Gamification Effects on the 6-Minute Walk Test in Children

Purpose

The goal of this study is to learn if adding a game to the 6-minute walk test for children with neuromuscular disorders will increase enjoyment and motivation to complete the test.

Condition

  • Neuromuscular Diseases in Children

Eligibility

Eligible Ages
Between 6 Years and 12 Years
Eligible Sex
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No

Inclusion Criteria

  • Clinical diagnosis of, or active evaluation for, a neuromuscular disorder - Able to ambulate (with or without usual orthoses/assistive device) sufficiently to attempt a 6-minute walk. - Note: Acceptable if the patient needs to take breaks or sit during the test. Those unable to finish are counted as protocol deviations, not exclusions. - Medically stable on the test day (no acute illness or recent surgery that would contraindicate moderate exercise). - Child able to understand simple instructions in English and provide assent (if applicable based upon age and developmental level); parent/guardian able to provide consent in English.

Exclusion Criteria

  • Non-ambulatory or unsafe to attempt walking as judged by the treating physician. - Severe cognitive/behavioral impairment that precludes following instructions. - Acute cardiopulmonary, orthopedic, or other medical condition that makes walking unsafe on the test day. - Non-English-speaking family (materials are available only in English for this pilot). - Any child/parent who declines consent/assent or withdraws at any time.

Study Design

Phase
N/A
Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention Model
Parallel Assignment
Primary Purpose
Basic Science
Masking
None (Open Label)

Arm Groups

ArmDescriptionAssigned Intervention
Experimental
Gamified test 		child carries a Radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag to scan at each lap, watching avatar level up.
  • Other: Gamified 6MWT
    identical course but child carries a RFID tag; at each lap the child taps an on an RFID reader, awarding a point and leveling-up an on-screen avatar; Conducted in hallway measuring total length of 90ft (27.4 meters). Patients will walk down-and-back.A seated rest period of ≥10 min separates the two tests to minimize fatigue carry-over.
Active Comparator
Standard test 		no game; same verbal cue every minute
  • Other: Standard 6MWT
    ATS-standard instructions, no electronic system; Conducted in hallway measuring total length of 90ft (27.4 meters). Patients will walk down-and-back. A seated rest period of ≥10 min separates the two tests to minimize fatigue carry-over.

Recruiting Locations

UK Center for Clinical and Translational Science and nearby locations

University of Kentucky
Lexington 4297983, Kentucky 6254925 40506
Contact:
David N Toupin, MD
859-257-1900
d.n.toupin@uky.edu

More Details

NCT ID
NCT07216339
Status
Recruiting
Sponsor
David Toupin

Study Contact

David N Toupin, MD
859-257-1900
d.n.toupin@uky.edu