The Effect of Kinesthetic Stimulation on Acquisition and Retention of a Gross Motor Skill

Abstract

The role of kinesthetic stimulation in motor learning and performance of a gross motor task was investigated. Forty healthy female adult volunteers, ages 20 to 30 years old, were required to learn a gross motor task involving the kicking of a ball. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of two training groups, a kinesthetic stimulus group or a non-kinesthetic stimulus group. Results indicated that kinesthetic stimulation during practice and retention phases seemed to enhance task acquisition. Kinesthetic stimulation may have provided important feedback information for the learners that might have enabled them to make the necessary adjustments during performance. In addition, it appears that the stimulation affected the motor memory processes and left a more stable representation of the movement pattern. The use of continuous pressure as a means of kinesthetic stimulation for the facilitation of motor skill acquisition is recommended, although further research is required in order to generalize these findings to the clinic.