Tai chi-muscle power training for children with developmental coordination disorder: a randomized controlled trial

The impact of 24-forms Tai Chi on alpha band power and physical fitness in young adults: a randomized controlled trial

Regular physical activity is beneficial for health, but research on interventions for young people's physical and mental health remains limited. Tai Chi may have potential benefits, but its effects on young adults are not well - studied. 45 college students were randomly assigned to a Tai Chi (TC) group or a control group. The TC group underwent 45-minute sessions, three times a week for 12 weeks. Physical health performance and alpha-band power of resting-state electroencephalography were measured before and after the intervention. Both groups improved in long jump performance (p < 0.05), but the TC group had a greater improvement (13.73 ± 15.54 vs. 4.91 ± 9.24 cm). The alpha-band power increased in the TC group and decreased in the control group. Tai Chi can enhance physical fitness and alpha-band power in college students, suggesting its potential as a health-promoting activity.

Systematic Review to Inform the Developmental Coordination Disorder Clinical Practice Guideline Update: Physical Therapy Intervention

PURPOSE

Systematically review current evidence on physical therapy (PT) intervention for developmental coordination disorder (DCD) to inform the update to the 2020 DCD Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG).

METHODS

Eight databases were searched for qualitative studies, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and systematic reviews (SRs) that informed PT management of DCD. Risk of bias and certainty of evidence were assessed.

RESULTS

Sixteen studies were included. Three SRs, 3 RCTs, and 1 qualitative study supported task-oriented interventions, the first-choice intervention recommended by the 2020 DCD CPG. One SR and 7 RCTs supported supplemental activities, including a meta-analysis of 2 studies on active video gaming. One qualitative study informed how physical therapists adapt motor learning strategies for children with DCD.

CONCLUSION

Newer evidence reaffirms 3 of the 5 recommendations on intervention of the 2020 DCD CPG and adds low to very low-quality evidence on new evidence-informed supplemental activities.

Transfer of motor and strategy learning in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD): A scoping review

Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a developmental disorder that affects the learning and execution of motor skills. Little is known about their ability to transfer their learning, i.e. to adapt prior knowledge to new tasks (Hattie & Donoghue, 2016). This is an important issue in these children, both to better understand how they can adapt initial learning to new tasks, and to develop interventions that will enable them to transfer their knowledge into their daily lives. The aim of this scoping review is to assess the body and nature of the existing literature on transfer of learning in children with DCD. After a search in 4 databases, 58 publications meeting the inclusion criteria were included. Among the studies, 18 aimed at measuring transfer, other can be interpreted as measuring transfer of learning even if transfer is not explicitly mentioned by the authors. The results show that children with DCD seem to have difficulty transferring their motor learning when the transfer tasks are far from the trained tasks but seem able to transfer their learning when the transfer tasks remain close, however they can transfer cognitive strategies to more distant transfer tasks. Future research is needed to systematically assess different aspects of transfer, with the aim of proposing effective interventions for children with DCD.

Effects of different exercise modalities on pediatric and adolescent populations with developmental disorders: a network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

To investigate the impact of different types of exercise modalities on children and adolescents with developmental disorders. Data were obtained from randomized controlled trials retrieved from five databases. Following the PRISMA NMA guidelines, a Bayesian framework-based Markov chain Monte Carlo simulation was used for aggregation and analysis. The included studies were assessed for risk of bias and quality evaluation. A total of 68 studies were included. Moderate-quality evidence suggests that combative sports may be the best exercise for enhancing gross motor skills, ball sports are the most effective for improving executive function, neurodevelopmental motor training is the most effective for improving social skills, and aquatic exercise is the most effective for improving behavioral problems.

CONCLUSIONS

Combat sports, ball sports, neurodevelopmental motor training, and aquatic exercise may be effective exercise modalities for improving symptoms in children and adolescents with developmental disorders. However, the degree of improvement can vary among individuals with specific developmental disorders. Therefore, precise assessment of the individual symptoms of children or adolescents is crucial before selecting specific exercise interventions.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO (CRD42024545673).

WHAT IS KNOWN

• Many studies indicate that exercise as an intervention can have positive effects on individuals with developmental disorders, such as ADHD and autism. However, reported effects vary, and there is no clear consensus on the optimal exercise intervention method yet.

WHAT IS NEW

• Through a comprehensive network meta-analysis, various exercise interventions for children and adolescents with developmental disorders were compared to determine the optimal approach. The study found that combat sports, ball sports, neurodevelopmental motor training, and aquatic exercise could potentially be effective modalities for improving symptoms in this population.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Practices: A Narrative Review Elucidating the Impact on Healthcare Systems, Mechanisms and Paediatric Applications

While research on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for the general population is expanding, there remains a scarcity of studies investigating the efficacy and utilisation of CAM practices, specifically in the paediatric population. In accordance with the World Health Organization (WHO), the prevalence of the parental utilisation of CAM in their dependents is estimated to reach up to 80%. This literature review identified broad, heterogeneous, and inconclusive evidence regarding CAM's applications and effectiveness, primarily attributed to variance in sociodemographic factors and differences in national healthcare systems. Additionally, the review identified a lack of consensus and polarised positions among mainstream professionals regarding the mechanisms of action, applications, and effectiveness of CAM. This narrative review presents varied results concerning the efficacy of most CAM therapies and their applications; however, some evidence suggests potential benefits for acupuncture, yoga, tai chi, and massage in improving physical and mental health. Moreover, the available evidence indicates that meditation may enhance mental health, while reiki may only influence patients' perceptions of comfort. In light of the intricate and multifaceted nature of herbal medicine, it is imperative to assess its efficacy on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the specific compounds and procedures involved. This comprehensive review serves as a valuable resource for health professionals, offering guidance for personalised healthcare approaches that consider the values and beliefs of patients, thereby facilitating integrated, evidence-based practices aimed at enhancing the quality of healthcare services and patient satisfaction.

Are Tai Chi and Qigong effective in the treatment of traumatic brain injury? A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) adversely affects both young and old and is a growing public health concern. The common functional, psychological, and cognitive changes associated with TBI and recent trends in its management, such as recommending sub-threshold aerobic activity, and multi-modal treatment strategies including vestibular rehabilitation, suggest that Tai Chi/Qigong could be beneficial for TBI. Tai Chi and Qigong are aerobic mind-body practices with known benefits for maintaining health and mitigating chronic disease. To date, no systematic review has been published assessing the safety and effectiveness of Tai Chi/Qigong for traumatic injury.

METHODS

The following databases were searched: MEDLINE, CINAHL Cochrane Library, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, Wanfang Database, Chinese Scientific Journal Database, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database. All people with mild, moderate, or severe TBI who were inpatients or outpatients were included. All Types of Tai Chi and Qigong, and all comparators, were included. All measured outcomes were included. A priori, we chose "return to usual activities" as the primary outcome measure as it was patient-oriented. Cochrane-based risk of bias assessments were conducted on all included trials. Quality of evidence was assessed using the grading of recommendation, assessment, development, and evaluation (GRADE) system.

RESULTS

Five trials were assessed; three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and two non-RCTs; only two trials were conducted in the last 5 years. No trial measured "return to normal activities" or vestibular status as an outcome. Four trials - two RCTs and two non-RCTS - all found Tai Chi improved functional, psychological and/or cognitive outcomes. One RCT had a low risk of bias and a high level of certainty; one had some concerns. One non-RCTs had a moderate risk of bias and the other a serious risk of bias. The one Qigong RCT found improved psychological outcomes. It had a low risk of bias and a moderate level of certainty. Only one trial reported on adverse events and found that none were experienced by either the exercise or control group.

CONCLUSION

Based on the consistent finding of benefit in the four Tai Chi trials, including one RCT that had a high level of certainty, there is a sufficient signal to merit conducting a large, high quality multi-centre trial on Tai Chi for TBI and test it against current trends in TBI management. Based on the one RCT on TBI and Qigong, an additional confirmatory RCT is indicated. Further research is indicated that reflects current management strategies and includes adverse event documentation in both the intervention and control groups. However, these findings suggest that, in addition to Tai Chi's known health promotion and chronic disease mitigation benefits, its use for the treatment of injury, such as TBI, is potentially a new frontier.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

PROSPERO [ CRD42022364385 ].