title: Change in dexterity with sensory awareness training: a randomised controlled trial.
abstract: The role of sensory awareness in movement control is receiving increasing interest in sports and clinical literature as a feed-forward and feedback mechanism. The aim of the study was to assess the feasibility and effect of training in sensory awareness on dexterity in healthy adults. 29 healthy students were randomly allocated to a single-group, sensory awareness lesson with the dominant hand, the same lesson with the nondominant hand, or to a sham control group. Dexterity measures included the Purdue Pegboard Test, a grip-lift manipulandum, and perceived changes using a questionnaire. The sensory awareness lesson with the dominant hand produced a statistically significant improvement in mean dexterity compared to the control group, but not between the other two pairs of groups. The sensory awareness training paradigm is feasible and a single session improved dexterity in healthy adults.
authors.affiliation: International Centre for Allied Health Evidence, School of Health Sciences, University of South Australia.
authors.forename: Felicity
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bitter
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hillier
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Civetta
mesh_terms: D001364:Awareness; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004493:Education; D056228:Feedback, Sensory; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D018737:Hand Strength; D006801:Humans; D017770:Lifting; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011214:Practice, Psychological; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D055815:Young Adult