Research in developmental disabilities
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Differential effect of Taekwondo training on knee muscle strength and reactive and static balance control in children with developmental coordination disorder: a randomized controlled trial.
This randomized controlled trial aimed to investigate the effect of short-term intensive TKD training on the isokinetic knee muscle strength and reactive and static balance control of children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Among the 44 children with DCD (mean age: 7.6 ± 1.3 years) recruited, 21 were randomly assigned to undergo daily TKD training for 1h over three consecutive months, with the remaining 23 children being assigned to the DCD control group. Eighteen typically developing children (mean age: 7.2 ± 1.0 years) received no training as normal controls. ⋯ Moreover, UST body sway velocity was slower in the DCD-TKD group than in the DCD control group (p<0.001), and was comparable to that of the normal control group (p>0.05) after TKD training. However, no such improvement in balance was observed in the MCT (p>0.025). The results show that children with DCD who undergo a 3-month program of intensive TKD training experience improvements in isokinetic knee muscle strength at 180°/s and static single-leg standing balance control, but do not benefit from improved reactive balance control.