Taekwondo for Children With Developmental Coordination Disorder

A Randomised Controlled Trial of the Effectiveness of Adapted Taekwondo Training on Skeletal Development and Motor Proficiency in Pre-pubertal Children With Developmental Coordination Disorder

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of a novel adapted Taekwondo (TKD) training programme on skeletal development and motor proficiency in pre-pubertal children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD).

Hypothesis: The TKD group participants will have improved skeletal development and motor proficiency outcomes after adapted TKD training compared with the controls.

Design and subjects: In this prospective, randomised, single-blinded controlled trial, approximately 104 children with DCD (6-9 years old) will be randomly assigned to either the adapted TKD group (n~52) or the control group (n~52).

Interventions: Subjects in the intervention group will receive adapted TKD training for 3 months (one supervised session/week plus daily home training, 1 hour per session), while subjects in the control group will receive no TKD training during the study period.

Study instruments and outcomes: Primary outcome measures: delay in skeletal development and motor proficiency will be measured by an ultrasonic bone age system and the Movement Assessment Battery for Children, respectively. Secondary outcome measures: eye-hand coordination and standing balance will be measured by a computerised finger pointing test and the Sensory Organisation Test, respectively (pre-, post- and follow-up measurements).

Data analysis: Data will be analysed via repeated-measure analysis of (co)variance followed by post-hoc tests, if appropriate (alpha = 0.05).

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of a novel adapted Taekwondo (TKD) training programme on skeletal development and motor proficiency in pre-pubertal children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD).

Hypothesis: The TKD group participants will have improved skeletal development and motor proficiency outcomes after adapted TKD training compared with the controls.

Design and subjects: In this prospective, randomised, single-blinded controlled trial, approximately 104 children with DCD (6-9 years old) will be randomly assigned to either the adapted TKD group (n~52) or the control group (n~52).

Interventions: Subjects in the intervention group will receive adapted TKD training for 3 months (one supervised session/week plus daily home training, 1 hour per session), while subjects in the control group will receive no TKD training during the study period.

Study instruments and outcomes: Primary outcome measures: delay in skeletal development and motor proficiency will be measured by an ultrasonic bone age system and the Movement Assessment Battery for Children, respectively. Secondary outcome measures: eye-hand coordination and standing balance will be measured by a computerised finger pointing test and the Sensory Organisation Test, respectively (pre-, post- and follow-up measurements).

Data analysis: Data will be analysed via repeated-measure analysis of (co)variance followed by post-hoc tests, if appropriate (alpha = 0.05).

Expected results: Based on the results of our pilot study, the investigators expect that the subjects in the adapted TKD group will have improved skeletal development and motor proficiency outcomes after TKD training compared with the controls.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Between 6 and 9 years of age
• In Tanner stage I (i.e., pre-pubertal - no pubic hair; boys: testicular volume <1.5 mL as measured by the water displacement test and small penis of <3 cm; girls: no glandular tissue/breasts not developed) as reported by the parents using sexual maturity diagrams [9]
• Diagnosed with DCD based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR or DSM-V) [1]
• A Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency gross motor composite score of ≤42 [17]; (5) attending a local mainstream primary school
• Normal intelligence
• Able to follow instructions
• No experience in TKD or other martial arts.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosed with neurological or other movement disorders
• Diagnosed with psychiatric, congenital, sensory, musculoskeletal or cardiopulmonary disorders that can affect motor performance or skeletal development
• Receiving active treatment, including complementary and alternative medicine
• Demonstrating excessive disruptive behaviour.