The Effects of Inactivity During The COVID-19 Pandemic on the Psychomotor Skills of Kindergarten Students

Background. Possession of motor skills from an early age by interacting with the outdoor environment has a long-term effect on physical activity. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a restriction to interacting directly with it especially kindergarten students when doing online learning or learning from home due to pandemic health measures. There is a series of literature that reviews the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on several aspects of human life, but a lack of attention remains of the impact of the disease on motor skills development for kindergarten students. Objectives. To reveal the extent to which the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic of the motor skills of these kids. Methods. The method used in this research is described with a quantitative approach. 80 kindergarten students were included in the sample, consisting of 45 boys and 35 girl students in the city of Padang, Indonesia with an age range of 4 to 5 years. A motor skills test was conducted using TGMD-2. Results. After dealing with all data, findings showcased that the level of motor skills of these students was reduced during the pandemic when compared to before the outbreak. While before the pandemic, such a level of motor skills was in the average category whereas during the pandemic it shifted to the poor category. Conclusion. This study provides the actual state of the impact of the pandemic COVID-19 on kindergarten students on their motor skills development. © (2023). All Rights Reserved.

Actual and Perceived Motor Competence in Chilean Schoolchildren before and after COVID-19 Lockdowns: A Cohort Comparison.

(1) Background: the measures applied in Chile to reduce COVID-19 infections have been very strict, mainly for children who have experienced lockdowns and school closures for almost two years. Emerging evidence indicates that lockdowns have had several negative effects on children; therefore, the present study seeks to analyze the secular effects of COVID-19 lockdowns on Chilean students' actual motor competence (AMC) and perceived motor competence (PMC). (2) Methods: using a sequential cohort design, data from 523 fifth-grade students at nine elementary schools (46.8% girls, age M = 11.11, SD = 0.66) were assessed in 2018-19 (pre-lockdown) (n = 265) and 2022 (post-lockdown) (n = 258). (3) Results: in the domain of object control (AMC and PMC), no significant differences were found (AMC p = 0.559; PMC p = 0.682). In the self-movement domain of AMC and PMC, the significant differences found presented a small effect size (AMC p = 0.044, ηp2 = 0.01; PMC p = 0.001, ηp2 = 0.03). (4) Conclusions: although the differences encountered were not drastic, self-movement skills tended to be greatly affected by the lockdowns resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings broaden information on the negative consequences of the pandemic on students in aspects related to an active and healthy life.

Extended reality for patient recovery and wellness

The healthcare sector is undergoing rapid change using information and communication technologies (E-Health). E-Health enables faster access to patient records and effective diagnosis and opens new areas of technology curated treatments. The unprecedented situation of the COVID pandemic faced by the world population has shifted greater focus toward healthcare and remote care systems, which have given rise to technological innovations in healthcare systems, including advancements in immersive extended reality (XR). Virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality are together referred to as XR or immersive XR. Immersive XR also refers to all real-and-virtual collaborative environments and human–machine interactions. The characteristics of XR, such as integrating real and virtual environments and user interaction facilitation by utilizing past data, have promoted the application of immersive XR in many healthcare domains, including psychotherapy, patient recovery, wellness, etc. Poststroke motor recovery and neurorehabilitation are some examples that utilize XR-enabled platforms. Thus, this chapter will focus on mapping current research and development of immersive XR in patient recovery and wellness in the context of trivial and emerging nontrivial applications. This chapter will also involve systematic exploration of the available academic manuscripts, global patent grants, and emerging technical standards to compare the current academic and commercial developments to extend immersive XR in the field of patient recovery and wellness. © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Telerehabilitation in pediatric neurofunctional physical therapy during the COVID-19 pandemics: parent's perception, challenges and contributions / Telerreabilitação na fisioterapia neurofuncional pediátrica durante a pandemia de COVID-19: percepção dos pais, desafios e contribuições

INTRODUÇÃO: A telerreabilitação é uma modalidade de atendimento realizado à distância que foi considerada um recurso fundamental durante a pandemia da COVID-19. Entretanto, era uma modalidade ainda não vivenciada por muitos profissionais e familiares. OBJETIVO: Descrever a percepção dos pais ou responsáveis por crianças em tratamento fisioterapêutico, sobre os desafios e as contribuições da experiência com a telerreabilitação realizada em serviço ambulatorial durante a pandemia de COVID-19. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Estudo observacional transversal exploratório, realizado com pais ou responsáveis por crianças, com idade entre 0 a 12 anos, com qualquer condição de saúde neurológica ou musculoesquelética em acompanhamento fisioterapêutico por telerreabilitação, no período de junho a agosto de 2021. Um questionário elaborado pelas autoras com perguntas sobre a percepção dos responsáveis, desafios e contribuições da telerreabilitação foi encaminhado para os responsáveis por meio de um link do Google Forms, via e-mail ou aplicativo de mensagem no celular, e foi auto aplicado. Realizaramse análises descritivas dos dados coletados por meio da frequência de respostas dos pais ou responsáveis nas questões específicas. As variáveis numéricas foram apresentadas como média ± desvio-padrão e as variáveis categóricas, como frequências absolutas e relativas. RESULTADOS: Dezoito responsáveis receberam e responderam o questionário completamente. A mãe foi a responsável mais citada, a maioria das crianças recebeu atendimento duas vezes na semana e o diagnóstico mais prevalente foi paralisia cerebral. Setenta e três por cento dos responsáveis avaliaram a telerreabilitação como acima do nível esperado e com contribuição além de suas expectativas. CONCLUSÃO: De acordo com a percepção dos pais, sobre os desafios e as contribuições da experiência com a telerreabilitação realizada em serviço ambulatorial, os benefícios parecem superar os desafios.

INTRODUCTION: Telerehabilitation is a modality of care provided remotely that was considered a fundamental resource during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it was a modality not yet experienced by many professionals and family members. OBJECTIVE: To describe the perception of parents or guardians of children undergoing physical therapy, about the challenges and contributions of the experience with telerehabilitation performed in an outpatient service during the COVID-19 pandemics. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An exploratory crosssectional observational study carried out with parents or guardians of children, aged between 0 and 12 years old, with any neurological or musculoskeletal health condition in physiotherapeutic treatment by telerehabilitation, from June to August 2021. A questionnaire prepared by the authors with questions about the perception of those responsible, challenges and contributions of telerehabilitation was sent to those responsible through a Google Forms link, by email or mobile messaging app and was self-applied. Descriptive analysis of the data collected was carried out through the frequency of responses from parents or guardians on specific questions. Numerical variables were presented as mean ± standard deviation and categorical variables as absolute and relative frequencies. RESULTS: Eighteen guardians received and answered the questionnaire completely. The mother was the most cited guardian, most children received care twice a week and the most prevalent diagnosis was cerebral palsy. Seventythree percent of those responsible rated telerehabilitation as above the expected level and with a contribution beyond their expectations. According to them, the greatest contribution of telerehabilitation was the satisfactory motor development presented by the children during the period of social isolation. CONCLUSION: According to the parents' perception of the challenges and contributions of the experience with telerehabilitation performed in outpatient service, the benefits seem to outweigh the challenges.

Physical Performance and Morphological Characteristics of Young Basketball Players before and after COVID-19.

The aim of this study was to determine possible changes in physical performance and morphological characteristics in young basketball players before and after quarantine caused by COVID-19. The research was conducted on a total sample of 46 young basketball players. Participants were measured before the quarantine and pandemic in January 2020 and then after the quarantine period, one year later in March 2021. The results indicate the existence of significant differences in total muscle mass (p < 0.01) in favor of higher values measured before quarantine. Moreover, total fat percentage was higher (p < 0.03) after quarantine. As for physical performance, significant differences were also observed in the counter movement jump test (p < 0.05) and the 20 m shuttle run test (p < 0.05), with significantly poorer results for the group of participants measured after quarantine. The authors conclude that the consequences of the quarantine and pandemic of the SARS-CoV-2 virus were definitely negative, as higher values of body fat and lower values of the percentage of total muscle mass were observed. In addition, a lower level of the explosive power of lower limbs was observed, accompanied by lower aerobic endurance in young basketball players.

The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic and Social Distancing on Motor Function and Growth of Children with Congenital Zika Syndrome: A Prospective Cohort Study.

This article describes the impact of social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic on the motor function and growth of children with congenital Zika syndrome (CZS). Children's motor function, weight, height and joint range of movement (ROM) were evaluated before the onset of the pandemic and soon after their return to face-to-face activities at a rehabilitation center. Fifty-two children (Mean 46.07 months, SD 3.76 months) were assessed. Results showed a reduction in proportion of children with adequate body mass index (p = .04), an increase in proportion with adequate height (p < 0.001), deterioration in gross motor function in children with severe motor impairment (p < .01), and a reduction in the maximum ROM for shoulder (p < .01) and wrist flexion (p = .046), elbow (p = .01), knee (p = .03) and ankle extension (p < .01), and an increase in hip flexion (p = .04). The social distancing period appears to have contributed to important losses in motor function and joint mobility of children with CZS; however, this period of time appeared to have less impact on their growth.

Effect of motor skills development on psychological and social traits of students of mazandaran province during the covid-19 pandemics.

Nowadays, the covid 19 pandemics are challenging all students. The present study aimed to investigate whether motor skill development affects students' psychological and social traits during the covid 19 pandemics. The present study's population consisted of all students aged 9-17 years in the three grades of the elementary, middle, and high school in Mazandaran province in the academic year 2020-2021, which corresponded to approximately 534 thousand students. We used a simple random sampling to determine the sample size because Iranian schools were closed. In this study, we selected 15 individuals for each of the experimental and control groups. Due to some students dropping out or leaving the practice, the samples comprised 42 girls and 45 boys in the control group and 41 girls and 43 boys in the experimental group. To collect data, we used the Standard Student Social Skills Questionnaire by Garsham and Elliott (1990), Cooper-Smith Self-Esteem Questionnaire, and Children's Depression Scale Short Form (CDS-A). We conducted the experimental group for 36 sessions, i.e., three months and three sessions per week, and each session lasted 30-45 min, depending on the quarantine conditions on the 19th day. To analyze the data, we used a two-way analysis of variance and the Scheffe post hoc test. The results showed that all groups had lower scores in psychological traits than those in the pretest. However, no significant difference was found between groups (P. < 0.05), and this effect was not significant in social traits (05/0 < P.). We also suggest that school principals and health care professionals use this study to design guidelines for creating a healthy environment and developing health-oriented educational programs to improve students' quality of life and health.

Cook like a Boss Online: an adapted intervention during the COVID-19 pandemic that effectively improved children's perceived cooking competence, movement competence and wellbeing.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated physical inactivity, poor dietary intake and reduced mental wellbeing, contributing factors to non-communicable diseases in children. Cooking interventions are proposed as having a positive influence on children's diet quality. Motor skills have been highlighted as essential for performance of cooking skills, and this movement may contribute to wellbeing. Additionally, perceived competence is a motivator for behaviour performance and thus important for understanding intervention effectiveness. Therefore, this research aimed to assess the effectiveness of an adapted virtual theory-based cooking intervention on perceived cooking competence, perceived movement competence and wellbeing. METHODS: The effective theory-driven and co-created 'Cook Like A Boss' was adapted to a virtual five day camp-styled intervention, with 248 children across the island of Ireland participating during the pandemic. Pre- and post-intervention assessments of perceived cooking competence, perceived movement competence and wellbeing using validated measurements were completed through online surveys. Bivariate Correlations, paired samples t-tests and Hierarchical multiple regression modelling was conducted using SPSS to understand the relationships between the variables and the effect of the intervention. RESULTS: 210 participants had matched survey data and were included in analysis. Significant positive correlations were shown between perceived cooking competence, perceived movement competence and wellbeing (P < 0.05). Children's perceived cooking competence (P < 0.001, medium to large effect size), perceived movement competence (P < 0.001, small to medium effect size) and wellbeing (P = 0.013, small effect size) all significantly increased from pre to post intervention. For the Hierarchical regression, the final model explained 57% of the total variance in participants' post-intervention perceived cooking competence. Each model explained a significant amount of variance (P < 0.05). Pre-intervention perceived cooking competence, wellbeing, age and perceived movement competence were significant predictors for post-intervention perceived cooking competence in the final model. CONCLUSION: The 'Cook Like A Boss' Online intervention was an adapted virtual outreach intervention. It provides initial evidence for the associations between perceived cooking competence, perceived movement and wellbeing as well as being effective in their improvement. This research shows the potential for cooking to be used as a mechanism for targeting improvements in not only diet quality but also movement and wellbeing. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT05395234. Retrospectively registered on 26th May 2022.

An Experience of Using a Handwriting Haptic Device to Fine-Tune the Children Motor Skills

Handwriting can help children to improve their learning of a language and fine-tune their motor skills. Every child needs to develop her/his handwriting skill to grasp new concepts appropriately and learn the language vocabulary. Therefore, in-hand manipulation of the traditional pen is highly important to develop pre-writing and transform the scribbled writings to legible ones at a later stage. In this paper, we evaluate the effectiveness of a customized haptic device in improving the children motor skills and their handwriting quality of Arabic letters. We use the Touch™ device from the 3D-Systems company with a controllable stylus that can be adapted to children needs. Fifteen pupils from the Deutsch International School in Doha, have participated in this experience after obtaining all necessary ethical approvals from concerned stakeholders. We conducted the experiments for a period of two weeks with the assistance of the school instructors and staff. Results show that there is an important increase of children motivation, and a good improvement of their motor skills and handwriting experience. The device can be used at home to learn independently during COVID-19 pandemic that continues to hit severely the whole world and enforces schools to adapt online teaching approach. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Using neurotypical siblings as intervention agents in family-implemented motor and physical activity interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder

There is a consensus that individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) fall short of the recommended 60-minute daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and some experience motor delays and abnormalities. Yet ASD interventions focusing on addressing these challenges are insufficient in the existing literature. Research evidence supports the effectiveness of neurotypical (NT) sibling involvement in ASD intervention, therefore, using NT siblings as intervention agents to promote PA and motor skills in their sister/brother with ASD may be a viable option. The three studies within this dissertation were conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic when free and unstructured physical activity (PA) was suggested to be achieved by playing with siblings. This dissertation's first investigation was a qualitative study investigating the perceptions of NT siblings and caregivers on prospective sibling-guided motor intervention in children with ASD. The principal investigator also gathered information that ball games, in-person format, once or twice per week frequency, weekend days, and 30-minute session duration were most preferred. Prior to designing and implementing the PA intervention, a cross-sectional study was conducted with 18 parent-ASD-NT triads (54 participants) to understand PA, parental perceived motor competence, and PA-related family dynamics in children with ASD during COVID-19. The findings from the PA questionnaire revealed that children with ASD spent a significantly greater amount of time in sedentary behaviors (mean = 2379.06 mins;SD = 1480.10) during an entire week than in leisure time activities (mean = 316.88 mins;SD = 301.48) and sports activities (mean = 183.00 mins;SD = 153.94). Also, parents perceived their children's competence on most skills listed in the parental proxy of the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Movement Skill Competence (PMSC-parent) as not too good or sort of good. In addition, it was indicated that NT siblings' self-efficacy in supporting children with ASD was lower than that of parents. By incorporating the findings from the first two studies, the third study within this dissertation provided an online family-implemented PA intervention for children with ASD to promote the variables that were measured in the cross-sectional study. The intervention used a randomized control trial with three intervention conditions: (a) Group A: PA intervention carried out by both a parent and a NT sibling, (b) Group B: PA intervention delivered by a parent only, and (c) Group C: control condition with only sedentary activities provided, rather than PA intervention. Among families who completed more than 60% of the intervention, significant differences were found in scores of object control skills [F (1,6) = 17.163, p = 0.006, etap2 = 0.741], fundamental motor skills [F (1,6) = 7.385, p = 0.035, etap2 = 0.552], and PMSC-parent total scores [F (1,6) = 6.914, p = 0.039, etap2 = 0.535] over time across the three groups [F (2,6) = 6.838, p = 0.028, etap2= 0.695], [F (2,6) = 13.507, p = 0.006, etap2 = 0.818], and [F (2,6) = 6.844, p = 0.028, etap2 = 0.695], with Group A showed more significant improvements. In addition, a significant within-group difference was found in parent-ASD interaction across time [F (1,6) = 6.964, p = 0.039, etap2 = 0.537]. Lastly, a process evaluation was conducted to examine the reach, dose, fidelity, and participant enjoyment. Results from this dissertation inform the design of future sibling-guided motor and PA interventions for children with ASD and encourage researchers to provide quality and enjoyable motor, PA intervention, and play-based services in an online format at the family level. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Impacto de la pandemia por COVID19 en la percepción de competencia motriz de escolares de la ciudad de Temuco, Chile (Impact of the COVID19 pandemic on the perception of motor competence in schoolchildren from Temuco, Chile)

In the field of motor development, the perception of motor competence is considered one of the most important underlying mechanisms that influence the adherence to the practice of physical activity, where Physical Education classes are one of the most relevant instances for its development. The present study aims to analyze how the perception of motor competence evolves in conditions of confinement and closed schools because of COVID-19 during the time in which the students have not had Physical Education classes in a face-to-face manner. 104 students (52.9% girls;age M=10.9;S.D.=0.69) participated and answered the SEMOK questionnaire for assessing perceived motor competence in both 2019 (T1) and 2020 (T2). The results of the mixed model did not present major effects of the confinement period on the perception of motor competence (p>.05), while in each of the periods significant differences were found according to gender, with boys showing a higher perception of motor competence in object control than girls (p<.001). The students maintained a similar perception from T1 to T2, showing stability in the perception of their motor competence during the period of confinement, which coincides with the few studies that have studied this subject, following prospective procedures. In addition, the role of gender in the perception of motor competence is confirmed and should be considered when developing didactic strategies for Physical Education class. Alternate : En el ámbito del desarrollo motor, la percepción de la competencia motriz es considerada como uno de los mecanismos subyacentes más importantes que influyen en la adherencia a la práctica de actividad física, siendo las clases de Educación Física una de las instancias más pertinentes para su desarrollo. El presente estudio tiene como objetivo analizar, en condiciones de confinamiento y de cierre de las escuelas por COVID-19, cómo la percepción de la competencia motriz evoluciona durante el tiempo en que el alumnado no ha tenido Educación Física de manera presencial. Participaron 104 estudiantes (52,9% niñas;M = 10,9 años de edad;D.T. = 0,69), quienes contestaron el cuestionario SEMOK de evaluación de la competencia motriz percibida, tanto en 2019 (T1) como en 2020 (T2). Los resultados del modelo mixto no mostraron un efecto principal del periodo de confinamiento sobre la percepción de competencia motriz (p > ,05), mientras que en cada una de los tiempos de medición se encontraron diferencias significativas en función del sexo, donde los niños mostraron una mayor percepción de competencia motriz en control de objetos que las niñas (p < ,001). Los estudiantes mantuvieron una percepción similar desde T1 hasta T2, mostrando una estabilidad en la percepción de su competencia motriz durante este periodo de confinamiento, lo que coincide con los escasos estudios que han investigado esta temática siguiendo procedimientos prospectivos. Además, se confirma el rol que el sexo ejerce en la percepción de la competencia motriz, aspecto que debe ser considerado al momento de desarrollar estrategias didácticas en Educación Física.Alternate :No campo do desenvolvimento motor, a percepção da competência motora é considerada um dos mais importantes mecanismos subjacentes que influenciam a adesão à prática de atividade física, sendo as aulas de Educação Física uma das instâncias mais pertinentes para o seu desenvolvimento. O presente estudo tem como objetivo analisar, em condições de confinamento e fechamento de escolas devido ao COVID-19, como a percepção da competência motora evolui durante o tempo em que os alunos não realizaram Educação Física presencial. Participaram 104 alunos (52,9% meninas;M = 10,9 anos;DP = 0,69), que responderam ao questionário SEMOK para avaliação da competência motora percebida, tanto em 2019 (T1) como em 2020 (T2). Os resultados do modelo misto não mostraram efeito principal do período de confinamento na percepção da competência motora (p> 0,05), enquanto em cada um dos tempos de medição foram encontradas diferenças significativas de acordo com o sexo, onde as crianças apresentaram maior percepção da competência motora em controlar objetos do que meninas (p <0,001). Os alunos mantiveram percepção semelhante de T1 a T2, demonstrando estabilidade na percepção de sua competência motora durante esse período de confinamento, o que coincide com os poucos estudos que investigaram esse assunto seguindo procedimentos prospectivos. Além disso, confirma-se o papel que o sexo desempenha na percepção da competência motora, aspecto que deve ser considerado no desenvolvimento de estratégias didáticas em Educação Física.

Virtual-Reality Training of Elite Boxers Preparing for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study

The COVID-19 pandemic struck right during the Olympic preparation, leading to significant training restrictions such as noncontact practices for combat sports. This case study research describes the application of a complementary virtual-reality (VR) intervention to train elite boxers preparing for Tokyo 2020 during the pandemic. It also addresses the evaluation of broader visuocognitive functions in elite boxers. Six boxers were allocated to two groups: one experimental group trained on a 360° VR (360VR) temporal video-occlusion program, and one active control group trained on a VR game simulation during 11 sessions. Pre- and postevaluations of specific decision-making performance were performed on a 360VR evaluation test. Fundamental visual and visuocognitive functions were assessed at baseline. Greater on-test decision-making improvements were observed in the 360VR-trained group compared with VR game, and 360VR offered self-reported satisfactory, representative, and safe individual training opportunities for the boxers. More research is warranted to explore the applications of 360VR and VR simulation for psycho-perceptual-motor-skill evaluation and training. Superior visuocognitive performance was observed in elite boxers and should also be a topic of further investigation. The methodological approach, implementation, and reflections are provided in detail to guide practitioners toward the applied use of VR in the sporting environment.

Static and Dynamic Balance Indices among Kindergarten Children: A Short-Term Intervention Program during COVID-19 Lockdowns.

The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak had a negative impact on kindergarten activities. These young children, who had been compelled to stay home during lockdowns, suffered a lack of movement and loss of mobility, resulting in deteriorated physical motor skills. Lack of sufficient motor experience in early childhood can impair children's motor and cognitive development. Balance skills are fundamental to all other motor abilities, from the most basic movements to the most complex motor skills. The purpose of this study was to implement a short-term physical activity program, which may have a direct effect on children's fundamental balance ability. Ninety-six kindergarten children (45 boys and 51 girls), aged 4-6 years, participated in the study. Data were analyzed using three-way ANOVA and interaction analyses. The results suggest that short, focused, and dedicated balance training programs have a beneficial influence on the static balance of preschoolers and can mitigate some of the negative physical outcomes of lockdowns. In conclusion, this study indicates that a short-term physical training program had a positive effect on the motor abilities of preschoolers after COVID-19-related lockdowns. More research is needed in order to fully understand the complete impact of the worldwide health crisis and the best ways in which to address it.

Virtual reality for rehabilitation of fine motor functions of hand in Parkinson’s disease

Basis: Previous research showed that virtual reality can help in the treatment process of some diseases. Our research on the use of virtual reality for rehabilitation of patients after stroke confirmed that after 12 rehabilitation sessions with VR, patients achieved better upper and lower limb motor outcomes. Methods: In this paper, we report findings from studies for early detection of neurodegenerative diseases, which may assist in early supportive treatment using virtual reality rehabilitation. In the current work, we present the use of new technologies that we have used in the rehabilitation of fine motor skills in the hands of patients with Parkinson’s disease. Results: Based on the hypotheses, it was possible to draw conclusions on the selected 8 patients that rehabilitation through virtual reality can contribute to a more effective rehabilitation process for patients with Parkinson’s disease. The average overall improvements in hand motor skills (hand movement, finger angle, finger speed) after 12 weeks were by 8.2% for patients without VR and by 9.0% for patients with VR. Conclusions: It appears that in neurodegenerative diseases, as well as in post-concussion syndrome, virtual reality can be used for rehabilitation as an adjunctive treatment. © 2022, LIECREH GUTH. All rights reserved.

Modification in the Motor Skills of Seniors in Care Homes Using Serious Games and the Impact of COVID-19: Field Study.

BACKGROUND: The pandemic has highlighted the importance of low-threshold opportunities for exercise and physical activity. At the beginning of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic led to many restrictions, which affected seniors in care facilities in the form of severe isolation. The isolation led, among other things, to a lack of exercise, which has led to a multitude of negative effects for this target group. Serious games can potentially help by being used anywhere at any time to strengthen skills with few resources. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a serious game to strengthen motor skills (study 1) and the influence of pandemic restrictions (study 2) on seniors in care facilities. METHODS: The data on motor skills (measured by the Tinetti test) originated from an intervention study with repeated measurements that was interrupted by the pandemic conditions. Data were collected 4 times every 3 months with an intervention group (IG, training 3 times for 1 hour per week) and a control group (CG, no intervention). There were 2 substudies. The first considered the first 6 months until the pandemic restrictions, while the second considered the influence of the restrictions on motor skills. RESULTS: The sample size was 70. The IG comprised 31 (44%) participants, with 22 (71%) female and 9 (29%) male seniors with an average age of 85 years. The CG comprised 39 (56%) participants, with 31 (79%) female and 8 (21%) male seniors with an average age of 87 years. In study 1, mixed-design ANOVA showed no significant interaction between measurement times and group membership for the first measurements (F2.136=1.414, P<.25, partial η2=.044), but there was a significant difference between the CG (mean 16.23, SD 1.1) and the IG (mean 19.81, SD 1.2) at the third time of measurement (P=.02). In study 2 the mixed-design ANOVA (used to investigate motor skills before and after the pandemic conditions between the 2 groups) couldn't reveal any significant interaction between measurement times and group membership: F1.67=2.997, P<.09, partial η2=.043. However, there was a significant main effect of the time of measurement: F1.67=5.44, P<.02, partial η²=.075. CONCLUSIONS: During the first 6 months, the IG showed increased motor skills, whereas the motor skills of the CG slightly deteriorated and showed a statistically significant difference after 6 months. The pandemic restrictions leveled the difference and showed a significant negative effect on motor skills over 3 months. As our results show, digital games have the potential to break down access barriers and promote necessary maintenance for important skills. The pandemic has highlighted the importance of low-threshold opportunities for exercise and physical activity. This potentially great benefit for the challenges of tomorrow shows the relevance of the topic and demonstrates the urgent need for action and research. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Deutsches Register klinischer Studien DRKS00016633; https://tinyurl.com/yckmj4px.

Measurement Properties of Canadian Agility and Movement Skill Assessment for Children Aged 9-12 Years Using Rasch Analysis.

The Canadian Agility and Movement Skill Assessment (CAMSA) was recently widely used to assess fundamental motor skills in children. Although the CAMSA is reported to be reliable and valid, its measurement properties are not clear. This study aimed to examine the measurement properties of the CAMSA in a sample of Chinese children using Rasch analysis. The study sample was from 1,094 children aged 9-12 years in Zunyi City, Guizhou Province. Descriptive data were analyzed using SPSS 24.0 software, and the dichotomous data were analyzed by Winsteps version 4.5.4 and Facets 3.67.1 software performing Rasch analysis. The present study investigated CAMSA measurement characteristics by Rasch analysis, including the reliability of the rating instrument, unidimensionality, item-fit statistics, and differential item functioning (DIF). Inter-rater reliability and retest reliability showed that the CAMSA had a good internal consistency. Rasch analysis indicated that the CAMSA was unidimensional, locally independent, and had a good item-fit-statistic. Additionally, the CAMSA displayed a good fit for the item separation index (12.50 > 2.0), as well as for item reliability (0.99 > 0.90). However, the item difficulty of the CAMSA did not fit well with personal ability, and a significant DIF was found across genders. In the Chinese children sample test, the CAMSA demonstrated appropriate goodness-of-fit validity and rater reliability. Thus, future research will explore item difficulty and person ability fit, as well as DIF across genders.

Neuromuscular rehabilitation interventions and COVID-19 management in a case of incomplete paraplegia with neurogenic bladder, post T3-T5 ependymoma

INTRODUCTION: Spinal ependymomas are a group of mostly slow-growing tumors that can cause non-traumatic spinal cord injury with insidious clinical symptomatology ranging from neck or back pain to associated sensory-motor impairment. Due to their neurological and systemic frailty, patients with spinal cord injury might be especially vulnerable to the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the resulting respiratory impairment. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a 66 year old women admitted in our Neuromuscular Rehabilitation Clinic Division for severe incomplete paraplegia and neurogenic bladder. She was previously diagnosed in the Neurosurgical Ward with a thoracic grade II (classic) ependymoma and underwent a gross tumor resection. During the neurorehabilitation program the patient was diagnosed with COVID-19. The multi-drug related treatments were associated with supportive oxygen therapy and neuromuscular and respiratory rehabilitation techniques. RESULTS: Despite of the patient's favorable rehabilitation, consisting of walking abilities with support in a walking frame on short distances, her prognosis may be worsened by resting neurogenic bladder symptoms. COVID-19 has led to important acute respiratory morbidity in our patient, regardless of the mild course of the disease, and might further cause a post-infectious respiratory impairment. ONCLUSION: Spinal cord injury remains a life-long condition and emphasizes the necessity of supporting the affected patients on the long run.

The Value of a Motor Intervention for 3 to 6-Year-Old Children Infected with and Affected by HIV.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/Aquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a large threat to human health and is challenging to address. This study aims to determine if motor intervention is a possibility for promoting the life expectancy and quality of life of children with HIV. The group consisted of 22 participants: 11 HIV-infected (51.73 months, SD 10.15) and 11 HIV-affected children (44.45 months, SD 10.76). A two-group (intervention and control group) pre-test-post-test research design was followed. The HIV-infected and affected children were randomly matched and grouped into an intervention and control group. The intervention group participated in a 12-week motor intervention of 60 min per session, twice per week. The effect of the program was analyzed with regard to motor skills, as established by the PDMS-2 and two strength capabilities. An ANCOVA adjusted for pre-test differences (p < 0.05) indicated statistically significant improvement (p < 0.05) with large practical significance (d > 0.8) in locomotor, fine motor and overall motor skills. The infected children also showed better improvement compared to the affected children. Motor intervention is recommended in the health care path of children affected and infected with HIV, although modifications for improvement of the program are suggested, based on the results attained.

A Feasibility Trial for Virtual Administration of the Test of Gross Motor Development-3 for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The Test of Gross Motor Development-3 is one of the most popular assessment tools in physical education and physical activity settings. It is a valid assessment originally designed to administer in-person, but the virtual administration of the assessment has yet to be deemed feasible. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore the trial feasibility of virtual data collection using the Test of Gross Motor Development-3 to assess the fundamental motor skills of children with autism spectrum disorder. Most specifically, we report on the design and feasibility of the online assessment process. A total of 22 families of children with autism spectrum disorder participated in the online data collection.

Effects of Attention Span Symptoms and Attention Feedback on Children's Motor Skills Learning

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of focusing instructions (internal and external) and attention feedback (internal and external) on learning free throwing skills of basketball in children aged 9 to 11 years. Methods: For this purpose, 70 female students aged 9 to 11 years were selected from District 18 of Tehran and randomly divided into five groups of 14 individuals, including one Control Group (CG), along with four Experimental Groups (EGs) of Internal Attention (EG 1), External Attention (EG 2), Internal attention feedback (EG 3), and External attention feedback (EG 4). After learning some basic instructions and watching the instructional video, the pre-test was performed including a 10-item set (10 blocks). The acquisition phase consisted of two sessions on two consecutive days and each session consisted of 5 blocks of 10 attempts with two minutes of rest between the blocks. Immediate retention test was performed immediately after the acquisition phase and delayed retention test was conducted 48 hours after the last acquisition session. Data analysis was performed using repeated measures one-way Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA), and LSD post hoc test using SPSS software version 20 and Excel at a significant level of P<0.05. Results: The findings revealed that both attention-grabbing methods improved children's motor functions (P<0.05). In combination of data related to internal and external attention as well as external and internal attention feedback, the findings showed that there were significant differences between the effects of interventions on children's motor skills learning, to the advantage of the external attention feedback (P<0.05). Conclusion: The present findings in support of the hypothesis of limited practice in order to learn the motor skills of children's basketball free throwing, recommend the use of feedback and attention signs, especially the external ones.