Search

This commentary highlights pervasive challenges related to the science of intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), which we often take for granted. We argue that social power asymmetry and entrenched patterns of epistemic injustices undermine our science and call attention to the need to maximize our efforts to undo these unfair practices to enhance future care and research in IDD., (©AAIDD.)

Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Aim: To compare the effects of two Active Video Game (AVG) protocols on transfer of learning in children with and without Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD)., Methods: Fifty children, aged 6-10 years were randomly allocated to either group A or B. Children in group A participated in a set of Nintendo Wii ball games whereas group B played agility games (8 DCD and 17 typically developing children (TD) per group). Participants in each group practiced Wii games for 20 min twice a week for 10 weeks. All children also practiced ball and agility games in real-world settings, once per week., Results: Both protocols yielded positive effects with the largest effect sizes shown on agility and balance items of the PERF-FIT and KTK tests. No interaction was found on learning real-world games and the virtual protocol, except for a Ping-Pong game. A significant interaction of time by protocol group indicated that the Ball group improved more on BOT-2-Upper-Limb Coordination than the Agility group. Importantly, children with DCD improved comparably with TD peers in virtual and real-world games., Conclusion: Independent of training protocol, both children with DCD and TD children performed better on trained and non-trained ball, balance and agility tasks after 10 weeks of training., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study was performed to determine (a) the age at which autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is first diagnosed in Ugandan children receiving mental health services, (b) whether age at diagnosis varies by sex and clinical presentation, and (c) the average age of ASD diagnosis in children manifesting comorbid conditions. A retrospective chart review was performed and demographic as well as clinical data were collected from children with ASD diagnoses who attended two mental health clinics in Uganda between 2014 and 2019. Descriptive statistics such as percentages, means, and standard deviations were used to summarize the data. Independent t-test was also performed to determine differences in the mean age of diagnosis between males and females. Two hundred and thirty-seven (156 males, 81 females) children with ASD were identified. The average age of ASD diagnosis was (6.9 ± 4.0) years. A statistically significant difference in age of ASD diagnosis was found between males and females (t = -2.106, p = 0.036), such that on average females received a diagnosis at least 1 year later than males. Of the 237 participants, 53.6% were identified with ASD only, 16.0% had ASD and ADHD, 10.5% were diagnosed with ASD and epilepsy, and 7.2% had a diagnosis of complex ASD. The results confirm delays in access to ASD diagnosis and suggest that females are more likely to receive a ASD diagnosis later than males within the Ugandan context. ASD awareness should be intensified to improve public or professional knowledge about ASD to enhance early identification in Uganda., (© 2021 International Society for Autism Research and Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Objective: To characterise developmental milestones among young children living in rural communities in Uganda., Design: Cross-sectional study., Setting: Iganga-Mayuge Health and Demographic Surveillance Site in rural eastern Uganda., Participants: A total of 720 caregivers of children aged 3-4 years old from a health and demographic surveillance site in rural eastern Uganda were recruited into this study. Caregivers reported on their child's developmental skills and behaviours using the 10-item Early Childhood Development Index (ECDI) developed by UNICEF. Childhood development was characterised based on the ECDI's four domains: literacy-numeracy, learning/cognition, physical and socioemotional development. As an exploratory analysis, we implemented a hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis to identify homogenous subgroups of children based on the features assessed. The cluster analysis was performed to identify potential subgroups of children who may be at risk of developmental problems., Results: Between November 2017 and June 2018, 720 caregivers of children aged 3-4 years completed the ECDI. The proportions of children at risk of delay in each domain were as follows: literacy-numeracy: 75% (n=538); socioemotional development: 22% (n=157); physical: 3% (n=22); and cognitive: 4% (n=32). The cluster analysis revealed a three-cluster solution that included 93% of children assigned to a low-risk group, 4% assigned to a moderate-risk group and 3% assigned to a high-risk group characterised by low scores in almost all domains., Conclusion: The findings suggest that a high proportion of children in rural eastern Uganda demonstrate poor literacy-numeracy skills. These results underscore the need to improve population-based screening and intervention efforts to improve early childhood developmental outcomes, particularly in literacy and socioemotional domains, in low-income and middle-income countries such as Uganda., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is a common childhood disorder affecting movement and coordination skills, fitness, and academic performance. Increased physical fitness may have a positive influence on physical and mental health outcomes in children with DCD. Yet, little has been done to develop interventions to improve fitness performance in this group. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of graded exergames in 7 to 12-year-old children with DCD and typically developing (TD) peers. Participants (32 DCD and 28 TD children) received a 30-min training session twice weekly for 10 weeks. Performance on motor coordination (MABC-2 test), balance, aerobic, and anaerobic fitness tests were assessed at the beginning and end of training. In addition, enjoyment and perception of exertion were measured for each participant during the training period. Both children with DCD and TD children significantly improved on motor coordination, balance, aerobic, and anaerobic fitness at the end of the training. A significant Group by Time interaction was observed on the MABC-2 total [ F (1, 55) = 13.19; p < 0.001] and balance scores [ F (1, 55) = 26.83; p < 0.0001], with the DCD group demonstrating larger improvements than the TD children. Both groups enjoyed the program throughout the training period even though they rated the training to be of high intensity. These findings indicate that graded exergames may serve as potential treatment for impaired fitness in children with DCD. Regular participation in graded exergames in school settings may be needed to enhance and maintain fitness performance in young children with and without DCD., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Smits-Engelsman, Bonney and Ferguson.)

Objective: The question whether children with DCD have motor learning deficits is difficult to answer based on the current body of knowledge. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of practice on motor skill acquisition, retention and transfer in children with and without DCD using a variety of games in a virtual environment., Method: Performance on a criterion task (Wii ski game) and MABC-2 balance subscore was compared between children with DCD (n = 33) and TD children (n = 28) following 10 weeks of playing active video games. Repeated measures ANOVA was used to compare changes in the two groups., Results: The children with DCD demonstrated lower performance on the criterion task than the TD group (p = 0.031). A time by group interaction indicated that the difference in performance on the criterion task became larger over time (p = 0.039). No differences were found in retention between groups. Large improvement (Cohen d 1.11) was observed for the children with DCD on the MABC-2 balance subscore., Conclusion: Based on the criterion task results, typically developing children seem more proficient in learning new skills compared to children with DCD. More research is needed to confirm that children with DCD have a problem to transfer skills to other contexts., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Numerous movement skills and physical fitness tests have been developed for children in high-income countries. However, adaptation of these tests to low-resource settings has been slow and norms are still unavailable for children living in low-income communities. The aim of this paper was to describe the development and validation of the Performance and Fitness (PERF-FIT) test battery, a new test to assess motor skill-related physical fitness in children in low-resource settings., Method: The PERF-FIT test was developed in a stepwise manner. This involved defining the relevant domains of the construct of interest and selecting and evaluating test items. The Content Validity Index (CVI) was used to estimate content validity. Following development of the PERF-FIT test, a preliminary study was performed to validate items and to examine the feasibility of implementing the test in a low-resource community. Structural validity was also determined based on data from eighty (n = 80) children (aged 7-12 years) using principal component analysis., Results: The CVI for the throw and catch item was 0.86 and 1.00 for the other nine items, leading to a total CVI score of 0.99. The hierarchical sequence of the item series was demonstrated by highly significant (p < 0.001) linear trends, confirming the increase in difficulty of subsequent items. Principal component analysis revealed three factors; the first component is represented by locomotor skills that require static and dynamic balance, the second component by throwing and catching items and the third component by agility and power items. These findings suggest that it is feasible to implement the PERF-FIT in low-resource settings., Conclusion: The PERF-FIT test battery is easy to administer and may be suitable for measuring skill-related physical fitness in in low-resource settings. It has excellent content validity and good structural validity. After minor adaptions, further studies should be conducted to establish normative values, evaluate reliability, and document criterion and cross-cultural validity of this test.

Background: Evidence on anaerobic power and sprinting performance of children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is limited., Aims: The primary aim of this study was to investigate if the Children's Repetitive and Intermittent Sprinting Performance (CRISP) test could induce fatigue among participants. Secondly, the study examined the construct validity of the test in children with probable DCD (p-DCD) and typically developing (TD) peers., Methods and Procedures: The study was carried out in two phases. In phase 1, we compared performance of 25 children (7-12 years) on the CRISP test to their performance on the Muscle Power Sprint test (MPST). For phase 2, forty-six (n = 46) participants with p-DCD were matched with TD children (n = 46) on age, weight and sex. Anaerobic performance of participants was assessed using the CRISP test, 10 × 5 m sprints straight and slalom tests, side jumps, stepping on platform task and the ladder agility test., Outcomes and Results: Phase 1: The increase in running time on the CRISP test was greater than on the MPST, indicating that the CRISP test was more fatiguing than the MPST. Phase 2: Children with p-DCD had poorer anaerobic capacity (muscle power, muscle endurance) compared to their TD peers. However, fatigue was comparable between the two groups. The differences in performance between p-DCD and TD children were found to be greater for tests with more agility elements., Conclusions and Implications: The findings showed that CRISP test could induce fatigue in children. The CRISP test was also found to have positive construct (i.e. known-group) validity. The differences in muscle power and endurance between children with p-DCD and TD peers tend to widen when assessments are performed with tests having high agility components., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of 2 activity-based motor interventions among female adolescents who are overweight and obese., Methods: This study was conducted in a low-income community of Cape Town, South Africa. The study involved 52 participants classified as overweight and obese. Participants were randomly assigned to task-oriented functional training or Wii Fit intervention. Both interventions were 45 minutes of active training once a week for 14 weeks. Outcome measures included aerobic fitness, motor coordination, and self-efficacy. Data were collected before and after the interventions., Results: Participants in both groups demonstrated significant improvement in aerobic fitness and motor coordination but not self-efficacy. However, no between-group differences were observed on any of the outcomes., Conclusions: Activity-based interventions may improve aerobic fitness and motor coordination in female adolescents who are overweight and obese and may also help prevent declines in physical fitness and coordination in this population.

Purpose: This study aimed (1) to evaluate the test-retest reliability of a new agility test among children and (2) to determine the physical performance and anthropometric variables that may influence agility performance in this population., Methods: For aim 1, participants (n = 34) completed the Ladder Agility Test (LAT) twice, with a 2-week interval between the first and second test occasions. For aim 2, participants (n = 125) were assessed on the LAT as well as other measures thought to be necessary for agility such as motor coordination, explosive power of the lower extremity, dynamic balance, age, and body mass index., Results: Intraclass correlation coefficient of the LAT total score was .94 (95% confidence interval, .88-.97). Cronbach alpha of .85 was found between the 4 test items. An R2 of .466 was found to represent the explained variance of the LAT total score by the predicting variables. Dynamic balance (2-legged side jumps) (P < .001), motor coordination (P < .01), and age (P < .06) were found to be the major predictors of the LAT total score., Conclusions: This study shows that the LAT is a reliable and valid field-based test that can be used to evaluate agility performance in children. Factors such as dynamic balance, motor coordination, and age may influence agility performance.

Background: Assessment of anaerobic capacity in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is essential for treatment planning. However, available field-based measures have no established validity and reliability in this population. Purpose: To examine the psychometric properties of selected field-based anaerobic capacity tests in children with and without DCD. Methods: School-aged children (6-16 years) with and without DCD participated in the study. The children completed the shuttle run sub-item of the Bruninks-Oseretsky test of motor proficiency-second edition, the 10 × 5 m sprint tests (straight and slalom) and the muscle power sprint test (MPST). Results: The shuttle run test item of the Bruninks-Oseretsky test of motor proficiency-second edition and 10 × 5 m sprint tests possess good construct validity and test-retest reliability in children with DCD. The 10 × 5 m sprint test-slalom was found to be the most responsive test among children with DCD. However, the MPST was less reliable in children with DCD compared to their typically developing peers, leading to a very large Smallest Detectable Difference. Conclusions: The findings suggest that the selected anaerobic capacity measures have sound psychometric properties among children with DCD with the exception of the MPST. Clinicians working on children with DCD could use these tests in their practice, especially in situations where logistical resources are limited. Implications for Rehabilitation Field-based anaerobic capacity tests are suitable measures for assessing anaerobic capacity in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder, particularly in situations where laboratory assessments are not feasible. The shuttle run test item of the Bruninks-Oseretsky test of motor proficiency-second edition and the 10 × 5 sprint tests (straight and slalom) have good construct validity in this population. The 10 × 5 sprint test (slalom) is the most sensitive anaerobic capacity test among children with Developmental Coordination Disorder.

Background: Neck pain is a common complaint worldwide and ranked seventh in 2010 as the cause of 'years lived with disability' in Ghana. Proprioceptive dysfunction, measured by joint position error (JPE) tests, indicates an association with neck pain frequency, dizziness and balance problems in patients., Objectives: To examine proprioceptive deficits of the neck using a laser pointer attached to the head., Methods: Twenty patients within the age group 21-60 years, with at least five points on the neck disability index (NDI), and 20 age- and sex-matched controls with less than five points on the NDI were recruited for this study. The JPE was determined wearing a headlight laser pointer directed towards a Cartesian coordinate system adjusted to x / y = 0/0, placed on a wall after returning from left and right rotation, flexion and extension. From starting in an upright sitting position, facing the Cartesian coordinate system, each participant performed five repetitions for each movement direction. The mean of five repetitions for each movement direction was calculated as absolute error (AE), constant error (CE) and variable error (VE)., Results: Control participants showed larger JPE values for nearly all AE, CE and VE. After repositioning from flexion controls showed an approximately 0.6 ° larger median JPE, and the opposite for extension, with median differences between 1 ° and 2 °., Conclusion: The results of this study do not reveal any meaningful differences between patients with mild disabled neck movement compared with controls., Clinical Implications: Joint position error testing does not seem useful for patients with mild neck disability., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Introduction: Musculoskeletal pain and functional limitations experienced by patients with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) impact their physical activity and social behaviour. Yet, we know little about physical activity behaviour in patients with SCD. The aim of this study was to investigate gender differences in physical activity, sedentary time and measures of fitness among Ghanaian adults with SCD. The study also determined the association between outcome variables in this population., Methods: Patients with SCD attending a sickle cell clinic in a tertiary hospital in Accra, Ghana participated in this cross-sectional study. Physical activity, sedentary time, body composition, flexibility and cardiovascular endurance were assessed. Demographic data were also collected by self-report., Results: Fifty three participants enrolled in the study. Of these, more than half were females (60.4%) and the average age of the participants was (M: 26.8, SD: 8.5 years). The total physical activity reported by the participants was different between males and females (t = 2.610, p = 0.012). However, there were no gender differences in sedentary time, body composition, flexibility and cardiovascular endurance. A moderately significant association was found between sedentary time and cardiovascular endurance (r = 0.437, p = 0.001)., Conclusion: The findings suggest that gender differences in physical activity are apparent in patients with SCD. Investigations into the mechanisms underpinning these differences are warranted. Additionally, longitudinal observations of objectively measured physical activity may be useful to validate these results in a larger sample., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Purpose: Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) are known to have poor physical fitness. However, differentiating homogenous subgroups of DCD using fitness performance has not yet been established. Therefore the purpose of this study was to identify subtypes in children with and without DCD using measures of physical fitness., Method: Children (aged 6-10 years, n = 217) constituted the sample for this study. They were assessed on 1) aerobic fitness (20m Shuttle Run test), 2) anaerobic fitness (Muscle Power Sprint Test), 3) isometric muscle strength (handheld dynamometry) 4) functional upper and lower body strength (Functional Strength Measurement) and 5) motor coordination [Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2nd edition (MABC-2) test]. The Ward method was used to identify the various clusters., Results: Five subtypes emerged in the entire sample. In the typically developing (TD) children mainly 2 subtypes (number 5 and 2) were found containing 89% of the TD children (n = 55), with the largest group demonstrating above average performance on all measures (cluster 5). Children in subtype 2 had just above average motor coordination and good aerobic fitness but lower muscle strength. Subtypes 1, 3 and 4 were clearly "DCD" clusters, however they showed difference in fitness performance. Subtype 1 contained children with DCD who showed poor performance on all fitness outcomes (n = 45). Children with DCD in subtype 3 had poor aerobic but average strength and anaerobic fitness (n = 48). Subtype 4 contained children with DCD (n = 45) who had good muscle strength and anaerobic fitness. Of these, 36% were at risk of DCD while 24% had definite motor coordination problems., Conclusion: Our findings indicate that children with and without DCD demonstrate heterogeneous physical fitness profiles. The majority of the children (66%) with DCD belonged to subtypes with lower fitness performance. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings in other samples of DCD children., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background : Cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal fitness are important health indicators that support optimal physical functioning. Understanding the relationship between body mass index and these health markers may contribute to the development of evidence-based interventions to address obesity-related complications. The relationship between body mass index, cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal fitness has not been well explored, particularly in female adolescents. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between body mass index, cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal fitness among South African adolescent girls in low-income communities. Methods : This cross-sectional study included 151 adolescent girls, aged 13⁻16 years. Cardiorespiratory fitness was measured using the 20 m shuttle run test and musculoskeletal fitness was assessed using a variety of field-based tests. Height and weight were measured with standardised procedures and body mass index (BMI) was derived by the formula [BMI = weight (kg)/height (m)²]. Participants were categorised into three BMI groups using the International Obesity Task Force age- and gender-specific cut-off points. Pearson correlations were used to determine the association between body mass index, cardiorespiratory fitness and measures of musculoskeletal fitness at p ≤ 0.05. Results : Overweight and obese girls were found to have lower cardiorespiratory fitness, decreased lower extremity muscular strength, greater grip strength, and more hypermobile joints compared to normal-weight peers. BMI was negatively associated with cardiorespiratory fitness and lower extremity muscular strength. Conclusions : The findings indicate that increased body mass correlates with decreased cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal fitness. Interventions should be developed to target these important components of physical fitness in this demographic group.

Background: Adolescents with low motor competence participate less in physical activity and tend to exhibit decreased physical fitness compared to their peers with high motor competence. It is therefore essential to identify new methods of enhancing physical fitness in this population. Active video games (AVG) have been shown to improve motor performance, yet investigations of its impact on physical fitness are limited. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of the graded Wii protocol in adolescent girls with probable Developmental Coordination Disorder (p-DCD)., Methods: A single-group pre-post design was conducted to assess the impact of a newly developed Wii protocol in adolescent girls attending school in a low income community of Cape Town, South Africa. Sixteen participants (aged 13-16 years) with p-DCD (≤16th percentile on the MABC-2 test) were recruited. Participants received 45 min Wii training for 14 weeks. Outcome measures included the six-minute walk distance and repeated sprint ability. Information on heart rate, enjoyment and perceived exertion ratings were also collected., Results: Significant improvements in aerobic and anaerobic fitness were observed. The participants reported high enjoyment scores and low perceived exertion ratings. The graded Wii protocol was easily adaptable and required little resources (space, equipment and expertise) to administer., Conclusions: The findings provide preliminary evidence to support the use of the graded Wii protocol for promoting physical fitness in adolescent girls with p-DCD. Further studies are needed to confirm these results and to validate the clinical efficacy of the protocol in a larger sample with a more robust design.

Background: This systematic review was conducted with the first objective aimed at providing an overview of the physiological characteristics commonly evaluated in rugby and the corresponding tests used to measure each construct. Secondly, the measurement properties of all identified tests per physiological construct were evaluated with the ultimate purpose of identifying tests with strongest level of evidence per construct., Methods: The review was conducted in two stages. In all stages, electronic databases of EBSCOhost, Medline and Scopus were searched for full-text articles. Stage 1 included studies examining physiological characteristics in rugby. Stage 2 included studies evaluating measurement properties of all tests identified in Stage 1 either in rugby or related sports such as Australian Rules football and Soccer. Two independent reviewers screened relevant articles from titles and abstracts for both stages., Results: Seventy studies met the inclusion criteria for Stage 1. The studies described 63 tests assessing speed (8), agility/change of direction speed (7), upper-body muscular endurance (8), upper-body muscular power (6), upper-body muscular strength (5), anaerobic endurance (4), maximal aerobic power (4), lower-body muscular power (3), prolonged high-intensity intermittent running ability/endurance (5), lower-body muscular strength (5), repeated high-intensity exercise performance (3), repeated-sprint ability (2), repeated-effort ability (1), maximal aerobic speed (1) and abdominal endurance (1). Stage 2 identified 20 studies describing measurement properties of 21 different tests. Only moderate evidence was found for the reliability of the 30-15 Intermittent Fitness. There was limited evidence found for the reliability and/or validity of 5 m, 10 m, 20 m speed tests, 505 test, modified 505 test, L run test, Sergeant Jump test and bench press repetitions-to-fatigue tests. There was no information from high-quality studies on the measurement properties of all the other tests identified in stage 1., Conclusion: A number of physiological characteristics are evaluated in rugby. Each physiological construct has multiple tests for measurement. However, there is paucity of information on measurement properties from high-quality studies for the tests. This raises questions about the usefulness and applicability of these tests in rugby and creates a need for high-quality future studies evaluating measurement properties of these physiological tests., Trial Registrations: PROSPERO CRD 42015029747., Competing Interests: MC is a registered second year doctoral student at the University of Cape Town. BE is the overall supervisor of the doctoral thesis. GF is a senior physiotherapy lecturer at the University of Cape Town and acting in the capacity of a co-supervisor. JD and CT are senior physiotherapists at the University of Zimbabwe. TM is a senior physiotherapist at Harare Central Hospital. EB is a physiotherapist from Ghana. SO is a recent graduate of Human Movement from the University of Maastricht in Netherlands.This study was conducted as systematic review, so no ethical approval was sought and there was no need for informed consents. However, the review forms part of a doctoral study registered under the University of Cape Town Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC 016/2016).Not applicable.The authors declare that they have no competing interests.Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Background: Adolescents with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) usually experience psychomotor difficulties that affect their participation in everyday tasks and sports. Without effective intervention, adolescents show persistent motor deficits through adulthood. It is therefore critical to develop interventions to address the specific needs of this population. Studies evaluating the impact of motor interventions among adolescents with DCD are limited., Aim: The study evaluated the efficacy of two activity-based motor interventions in female adolescents with DCD., Methods and Procedures: Forty-three female participants (Mean±SD: 14.3±1.1years) were identified as having DCD using the DSM-5 criteria. They were randomly assigned to either Task-oriented Functional Training (TFT) or Wii training. Both groups received 45min training per week for 14 weeks. Outcome measures included isometric muscular strength, motor proficiency, functional performance and participation in activities of daily living (ADL)., Outcomes and Results: At the conclusion of the intervention, the two groups had significant improvement in muscular strength, motor proficiency, running and agility, predilection for physical activity and generalized self-efficacy. However, there was no difference in outcomes for the two interventions., Conclusions and Implications: The findings highlight the potential benefits of activity-based motor interventions in reducing impairments, improving functional performance, and enhancing participation. These results support previous findings on the efficacy of task-oriented interventions and demonstrate the value of these approaches at all levels of functioning., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Transfer of motor skills is the ultimate goal of motor training in rehabilitation practice. In children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), very little is known about how skills are transferred from training situations to real life contexts. In this study we examined the influence of two types of practice on transfer of motor skills acquired in a virtual reality (VR) environment., Method: One hundred and eleven children with DCD and their typically developing (TD) peers, aged 6-10 years (M = 8.0 SD = 1.0) were randomly assigned to either variable (n = 56) or repetitive practice (n = 55). Participants in the repetitive practice played the same exergame (ski slalom) twice weekly for 20 minutes, over a period of 5 weeks, while those in the variable group played 10 different games. Motor skills such as balance tasks (hopping), running and agility tasks, ball skills and functional activities were evaluated before and after 5 weeks of training., Results: ANOVA repeated measures indicated that both DCD and TD children demonstrated transfer effects to real life skills with identical and non-identical elements at exactly the same rate, irrespective of the type of practice they were assigned to., Conclusion: Based on these findings, we conclude that motor skills acquired in the VR environment, transfers to real world contexts in similar proportions for both TD and DCD children. The type of practice adopted does not seem to influence children's ability to transfer skills acquired in an exergame to life situations but the number of identical elements does.

Background: Little is known about the influence of practice schedules on motor learning and skills transfer in children with and without developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Understanding how practice schedules affect motor learning is necessary for motor skills development and rehabilitation., Aims: The study investigated whether active video games (exergames) training delivered under variable practice led to better learning and transfer than repetitive practice., Methods and Procedures: 111 children aged 6-10 years (M=8.0, SD=1.0) with no active exergaming experience were randomized to receive exergames training delivered under variable (Variable Game Group (VGG), n=56) or repetitive practice schedule (Repetitive Game Group (RGG), n=55). Half the participants were identified as DCD using the DSM-5 criteria, while the rest were typically developing (TD), age-matched children. Both groups participated in two 20min sessions per week for 5 weeks., Outcomes and Results: Both participant groups (TD and DCD) improved equally well on game performance. There was no significant difference in positive transfer to balance tasks between practice schedules (Repetitive and Variable) and participant groups (TD and DCD)., Conclusions and Implications: Children with and without DCD learn balance skills quite well when exposed to exergames. Gains in learning and transfer are similar regardless of the form of practice schedule employed., What This Paper Adds: This is the first paper to compare the effect of practice schedules on learning in children with DCD and those with typical development. No differences in motor learning were found between repetitive and variable practice schedules. When children with and without DCD spend the same amount of time on exergames, they do not show any differences in acquisition of motor skills. Transfer of motor skills is similar in children with and without DCD regardless of differences in practice schedules., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/s40945-016-0016-2.].

Background: The physical job demands of physiotherapists require optimal level of physical fitness (PF), which is often not evaluated in practice. In this study, we assessed selected components of physical fitness of Ghanaian physiotherapists in relation to their sex, age and frequency of exercise participation., Methods: Physiotherapists practicing in four major hospitals within the Accra Metropolis of Ghana were enrolled into this cross-sectional survey. Three major components of physical fitness (flexibility, cardiorespiratory endurance and body composition) were assessed with sit and reach test, 3-min step test and BMI respectively. Unpaired sample t-test was used to determine differences in means of the three components of physical fitness betwwen males and females. Pearson correlation coefficient showed that frequency of exercise engagement and age of the participants correlated with the three components of physical fitness at p  < 0.05., Results: The study sample consisted of 40 participants, out of which 23 (58 %) were females. The mean age was (31.5 ± 1.4) years and majority 21 (52.5 %) was within the age range of 20-29 years. Respective mean scores for cardiorespiratory endurance, flexibility and BMI were (98.2 ± 12.9 beat/min), (4.03 ± 6.15 cm) and (23.3 ± 3.4 kg/m 2 ). Female participants were significantly more flexible than their male counterparts (5.7 ± 5.3; 1.6 ± 6.6, p = 0.034). There was a positive and significant correlation between the age of the participants and BMI (r = 0.614 and p = 0.017). However, cardiorespiratory endurance was not significantly correlated with age and frequency of exercise engagement., Conclusions: The sampled physiotherapists had relatively low physical fitness compared to the age adjusted values. Age and sex are therefore crucial determinants whilst designing programmes aimed at promoting physical fitness in this group.

Purpose: Constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) is a promising technique for the recovery of upper extremity movement in chronic stroke patients. However, the effectiveness of its use in acute ischemia has not been confirmed. Myelin-associated inhibitors, which have upregulated functions in tissues affected by acute focal infarction, limit axonal regeneration via activation of the Rho-Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) pathway. The present study examined whether early CIMT combined with the ROCK inhibitor fasudil promotes motor recovery after acute ischemic stroke., Materials and Methods: Rats were trained to perform the skilled-reach test and then subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), producing a stroke affecting the preferred forelimb. Rats were assigned to one of four groups (N = 6/group): (nontreated) Control, CIMT, Fasudil, or CIMT+fasudil. CIMT and/or intraperitoneal infusion of fasudil were initiated 1 day postMCAO. Skilled reach and foot fault test data were collected once before and repeatedly over 4 weeks after the operation. Infarct volumes were calculated., Results: All four groups showed similar forelimb impairment before treatment. The performance of CIMT alone group was similar to that of controls on both tests. Fasudil alone facilitated recovery in the foot-fault test, but not in the skilled-reach test. Rats in the CIMT+fasudil group demonstrated enhanced recovery in both tests, including better performance over time than the Fasudil group on the foot-fault test. Infarct size did not differ significantly between the groups., Conclusions: Early CIMT promotes motor recovery after acute ischemic stroke when it is administered with fasudil pharmacotherapy, but not without it.