Improving Motor Skills: The Role of Music and Encouragement

Improving Motor Task Performance: Music and Verbal Encouragement as Catalysts - Highlights From Electromyographic Analysis

This study used a randomised crossover design to analyse the effect of three different experimental interventions - i.e. standard conditions, music and verbal encouragement - on performance in an isometric endurance task, comparing results between untrained and trained individuals. The interval between each intervention was set at seven days. The outcome measures are muscle activity and fatigue, assessed by surface electromyography, and task duration.

Isometric endurance task requires participants to keep their arm flexed at a 90° angle while holding a dumbbell with a supine grip loaded to 80% of 1RM on the dominant side of the body. During execution, the back and head should remain in contact with a vertical wall, with the feet shoulder width apart and firmly planted on the floor. The bar is held with the dominant arm while the other arm remains in a neutral position close to the body. It is imperative to avoid any form of rocking or movement that would make it easier to maintain the position. The test officially begins when the bar is handed to the subject, who is already in the correct position, and ends as soon as the angle of the arm varies by more than five degrees from the starting position.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Healthy
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Isometric Task

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 25
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Italy
  • Genova, Italy, 16122
    • Universita degli Studi di Genova

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

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

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

To be included in the study, candidates had to be in good general health, with no medical conditions that could interfere with their ability to perform the test safely and effectively. In addition, to be considered trained, participants had to have performed 150 minutes per week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, in addition to muscle-strengthening activities, on at least two days per week. Those who did not meet this standard were considered untrained.

-

Exclusion Criteria:

Exclusion criteria included a history of surgery to the arm, shoulder, or nearby areas that could limit the ability to perform the test. The use of medications that affect muscle function or pain perception was also a reason for exclusion, so that the test results could not be influenced by external factors.

-

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Task with music; Endurance isometric exercise performed to selected music.	Other: Isometric Task; The exercise required participants to keep their arm flexed at a 90° angle while holding a dumbbell loaded to 80% of their 1RM (One Rep Max) in a supine position on the dominant side of the body for as long as possible.
Experimental: Task with verbal encouragement; Endurance isometric exercise performed with verbal encouragement.	Other: Isometric Task; The exercise required participants to keep their arm flexed at a 90° angle while holding a dumbbell loaded to 80% of their 1RM (One Rep Max) in a supine position on the dominant side of the body for as long as possible.
Experimental: Task without motivational feedback; Task without motivational feedback.	Other: Isometric Task; The exercise required participants to keep their arm flexed at a 90° angle while holding a dumbbell loaded to 80% of their 1RM (One Rep Max) in a supine position on the dominant side of the body for as long as possible.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Duration of the task	task duration expressed in seconds	60 seconds
Biceps Brachii muscle fatigue	time-course evolution of the median frequency of the power density spectrum (MF [Hz]) of the sEMG signal measured for Biceps Brachii muscle	60 seconds
Triceps Brachii muscle fatigue	time-course evolution of the median frequency of the power density spectrum (MF [Hz]) of the sEMG signal measured for Triceps Brachii muscle	60 seconds
Biceps Brachii activity	time-course evolution of the amplitude (Root Mean Square [microvolt]) of the sEMG signal measured for Biceps Brachii muscle	60 seconds
Triceps Brachii activity	time-course evolution of the amplitude (Root Mean Square [microvolt]) of the sEMG signal measured for Triceps Brachii muscle	60 seconds

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Universita degli Studi di Genova

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 1, 2022
• Primary Completion (Actual): August 5, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): March 15, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 18, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 18, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): April 23, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 23, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 18, 2024
• Last Verified: April 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Motivation; sEMG; performance; muscle fatigue; Neuromuscular Strategy; Motor recruitment
• Other Study ID Numbers: VEM-DINOGMI-24

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