The Effects of Exercises With Pilates Ball on Balance, Reaction Time and Dual-task Performance of Kindergarten Children

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of exercises conducted with pilates ball on balance, reaction time, quality of life, and behavior among preschool children.

60 volunteers, aged 4 and 5 years old, who continue kindergartens will randomly be grouped into two as study group (SG) (n=30) and control group (CG) (n=30). Exercises including pilates ball will be applied to SG children for 40 minutes, twice a week, 6 weeks. CG will continue normal daily routines for 6 weeks.

Sociodemographic information of all people will be recorded after their parents signed informed consent form. Single Leg Standing (eyes open and close) for static balance, Functional Reach Test (FRT)for dynamic balance, Ruler Drop Test for reaction time, dual task performance methods will be used.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Healthy
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Exercise with pilates ball

Detailed Description

Exercises are generally suggested starting from primary school children. However, exercise habit should be given to people from earlier ages. Moreover, doing exercise can be beneficial to improve motor skills of this age and this improvement can support other developmental areas of these children. Thus, this study aims to investigate the effects of an exercise routine on balance, reaction time and dual task performance of preschool children. This exercise program includes pilates ball to make more fun for this age group. All movements are conducted with the same pilates ball. Exercises are conducted with individual sessions in the kindergartens of children.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 62
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Cyprus
  • Famagusta, Cyprus, 99628
    • Zehra Güçhan Topcu

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 4 years to 5 years (Child)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• having a birth year 2015 or 2016.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Having cognitive, physical and/or orthopedic problem
• Any pain which may prevent doing exercise
• Having visual and/or auditory loss

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Pilates Ball Exercises; Various exercises are conducted with using pilates ball. Sensory feedbacks like proprioception and vestibulation are given. Many physical fitness parameters like balance, coordination, speed and agility are used in this exercise program. Children are taken to the program for 40 min, twice a week during 6 weeks.	Other: Exercise with pilates ball; Pilates ball exercises are used to give various sensory stimulation and increase motor skills. Children usually enjoy these kind of exercises as there is ball in every movement.
No Intervention: Without exercise; The children in this group are not included in any kind of exercise/sport program during 6 weeks.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Dynamic balance	Functional reach test is used. Children are asked to stand next to the wall with their right side and extend their right arm with 90 degree shoulder flexion. Then they are asked to extend with their arm as far as possible by protecting their lower limb posture. The distance is recorded in cm.	change from baseline at 6 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Static balance	Children are asked to stand on dominant leg. Their standing duration is recorded.	change from baseline at 6 weeks
Reaction time	Ruler drop test is used to measure reaction time. A rule of 50 cm long is used. Children are asked to catch the ruler as fast as possible. Since the ruler is left with its zero point below, distance is recorded in cm as the result of this outcome.	change from baseline at 6 weeks
Dual task performance	Timed-up and go (TUG) test is used as a motor skill and a cognitive task is asked from children as a second task. For timed up and go test, a three meter pathway will be marked with red colored masking tape. The TUG test is administered using 2 standard chairs and children are asked to walk in a self preferred speed. At the same time, children are asked to count many animal names.	change from baseline at 6 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Eastern Mediterranean University
• Investigators: Study Director: Zehra Güçhan Topcu, Dr., Eastern Mediterranean University

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Obuz T, Topcu ZG. The effects of exercises with a Pilates ball on balance, reaction time and dual-task performance of kindergarten children. J Comp Eff Res. 2022 Jun;11(8):583-593. doi: 10.2217/cer-2021-0293. Epub 2022 May 6.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): May 1, 2020
• Primary Completion (Actual): October 1, 2020
• Study Completion (Actual): October 10, 2020

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 27, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 2, 2020
• First Posted (Actual): October 5, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): December 3, 2020
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 1, 2020
• Last Verified: December 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: physical activity; exercise; preschool children; physical fitness
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2019/0211

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No