Motor Control:

Developmental Aspects of
Motor Control in Skill
Acquisition
by palwasha hayat
 Introduction
 Objectives :
◦ The first objective :
To discuss some theories, hypotheses, and models.
◦ The second objective :
To describe motor control variables
o The third objective :
To describe stages of development/developmental
milestones
o The fourth objective:
Motor assessment
Theories, Hypothesis, and Models
 Three theories
◦ Maturational-Based Theories
◦ Learning-Based Theories
◦ Dynamic-Based Theories
 Hypothesis
◦ Uncontrolled manifold hypothesis
◦ Central pattern generators(CPGs)
 Models
MATURATIONAL-BASED THEORIES
 The maturational-based theory of motor control proposes
that emergence of behavior is primarily attributable to
maturational changes in the nervous system.
 Morphological changes in neurons during development.
 The array of morphologic findings led to the view that
structural organization of the nervous system determines
behavioral function (structure-function).
 Reflexes are the building blocks of voluntary movements.
 Sherrington’s notion of “structure-function” organization and
reflex chaining.
 LEARNING-BASED THEORIES
 Behaviorism:Behaviorism looked to the role of factors
external to the individual, such as the environment, and
sought to determine what attributes of the environment
trigger or shape behavior
 Response chaining:proposed that feedback becomes more
strongly associated with action over practice, automating the
sequences of action executed by the nervous system.
 Thorndike extended the notion of response chaining to
address how motor skills are learned, and in the law of effect
he proposed that skills emerge as we repeat actions that are
rewarded.
 DYNAMIC-BASED THEORIES
 The most recent theory
 Explains what drives skill acquisition and a problem poorly
handled by previous theories: How does a child move from
one developmental stage of skill to another ?
 A fundamental hypothesis of the theory is that there are
multiple identifiable variables, such as muscle power, body
mass, arousal, neural networks, motivation, and
environmental forces (e.g., gravity and friction), that establish
a context for movement initiation and execution
 A second fundamental hypothesis is that the relationship
(interaction) among these variables is in constant flux and
therefore shapes the features of a movement.
 Current Hypothesis
 Central pattern generators (CPGs)
◦ Modulate the inputs they receive and create output.

 Uncontrolled manifold (UCM) hypothesis

◦ We do not reduce the degrees of freedom for
production of coordinated movement synergies.
Rather we learn to use and adjust all the degrees of
freedom for the most efficient (stable and flexible)
movement.
 Models
 Robotic models
Robotic models are based on the physics of perception and
movement, assigning mathematic values to known neural and
biomechanical relationships to explain movement outcome.

 Computer simulations
Simulation can enable one to develop familiarity with an
activity before engaging in it.
 MOTOR CONTROL VARIABLES
 To understand how movements are controlled, one must be
able to identify which variables are important and determine
how they interact during movement.

 Variables are:
◦ Sensorimotor variables
◦ Mechanical variables
◦ Cognitive variables
 SENSORIMOTOR VARIABLES
 Sensorimotor variables are those physiologic
mechanisms or processes that reside within the
nervous system.
 CPGs are example of such variables
 MECHANICAL VARIABLES
 Mechanical variables are:
1. Total body mass
2. Relative distribution of mass
3. Viscoelastic properties of musculoskeletal tissue
 Changes in total body mass and relative distribution of mass
during development are accompanied by changes in length
and center of mass per body segment. These changes, in
turn, alter inertial forces resulting from gravity and friction
during movement. In some instances these inertial forces
may assist movement. In other instances they may oppose
movement.Together with other variables, they help shape
movement.
 COGNITIVE VARIABLES
 Cognitive variables may include variables that are dependent
on conscious and subconscious processes
 Reasoning
 Memory
 Judgment to optimize performance.
 Also include arousal, motivation,the selective use of
feedback, practice, and memory.
Stages of development
 Growth:
 increase in body size

 Development :
functional skills or tasks

 Developmental milestones:
 set of functional skills or age
specific tasks

 Developmental delay:
 delay in reaching age appropriate
developmental milestones
 1-4 months
 Head erect when held upright
 Rolls from side to back
 Raises head and upper body by arms in prone
position
 Turns head side to side when in supine position
 4-8 months
 Rolls from back to side
 Sits alone from side to back
 Raises head in supine position
 Able to pull in crawling position
 8-12 months
 Pulls to stand
 Can stand alone
 Crawls up and down stairs
 Can walk with support
2 YEAR AGE
Dressing independently
Can kick a ball
2.5 YEAR AGE
Jump with both feet
Walk on tip of toe
Can throw
Catch ball using arm together, Pulling off socks ,Eating with
spoon with little spilling
 3 years
 Stair climb
 Control speed of movement
 Riding a tricycle
 Hopping
 Toilet training developed at this age
 Hold glass with 1 hand and
 can feed themselves
 3.5 YEARS
 Less secure
 Physically co ordinated
 Stumbling and fear of falling
 Hand dysmetria during block staking

4 YEAR
 Can do down stair walk
 Athletic active jumping climbing
 Can lace the shoe lace
 Buttoning large buttons
 Can undress himself
 Accept responsibility of washing face and hand brushing
 5 YEARS
 Can do long jump two feet
 Jumping rope
 Do acrobatic trick
 Can do over hand throwing
 Can do household activities
 Play with box and build house
 Eat independently cutting with knife except for cutting the
meat
 Undressing is easier than dressing
 6 YEARS
 Pushing pulling
 Digging
 Balanced climbing
 Trying those activities which exceed their abilities so can
injured themselves
Motor Assessment
 TIMP test
 Test of infant motor performance
 It is test for infants younger than 4 month and include
premature infants young as 32 weeks of
postconceptional age
 Function:
 Postural and selective control for function movement in early
infancy
 Head control,
 trunk control in prone,supine and upright position.
Bruininks-oseretsky test of motor
proficiency
 It is test for gross and fine motor function of children
and one of coordination and balance scale for child
 Age _ 4.5 to 14.5 year of age

It consist of subscales for

1. Running speed and agility

2. Balance

3. Bilateral coordination

4. Strength upper limb coordination

5. Response speed

6. Visual motor control

7. Upper limb speed and dexterity 

 The end.