Differences in Muscle Activity Patterns and Graphical Product Quality in Children With Graphomotor Impairment

Graphomotor Impairment Clinical Trial

Official title:

Differences in Muscle Activity Patterns and Graphical Product Quality in Children With Graphomotor Impairment Copying and Tracing Activities on Horizontal or Vertical Surfaces

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT02501590
• Other study ID #: 22-14-LOE
• Status: Completed
• Start date: June 2015
• Est. completion date: October 2016

Study information

• Verified date: April 2019
• Source: Loewenstein Hospital
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Observational

Clinical Trial Summary

Drawing on a vertical surface, rather than horizontal (such as blackboard) is often used by occupational therapists as a way of developing fine motor control and visual motor integration in children. In healthy children no difference in graphical quality was shown between drawing on vertical or horizontal surfaces. However, this was not investigated in children with graphomotor impairments.

The goal of this study is to determine whether movements produced on a vertical surface differ in their performance level and muscle activation patterns compared to movements produced on a horizontal surface. The investigators predict that there would be a difference in the level of performance between the two surfaces.

Description:

Drawing on a vertical surface, such as a blackboard (rather than a horizontal surface) is often used by occupational therapists as a way of developing fine motor control and visual motor integration in children. While there is anecdotal evidence to support this intervention, preliminary results in healthy children showed no differences in graphical quality while drawing on vertical or horizontal surfaces. This however was not investigated in children with graphomotor impairments.

The goal of this study is to determine whether movements produced on a vertical surface differ in their performance level and muscle activation patterns compared to movements produced on a horizontal surface.

The investigators predict that the level of performance on the vertical surface will exceed the level of performance on the horizontal surface. Additionally, the investigators hypothesize that the proximal muscles will be more activated and fatigued (in longer tasks) while drawing on the vertical surface, while the distal muscle will be more activated and fatigued while drawing on the horizontal surface.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 48
• Est. completion date: October 2016
• Est. primary completion date: October 2016
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 4 Years to 6 Years

Eligibility

Study group Inclusion criteria:

• Up to 50 percentile in the long form Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (Beery VMI).

Exclusion Criteria:

• children in special education,

• any orthopedic or neurologic impairment,

• visual impairment that could not be corrected with glasses, or

• ability to understand and follow simple instructions, reported by the parents.

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Graphomotor Impairment

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Israel	Loewenstein Rehabilitation Center	Ra'anana
Israel	Loewenstein hospital	Raanana

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Loewenstein Hospital

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Israel, 

References & Publications (5)

McHale K, Cermak SA. Fine motor activities in elementary school: preliminary findings and provisional implications for children with fine motor problems. Am J Occup Ther. 1992 Oct;46(10):898-903. — View Citation

Ratzon NZ, Efraim D, Bart O. A short-term graphomotor program for improving writing readiness skills of first-grade students. Am J Occup Ther. 2007 Jul-Aug;61(4):399-405. — View Citation

Schwellnus H, Carnahan H, Kushki A, Polatajko H, Missiuna C, Chau T. Effect of pencil grasp on the speed and legibility of handwriting after a 10-minute copy task in Grade 4 children. Aust Occup Ther J. 2012 Jun;59(3):180-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1630.2012.01014.x. — View Citation

Wilson BN, Kaplan BJ, Crawford SG, Campbell A, Dewey D. Reliability and validity of a parent questionnaire on childhood motor skills. Am J Occup Ther. 2000 Sep-Oct;54(5):484-93. — View Citation

Yakimishyn JE, Magill-Evans J. Comparisons among tools, surface orientation, and pencil grasp for children 23 months of age. Am J Occup Ther. 2002 Sep-Oct;56(5):564-72. — View Citation

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Normilized Muscle Activity	The maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) value for each muscle will be computed as the average of three peaks of the surface electromyography (sEMG) data, which differed by no more than 10% from one another. The mean root mean square (RMS) values of the sEMG data will be normalized by the MVC value for each muscle so that the value is presented by percentage.	day1