Neuromuscular Diseases in Children
Conditions
Keywords
Gamification, Walk Test
Brief summary
The goal of this study is to learn if adding a game to the 6-minute walk test for children with neuromuscular disorders will increase enjoyment and motivation to complete the test.
Interventions
OTHERStandard 6MWT
ATS-standard instructions, no electronic system; Conducted in hallway measuring total length of 90ft (27.4 meters). Patients will walk down-and-back. A seated rest period of ≥10 min separates the two tests to minimize fatigue carry-over.
OTHERGamified 6MWT
identical course but child carries a RFID tag; at each lap the child taps an on an RFID reader, awarding a point and leveling-up an on-screen avatar; Conducted in hallway measuring total length of 90ft (27.4 meters). Patients will walk down-and-back.A seated rest period of ≥10 min separates the two tests to minimize fatigue carry-over.
Sponsors
David Toupin
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
6 Years to 12 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Clinical diagnosis of, or active evaluation for, a neuromuscular disorder * Able to ambulate (with or without usual orthoses/assistive device) sufficiently to attempt a 6-minute walk. * Note: Acceptable if the patient needs to take breaks or sit during the test. Those unable to finish are counted as protocol deviations, not exclusions. * Medically stable on the test day (no acute illness or recent surgery that would contraindicate moderate exercise). * Child able to understand simple instructions in English and provide assent (if applicable based upon age and developmental level); parent/guardian able to provide consent in English.
Exclusion criteria
* Non-ambulatory or unsafe to attempt walking as judged by the treating physician. * Severe cognitive/behavioral impairment that precludes following instructions. * Acute cardiopulmonary, orthopedic, or other medical condition that makes walking unsafe on the test day. * Non-English-speaking family (materials are available only in English for this pilot). * Any child/parent who declines consent/assent or withdraws at any time.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in 6 minute walk distance | Baseline and post intervention (approximately 20 minutes) | Participants will walk back and forth in the clinic hallway for 6 minutes and distance will be recorded in meters |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Children's OMNI Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) Scale | Baseline and post intervention (approximately 20 minutes) | The OMNI RPE scale is a visual and numerical tool from 0-10 that helps individuals subjectively gauge the intensity of walking or running activity, with 0 representing no effort and 10 being maximal exertion. |
| Change in Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES) | Baseline and post intervention (approximately 20 minutes) | The Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES) consists of 8 questions scored on a scale from 1 to 7, with a maximum score of 56 and a minimum score of 8. Higher scores indicate greater enjoyment of physical activity. |
| Recruitment Rate | 9 months | percent of eligible participants successfully recruited in the study |
| Test completion rate | 9 months | number of walk tests successfully completed compared to overall number of walk tests |
Countries
United States
Contacts
CONTACTDavid N Toupin, MD
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORDavid N Toupin, MD
University of Kentucky
Outcome results
None listed