ExerCube Training on Executive Functions in Young Athletes

NCT04296708 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: EK 2019-N-161
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 32
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Competitive game sports require the existence of several sport-specific skills. In particular, game sport athletes need a good set of skills in order to perform well on the field. Therefore, it is important for athletes, especially young athletes, not only perform their sport, but also perform variable trainings, which differently train/trigger sport-specific skills. One skill set that is important in competitive game sports are so-called executive functions. Executive functions are needed for action planning and adaptation to the individual environmental situation, e.g. inhibition, flexibility and divided attention. A form of training that is very promising in this respect is exergaming as nowadays coaches are using virtual reality simulations to create realistic training environments. An exergame that combines this cognitive stimulation with whole-body movements in a motivating training environment is the ExerCube. Until now, however, evidence is lacking how an additional holistic exergame training can influence executive functioning in young athletes. Therefore, this study aims to get preliminary insight into the effects of the ExerCube performance on the executive function in young athletes (primary objective). The participants will be allocated into either the intervention group (ExerCube training) or the control group (no additional ExerCube training). The intervention group will train 2 times per week for about 30 minutes over a time frame of 10 weeks. Additionally, to consider the effects of the training environment, the secondary objectives include training motivation, enjoyment and flow as well as mental well-being.

Conditions

Effects of Exergaming on Cognitive Functions in Young Athleten

Keywords

Exergaming; Cognitive Functions; Young athletes; Training

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• FitLight

  FitLight Trainer™ (Sports Corp. Ontario, Canada) is a commercially available product and consists of eight LED powered lights controlled by a wireless connection via a tablet. The tablet is running on android version 4.2.2 and has in advance a FitLight Trainer™ software to interact with the lights. With this software, it is possible to generate new specific light sequences.The FitLight allow the testing of executive functions depending on the programmed sequences. The participants use whole-body movements of arms and legs to solve the programmes sequences. Before the participants execute the main test, they perform a pre-test to minimize the learning effect and to get familiar with the test environment

  Before and after the intervention, within two weeks

• Test for Attentional Performance

  Initially the TAP (D-TAP 2.3 VL, PSYTEST, Psychologische Testsysteme, Herzogenrath, Germany) was developed to assess attentional deficits in a cerebral impaired population. The participants perform a simple reaction task.The stimuli are presented on a screen of a personal computer. Before the participants execute the main test, they perform a pre-test to minimize the learning effect and to get familiar with the test environment.

  Before and after the intervention, within two weeks

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Situation Motivation Scale

  Before and after the intervention, within two weeks

• Flow Short Scale

  Before and after the intervention, within two weeks

• Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale

  Before and after the intervention, within two weeks

• Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale

  Before and after the intervention, within two weeks

Study Arms (2)

ExerCube group

EXPERIMENTAL

The ExerCube is an immersive fitness game setting that combines innovative soft- and hardware designs with state of-the-art training concepts. The ExerCube has three walls which serve as virtual reality projection screens and haptic interfaces. The ExerCube is a playful physical-cognitive exergame training. The user navigates a virtual environment/reality via whole body exercise. The video game navigates the user and triggers various cognitive functions. The used physical exercises are functionally and elicit the improvement of endurance and strength components. Via different monitoring systems (points and heart rate), the game adapts to the individual abilities and training level to tailor workout intensity. The ExerCube training consists of two sessions a week each session will last about 30 minutes of which 25 minutes will be pure playtime

Other: Exergame Training

Control group

NO INTERVENTION

The control group does not have any additional ExerCube training.

Interventions

Exergame Training OTHER

An exergame combines exercise and gaming in a holistic approach.

ExerCube group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 15 Years - 20 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Female and male
• Age between 15 to 20 years
• Young athletes (game sports)
• Healthy (self-reported)
• Able to provide written informed consent and understand instructions

You may not qualify if:

• History of cardiovascular issue that would prevent training participation
• Asthma (not controllable)
• Musculosceletal injuries that would prevent training participation
• Pain that would be reinforced by sportive activities
• Pregnancy

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Swiss Federal Institute of Technology: lead

Study Sites (1)

Institute of Human Movement Sciences and Sport, ETH Zurich

Zurich, 8093, Switzerland

Location

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NON RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 3, 2020
• First Posted: March 5, 2020
• Study Start: January 1, 2020
• Primary Completion: April 1, 2020
• Study Completion: April 1, 2020
• Last Updated: October 23, 2020

Record last verified: 2020-03

Locations

CH (1)