The Effect of Square Stepping Exercises Training on Lower Extremity

The Effect of Square Stepping Exercises Training on Lower Extremity Motor Performance, Muscle Strenght and Muscle Quality in Healthy Young People: a Single-Blind, Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial

Physical activity plays an indispensable role to lead a healthy life. Square-stepping exercises (SSE) are aerobic exercises.Our study was designed to investigate the effects of square-stepping exercise training on lower-extremity motor performance, muscle strength, and muscle quality of sedentary healthy young individuals.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Sedentary Healthy Young Individuals
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Exercises Training

Detailed Description

A total of 120 volunteers within the age range of 20-25 participated in the research. Participants were randomly divided into two groups, as 60 participants were study group (35 females, 25 males) and 60 participants were control group (35 females, 25 males). Demographic data and exercise habit of the individuals were documented. Participants' lower-extremity motor performance was analyzed through Vertical Jumping, Side Jumping, One Leg Squat, and Step-Up tests. Participants' muscle strength was analyzed through Hand-Held Dynamometer. Also, participants' muscle quality was analyzed through Muscle Quality Index. Throughout 3 weeks SSE training was administered 4 days a week for a length of 45 minutes in each session. All the analyses were conducted at the start and at the end of 3-week long training

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 120
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey
  • Bor
    • Niğde, Bor, Turkey, 51200
      • Nigde Omer Halisdemir University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 20 years to 25 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• 20-25 years old,
• Not attending any exercise program for the last 1 year,
• Not having a neurological, orthopedic disease or any disease affecting lower extremity,
• Not having any lower-extremity surgery,
• Individuals without vision and/or hearing problems were included in the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Having a vision and/or hearing problem,
• Having neurological, psychiatric, and/or orthopedic problems that affect walking,
• Individuals with lower-extremity surgery were excluded from the study.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Training Group; Throughout 3 weeks SSE training was administered 4 days a week for a length of 45 minutes in each session. All the analyses were conducted at the start and at the end of 3-week long training.	Other: Exercises Training; SSE is performed on a thin exercise mat divided into 40 small squares in 250 cm x 100 cm of size (25 cm each part). Participants are given patterns of a few steps and asked to take steps that match them. Participants must, in principal, move ahead in line with the length forward with no contact on the lines forming the squares. Forward, backward, lateral and oblique stepping patterns are required. Stepping patterns get increasingly difficult. Each pattern consists of 2 to 16 steps; participants are asked to repeat step pattern till the end of exercise mat. Upon completing a pattern, another pattern in the same mirror-image is repeated. In essence each pattern is reiterated for 3-5 times and next its mirror-image pattern is repeated but if participants face challenge in performing the pattern it is repeated till the pattern is learnt; Other Names: Square-steeping exercise
No Intervention: Control Group; This group has no intervention. Evaluations were only made at the start and at the end of 3-week long.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Muscle Quality İndex	Muscle quality was determined through Muscle Quality Index (MQI) which is a valid and reliable method developed by Takai et al. MQI measures 5 repetition sit-to-stand test duration (sec). MQI is calculated by measuring the 5-repetition sit-to-go test duration (sec), body weight (kg), and leg length (L-m). In the calculation, the formula "(L-0,5)*5*weight*g/5" repetitions sit-to-stand test duration is employed.	3 weeks
Muscle Strength	Hand-Held Dynamometer	3 weeks
Motor Performance Assessment 1	Vertical Jumping	3 weeks
Motor Performance Assessment 2	Step-Up	3 weeks
Motor Performance Assessment 3	One Leg Squat	3 weeks
Motor Performance Assessment 4	Side Jumping	3 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Nigde Omer Halisdemir University
• Collaborators: Pamukkale University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 10, 2019
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 10, 2020
• Study Completion (Actual): May 10, 2020

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 4, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 1, 2021
• First Posted (Actual): June 2, 2021

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): September 3, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 29, 2024
• Last Verified: June 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Muscle strength; Motor performance; Muscle quality; Square-stepping exercises; Healthy young individuals
• Other Study ID Numbers: (11.06.2019-11)

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
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No