Improving Motor Skills: The Role of Music and Encouragement

Healthy Clinical Trial

Official title:

Improving Motor Task Performance: Music and Verbal Encouragement as Catalysts - Highlights From Electromyographic Analysis

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT06380088
• Other study ID #: VEM-DINOGMI-24
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: July 1, 2022
• Est. completion date: March 15, 2024

Study information

• Verified date: April 2024
• Source: Universita degli Studi di Genova
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

This study used a randomised crossover design to analyse the effect of three different experimental interventions - i.e. standard conditions, music and verbal encouragement - on performance in an isometric endurance task, comparing results between untrained and trained individuals. The interval between each intervention was set at seven days. The outcome measures are muscle activity and fatigue, assessed by surface electromyography, and task duration.

Isometric endurance task requires participants to keep their arm flexed at a 90° angle while holding a dumbbell with a supine grip loaded to 80% of 1RM on the dominant side of the body. During execution, the back and head should remain in contact with a vertical wall, with the feet shoulder width apart and firmly planted on the floor. The bar is held with the dominant arm while the other arm remains in a neutral position close to the body. It is imperative to avoid any form of rocking or movement that would make it easier to maintain the position. The test officially begins when the bar is handed to the subject, who is already in the correct position, and ends as soon as the angle of the arm varies by more than five degrees from the starting position.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 25
• Est. completion date: March 15, 2024
• Est. primary completion date: August 5, 2023
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 27 Years to 40 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

To be included in the study, candidates had to be in good general health, with no medical conditions that could interfere with their ability to perform the test safely and effectively. In addition, to be considered trained, participants had to have performed 150 minutes per week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, in addition to muscle-strengthening activities, on at least two days per week. Those who did not meet this standard were considered untrained.

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Exclusion Criteria:

Exclusion criteria included a history of surgery to the arm, shoulder, or nearby areas that could limit the ability to perform the test. The use of medications that affect muscle function or pain perception was also a reason for exclusion, so that the test results could not be influenced by external factors.

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Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Healthy

Intervention

Other:
• Isometric Task
The exercise required participants to keep their arm flexed at a 90° angle while holding a dumbbell loaded to 80% of their 1RM (One Rep Max) in a supine position on the dominant side of the body for as long as possible.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Italy	Università degli Studi di Genova	Genova

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Universita degli Studi di Genova

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Italy, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Duration of the task	task duration expressed in seconds	60 seconds
Primary	Biceps Brachii muscle fatigue	time-course evolution of the median frequency of the power density spectrum (MF [Hz]) of the sEMG signal measured for Biceps Brachii muscle	60 seconds
Primary	Triceps Brachii muscle fatigue	time-course evolution of the median frequency of the power density spectrum (MF [Hz]) of the sEMG signal measured for Triceps Brachii muscle	60 seconds
Primary	Biceps Brachii activity	time-course evolution of the amplitude (Root Mean Square [microvolt]) of the sEMG signal measured for Biceps Brachii muscle	60 seconds
Primary	Triceps Brachii activity	time-course evolution of the amplitude (Root Mean Square [microvolt]) of the sEMG signal measured for Triceps Brachii muscle	60 seconds