Effectiveness of bimanual coordination tasks performance in improving coordination skills and cognitive functions in elderly

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the study was to determine the impact of the performance of bimanual coordination tasks with specific characteristics on the changes in quality of coordination, musculoskeletal load of the upper limbs and cognitive functions. METHODS AND FINDINGS: A group of 26 people aged 60–67 years performed 6 sessions of bimanual coordination training. Each session included set of tasks that varied depending on the shape in which the cursor moved, the coordination mode (in-phase, anti-phase, complex) and the tracking mode (imposed or freely chosen speed). Performance was assessed by: Error, Variability and Execution. The load of upper limb muscles was expressed with the value of the normalized EMG amplitude. Cognitive functions were evaluated using the Vienna Test System. The Variability and Error values obtained during the sixth training session decreased by more than 50% of the initial values. Tasks with freely chosen speed showed changes from 15% to 34% for Error and from 45% to 50% for Variability. For tasks with imposed speed and coordination mode anti-phase or complex it was between 51% and 58% for Error and between 58% and 68% for Variability. Statistically significant differences between load during the sixth training session compared to the first session occurred in three out of four muscles and were between 9% to 39%. There were statistically significant differences in motor time and no differences in variables describing attention and working memory. CONCLUSIONS: Coordination mode is meaningful for improving coordination skills; tasks in the anti-phase and complex are recommended. Tracking mode also plays a role, tasks with an imposed cursor movement speed have greater potential to improve coordination skills than tasks with freely chosen. Improved control skills resulted in the reduction of upper limb musculoskeletal load. It can be assumed that an increase in coordination skills with the use of appropriate training can help to reduce musculoskeletal load.