title: Intermanual transfer effect in young children after training in a complex skill: mechanistic, pseudorandomized, pretest-posttest study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intermanual transfer implies that motor skills learned on one side of the body transfer to the untrained side. This effect was previously noted in adults practicing with a prosthesis simulator.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The study objective was to determine whether intermanual transfer is present in children practicing prosthetic handling.
  
  
  METHODS
  A mechanistic, pseudorandomized, pretest-posttest design was used.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted in a primary school in the Netherlands.
  
  
  METHODS
  The participants were children who were able-bodied (N=48; 25 boys, 23 girls; mean age=5.1 years) and randomly assigned to an experimental group or a control group.
  
  
  METHODS
  The experimental group performed 5 training sessions using a prosthesis simulator on the training arm. Before (pretest), immediately after (posttest), and 6 days after (retention test) the training program, their ability to handle the prosthesis with the contralateral (test) arm was measured. The control group only performed the tests. Half of the children performed the tests with the dominant hand, and the other half performed the tests with the nondominant hand.
  
  
  METHODS
  During the tests, movement time and control of force were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An interaction effect of group by test was found for movement time. Post hoc tests revealed significant improvement in the experimental group between the posttest and the retention test. No force control effect was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Only children who were able-bodied were included. Measurements should have been masked and obtained without tester interference. The fact that 4 children whose results were slower than the mean result discontinued training may have biased the findings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The intermanual transfer effect was present in 5-year-old children undergoing training in prosthetic handling. After training of one hand, children's movement times for the other, untrained hand improved. This finding may be helpful for training children who are novice users of a prosthesis.
authors.affiliation: S. Romkema, MSc, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, CB40, Hanzeplein 1, 9700 RB, Groningen, the Netherlands. s.romkema@umcg.nl.
authors.forename: Sietske
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Romkema
authors.affiliation: R.M. Bongers, PhD, MSc, Center of Human Movement Sciences, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen.
authors.forename: Raoul M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Bongers
authors.affiliation: C.K. van der Sluis, MD, PhD, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen.
authors.forename: Corry K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: van der Sluis
mesh_terms: D000674:Amputees / Q000534:rehabilitation; D001132:Arm / Q000502:physiology*; D001186:Artificial Limbs; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D009426:Netherlands; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D014163:Transfer, Psychology