The Effects of Action Observation and Motor Imagery on Students' Ability to Locate Anatomical Locations: A Randomised Control Trial

The aim of this investigation is to measure if additional pedagogical techniques (Action Observation and Motor Imagery) improve student's ability to identify anatomical structures compared to traditional teaching techniques.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Motor Imagery; Action Observation
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Traditional Teaching; Other: Action Observation; Other: Motor Imagery

Detailed Description

The aim of this investigation is to measure if additional pedagogical techniques (Action Observation and Motor Imagery) improve student's ability to identify anatomical structures compared to traditional teaching techniques. Action observation is defined as watching human movement either via a pre-recorded video or a live demonstration. Motor imagery is defined as the mental representation of human movement, including its sensory and motor aspects, without physically executing the action. For example, imagining the feeling and effort of moving your upper-limb to reach out and grasp a glass of water from on top of a table. Motor imagery practice is defined as the structured engagement in motor imagery over time for the purpose of acquiring and enhancing motor skills.

Traditional teaching of anatomy using a common powerpoint based method, will be compared to the traditional powerpoint method plus the addition of action observation techniques or action observation and motor imagery techniques. The investigation, will also look at whether these interventions have an effect on information retention, by retesting the groups at a later date.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 33
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United Kingdom
  • Middlesbrough, United Kingdom
    • Teesside University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Level 4 (year one) pre-registration Teesside University physiotherapy/Occupational Therapy/Radiography/Sports Rehab students.
• No previous specific University anatomy training.
• Willing to provide informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Non Teesside University students
• Healthcare students with previous University level anatomy knowledge (including those with past healthcare degrees).
• Not willing to provide consent.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Traditional Teaching; Traditional anatomical teaching provided by a powerpoint lecture.	Other: Traditional Teaching; Traditional anatomical teaching via a powerpoint slide deck
Experimental: Action Observational; Traditional anatomical teaching via a recorded powerpoint and additionally receiving practice of the task via action observation.	Other: Traditional Teaching; Traditional anatomical teaching via a powerpoint slide deck; Other: Action Observation; Action observation is defined as watching human movement either via a pre-recorded video or a live demonstration (Eaves et al, 2022). In the current study action observation will be via a pre-recorded video. Eaves, D.L., Hodges, N.J., Buckingham, G., Buccino, G. and Vogt, S., 2022. Enhancing motor imagery practice using synchronous action observation. Psychological Research, pp.1-17.
Experimental: Action Observational and Motor Imagery; Traditional anatomical teaching via a recorded powerpoint and additionally receiving practice of the task via action observation and at the same time imagine themselves executing the same action	Other: Traditional Teaching; Traditional anatomical teaching via a powerpoint slide deck; Other: Action Observation; Action observation is defined as watching human movement either via a pre-recorded video or a live demonstration (Eaves et al, 2022). In the current study action observation will be via a pre-recorded video. Eaves, D.L., Hodges, N.J., Buckingham, G., Buccino, G. and Vogt, S., 2022. Enhancing motor imagery practice using synchronous action observation. Psychological Research, pp.1-17.; Other: Motor Imagery; Motor imagery practice is defined as the structured engagement in motor imagery over time for the purpose of acquiring and enhancing motor skills (Eaves et al, 2022). Eaves, D.L., Hodges, N.J., Buckingham, G., Buccino, G. and Vogt, S., 2022. Enhancing motor imagery practice using synchronous action observation. Psychological Research, pp.1-17.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Location of key anatomical locations	Each participant from each group will be required to required to palpate and locate 4 key anatomical locations from a list of Biceps Femoris Distal Tendon, Tibialis Posterior Tendon, tibiofemoral joint line, Talocrural joint line, Acromioclavicular Joint line, Long Head of Biceps, Glenohumeral joint line. The accuracy of location will be assessed by diagnostic ultrasound.	Immediately post intervention and one week later

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Vividness of Movement Imagery Questionnaire-2	Screening participant ability to conduct motor imagery	Pre- and post intervention (one week later)
Movement Imagery Questionnaire-3	Screening participant ability to conduct motor imagery	Pre- and post intervention (one week later)
The Edinburgh Handedness Inventory	Screening participants dominant hand	Pre intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Teesside University
• Collaborators: Newcastle University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 25, 2023
• Primary Completion (Actual): February 28, 2024
• Study Completion (Actual): June 1, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 12, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 12, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): September 21, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): November 22, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 19, 2024
• Last Verified: November 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: TeessideU23

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