weight\*g/5 repetitions sit-to-stand test duration is employed.
Muscle Strength3 weeksHand-Held Dynamometer
Motor Performance Assessment 13 weeksVertical Jumping
Motor Performance Assessment 23 weeksStep-Up
Motor Performance Assessment 33 weeksOne Leg Squat
Motor Performance Assessment 43 weeksSide Jumping

Countries

Turkey (Türkiye)

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026