Gait
Conditions
Keywords
Gait analysis, Dual-tasking, EMG, Kinematics, Kinetics, Selective motor control, Developmental Coordination Disorder, DCD
Brief summary
The aim of the study is to collect data in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) aged between 7 and 17 years for analyses of the gait pattern while walking at the Gait Real-time Analysis Interactive Lab (GRAIL) at the university hospital of Ghent. Children with DCD will be asked to take a motor test (M-ABC-2) as well as walk on the treadmill during a single session of approximately 3 hours. The following data will be collected on the GRAIL while subjects walk at different gait speeds: 3D kinematics, kinetics, and EMG. Additionally, 3D kinematics, kinetics, and EMG data will be collected when performing either a cognitive (Stroop Color and Word Test) or motor (requiring arm swing) dual-task while walking at comfortable walking speed..
Detailed description
The aim of the study is to collect data in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) aged between 7 and 17 years for analyses of the gait pattern while walking at the Gait Real-time Analysis Interactive Lab (GRAIL). This is a treadmill linked to a virtual environment used to analyse and train gait at the Children's Rehabilitation Centre of Ghent University Hospital. The data from children with DCD will be compared with typically developing children. In this study, only children with DCD will be included and the data resulting from this study will be compared to the data from the previous study in typically developing children (ID: B670201942108). Children with DCD will be asked to take a motor test (M-ABC-2) as well as walk on the treadmill during a single session of approximately 3 hours. While walking at comfortable walking speed, two short games will be played i.e. dual-tasking. This involves both a cognitive (Stroop Colour-Word Test) and a motor (requires the use of the arms) dual task projected in the virtual environment of the GRAIL. The cognitive and motor task will be performed both while standing still (single tasking: ST) and while walking (dual tasking: DT). Simultaneously, kinetics, kinematics, and EMG data will be collected for 3D gait analysis. Using muscle synergy analysis (based on EMG data), the degree of gait automatization will be analysed. The data from children with DCD will be compared with typically developing children to determine whether a reduced gait automatization can be observed in children with DCD. Parents will be asked to complete a screening list (CVO/DCD-Q) for motor problems in daily life. This aims as a support to the motor test (M-ABC-2), together providing additional insight into children's motor functioning (in daily life).
Interventions
OTHERCognitive dual-task
Participants will be asked to walk at comfortable walking speed while playing an additional cognitive task, namely the Stroop Color and Word Test.
OTHERMotor dual-task
Participants will be asked to walk at comfortable walking speed while playing an additional motor task, namely a game that requires arm swing to hit the targets.
Sponsors
University Ghent
University Hospital, Ghent
Study design
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
7 Years to 17 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* They have an official DCD diagnosis; * Are aged between 7 and 17 years old; * Can walk at least 15 minutes consecutively; * Have good or corrected vision.
Exclusion criteria
* They suffer from a neurological disorder; * Take medications that affect gait and balance; * Have undergone surgical procedures on the lower limbs in the past; * Experience pain in their lower limbs or back at the time of testing.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Kinematics | Single point assessment, day 1 | 3D kinematics of lower and upper limb joints while walking (degrees) |
| Kinetics | Single point assessment, day 1 | 3D kinetics of lower limb joints while walking (Nm) |
| EMG | Single point assessment, day 1 | Muscle activity of 16 lower limb muscles (microvolts) |
| Muscle synergies | Single point assessment, day 1 | Synergy analysis will be conducted using the EMG data (variance accounted for -VAF) |
| Spatiotemporal parameters | Single point assessment, day 1 | Spatial parameters (m), temporal parameters (s), walking velocity (m/s) |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Gait deviation index | Single point assessment, day 1 | Based on kinematics, the lower-limb gait deviations will be calculated (degrees) |
| Game result (cognitive task) | Single point assessment, day 1 | Score (% correct) |
| Game result (motor task) | Single point assessment, day 1 | Score (% correct) |
Countries
Belgium
Contacts
CONTACTMichelle Verhoeven
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORLynn Bar-On
University Ghent
Outcome results
None listed