OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY PROGRAM, DEPARTMENT OF KINESIOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON

Functional Range of Motion of the Upper Body While Glassblowing: A Feasibility Study

Sophie E. Goloff, Karina J. Lathrop, Amy L. Malsch, Rachel N. Massart, & Kristen A. Pickett

Acknowledgments

References

Results Conclusions

Methods

Implications for Practice

Introduction

Elbow Wrist

Participant Baseline Post Baseline Post

M SD M SD M SD M SD

A 36.49 1.29 29.71 14.37 42.44 2.74 55.25 12.19

B 23.50 7.50 32.93 10.81 19.80 6.93 53.56 4.54

C 32.59 N/A 23.27 4.03 36.49 N/A 28.72 10.17

D 25.28 0.13 55.41 18.32 25.04 6.46 54.60 1.68

E 19.31 2.27 37.42 6.21 54.67 5.80 44.20 8.16

Note: M = mean, SD = standard deviation, ROM measured in degrees of motion. N/A = only one sample available at this time point.

Table 1. Individual Changes in Functional ROM between Baseline and Posttest Measures

Group Results: • Elbow: 8.31 degree increase

-Pre-test: M = 27.44, SD = 6.98-Post-test: M = 35.75, SD = 12.14

• Wrist: 11.58 degree increase -Pre-test: M = 35.69, SD = 13.90-Post-test: M = 47.27, SD = 11.30

• Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test -Elbow (p = .23)-Wrist (p = .23)

• Large effect size -Elbow (r = .54) -Wrist (r = .54)

Individual Results:• Elbow: ROM increased for three participants (B, D, E), decreased for two (A, C)• Wrist: ROM increased for three participants (A, B, D), decreased for two (C, E)

Unexpected Movement Patterns:• Participant C: periods of extreme flexion at the wrist; occluded marker points from view• Participant D: excessive hip flexion and extension compared to other participants• Participant E: routinely rolled pipe past wrist and up the forearm during movements

• Successful completion of activities of daily living (ADL) requires a basic level of motor coordination1

• In older adults, repetitive practice of skilled tasks may lead to motor reorganization and consolidation2, 3

• Motor learning has been measured in novel tasks using changes in joint range of motion (ROM)4, 5

• It is not clear whether skills transfer from motor tasks to performance of ADL6, 7

• Glassblowing requires skills that parallel ADL: task sequencing, recognition of safety hazards, postural stability during bilateral upper extremity (UE) use, and adjustment to environmental and task demands

• This feasibility study will investigate the degree of motor learning that occurs in an 8-week glassblowing class

• An upcoming follow-up study will look at transfer to ADL

Participants• Six female university students ages 21-29yrs• Inclusion criteria: limited prior glassblowing experience • Exclusion criteria: presence of neurological disorders, cognitive

impairment, upper or lower limb pathologyProgressive Skills Glassblowing Class• Once per week for 3 hours over 8 weeks• Classes included both component and whole-task skilled

practice• High-contrast tape placed on 22 predetermined anatomical

locations for ease of tracking • Movements recorded via high-speed video cameras • Video analysis completed on Dartfish 7 ProSuite© (Version 7.0,

2014) motion analysis software

• Component-based skill learning in combination with whole-task practice may be an effective method for motor learning of novel tasks

• Glassblowing may provide a unique, occupation-based intervention for individuals with limited ROM due to movement disorders such as Parkinson disease

• Results demonstrate that the study design was feasible to explore motor learning of the upper extremity

• All participants experienced a change in range of motion • Changes in range of motion were non-significant• A large effect size indicates that motor learning may have

occurred • Results may not have reached significance due to

unexpected movement patterns of individuals and small sample size

• Future studies should include a larger sample size, more consistent data collection techniques, and a longer intervention period

• Findings of this feasibility study indicate that it is possible to safely collect and analyze data on five participants in an eight-week glassblowing class

Lateral humeral head

Lateral epicondyle

Ulnar styloid

Base of 3rd metacarpal

10 cm reference

1. Rosalie, S. M., & Müller, S. (2012). A Model for the Transfer of Perceptual-Motor Skill Learning in Human Behaviors. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 83(3), 413–21.

2. Hurley, S. R., & Lee, T. D. (2006). The influence of augmented feedback and prior learning on the acquisition of a new bimanual coordination pattern. Human Movement Science, 25, 339-348. doi: 10.1016/j.humov.2006.03.006

3. Berghuis, K. M. M., Veldman, M. P., Solnik, S., Koch, G., Zijdewind, I., & Hortobágyi, T. (2015). Neuronal mechanisms of motor learning and motor memory consolidation in healthy old adults. Age (Dordrecht, Netherlands), 37(3), 9779. http://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-015-9779-8

4. Kadota, K., Matsuo, T., Hashizume, K., & Tezuka, K. (2004). Practice changes the usage of moment components in executing a multijoint task. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 75(2), 138–47.

5. Chow, J. Y., Davids, K., Button, C., & Koh, M. (2007). Variation in coordination of a discrete multiarticular action as a function of skill level. Journal of Motor Behavior, 39(6), 463–479. doi: 10.3200/JMBR.39.6.463-480

6. Collard, L., Oboeuf, A., & Ahmaidi, S. (2007). Motor skills transfer from gymnastics to swimming. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 105(1), 15–26. http://doi.org/10.2466/pms.105.1.15-26

7. Causer, J., & Ford, P. R. (2014). “Decisions, decisions, decisions”: transfer and specificity of decision-making skill between sports. Cognitive Processing, 15(3), 385–389. http://doi.org/10.1007/s10339-014-0598-0

Figure 1. High-contrast tape and labeled anatomical locations used for data analysis.

Figure 2. The image on the left displays how the high-contrast markers identifying the anatomical locations were used to extrapolate ROM (degrees) via Dartfish Software©. The image on the right displays ROM data extrapolated at the wrist over time while performing a glassblowing technique.

• All five participants experienced a change in ROM • Wrist: 32.4% change• Elbow: 30.1% change

• Patterns of motor learning varied between participants• Results confirm the feasibility of a glassblowing intervention, instructional

methods, and joint angle data recording and analysis techniques

Figure 3. Group changes in median range of motion (ROM) values from baseline to posttest (week 8)

Future Direction• Should future studies strengthen the results of this feasibility

study, there is potential support for the use of glassblowing as a rehabilitative intervention for those with and without motor impairments

We would like to thank Helen Lee and Heather Sutherland for their expertise and time to teach the glassblowing course. We also thank Dr. Brittany Travers for her continued support of this project. Lastly, we appreciate the contributions of Hannah Saskowski and the first-year members of the SMIL lab for assisting in data analysis.

Figure 4. Mean change over time between baseline and posttest measures in ROM of the (a) elbow and (b) wrist.

Baseline Posttest

Time PointPosttest

Time PointBaseline

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