Question 1

A patient practices the motor task of sit-to-stand during the morning treatment session and demonstrates improvement in performance.In the afternoon the therapist asks the patient to perform the same motor task and notes performance has remained the same.What is this an example of?

Accepted Answer

Retention refers to the ability to maintain or retain a new motor skill over time. In this scenario, the patient was able to maintain the improvement in performance from the morning treatment session, indicating retention of the skill. Generalizability refers to the ability to transfer a skill from one task or situation to another, while skill transfer refers to the ability to transfer a previously learned skill to a new, but similar, task or situation. Adaptability refers to the ability to modify motor behavior in response to changes in task or environmental demands. None of these concepts are demonstrated in this scenario.

Question 2

What two things are critical in the learning of new motor skills and the correction of ongoing movements?

Accepted Answer

Closed-loop processes involve receiving feedback on ongoing movements and making corrections based on that feedback. This is critical in both learning new motor skills and correcting ongoing movements. While open-loop processes and motor plans are important, they do not involve the necessary feedback to improve movements in real time.

Question 3

What would be an example of a task that would benefit from the use of tactile guidance?

Accepted Answer

A sitting and reaching task would benefit from tactile guidance because it involves precise and controlled movements of the upper extremities. Tactile guidance can provide sensory input and help the individual navigate through the task with more accuracy and ease. The other choices involve more gross motor movements and may not require as much precision and control that would benefit from tactile guidance.

Question 4

If the therapist provides the patient with feedback on learning a motor task using a varied schedule,what changes in performance can be expected?

Accepted Answer

Varied practice schedules, where the tasks or skills being learned are varied during practice sessions, tend to result in slower initial improvement because the learner is constantly adjusting to new variations. However, this approach leads to better retention over time as it enhances the learner's ability to adapt the skills to different situations.

Question 5

While working on gait with a patient the therapist provides tactile cuing to improve the quality of movement.What type of feedback is this?

Accepted Answer

Tactile cuing is a form of proprioceptive feedback, which is a type of knowledge of performance feedback.

Question 6

A patient is able to ambulate with a straight cane in a variety environments while talking with the therapist.What stage of motor learning is described?

Accepted Answer

The description fits the autonomous stage, where the task has become somewhat automatic and the patient is able to perform it without much cognitive effort or attention.

Question 7

What is an example of invariant characteristics of a motor program?

Accepted Answer

The basic order of stepping in gait (e.g. swing phase followed by stance phase) is an example of an invariant characteristic of a motor program. This means that the general sequence of movements remains the same, even though specific movements may be modified based on the situation or environment. The other options listed (velocity of gait, range of motion during reaching, rising from high and low chairs) may vary depending on factors such as speed or object position.

Question 8

How do recall schema facilitate motor learning?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How do recall schema facilitate motor learning?
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Question 9

What strategy could the therapist use during the associative stage of learning a motor skill?

Accepted Answer

During the associative stage of learning a motor skill, the patient is more focused on refining their technique and making adjustments to improve their performance. They are also trying to develop a better feel for the movement. Encouraging the patient to experience the feel of the movement can help them better detect errors and make effective adjustments. Providing visual or auditory guidance may be helpful in the cognitive stage, but can hinder the patient's ability to develop a proper feel for the movement in the associative stage. Constant tactile guidance may also hinder the patient's ability to develop a sense of proprioception and perform the movement independently.

Question 10

What happens during the response programming stage of motor control?

Accepted Answer

During the response programming stage of motor control, the general plan for movement that was formed in the motor planning stage is converted into actual muscular actions. This involves translating the plan into specific neural signals that will activate the appropriate muscles.

Question 11

What does Systems Theory assume?

Accepted Answer

Systems Theory posits that movement control is a dynamic process involving multiple systems that interact based on the specific demands of a task, rather than being solely reflexive or strictly hierarchical.

Question 12

How could the therapist facilitate active decision-making by the patient during motor learning?

Accepted Answer

Asking the patient questions that promote self-monitoring of movement can help the patient actively participate in decision-making during motor learning. It allows the patient to become more aware of their movements and make corrections on their own, rather than relying solely on feedback from the therapist. Allowing the patient to make significant errors without feedback (A) can be detrimental to the learning process, and describing the motor task in detail (B) and telling the patient what movements she is performing correctly (C) take away from the patient's active decision-making.

Question 13

What type of feedback is particularly important in the cognitive stage of motor learning?

Accepted Answer

Visual feedback is particularly important in the cognitive stage of motor learning as it helps learners develop a mental image of the movement and understand the correct movement pattern. This feedback can come from watching oneself in a mirror, watching a demonstration, or receiving video feedback. Auditory, tactile, and verbal feedback can also be helpful, but visual feedback is considered most important in the cognitive stage.

Question 14

The therapist provides the patient with feedback after every practice trial when learning a new motor task.What changes in performance can be expected?

Accepted Answer

Rapid improvement in performance, but poor retention, is expected because frequent feedback can lead to dependency on the feedback for performance, resulting in less effective learning and retention once the feedback is removed.

Question 15

What strategy could the therapist use during the cognitive stage of learning a motor skill?

Accepted Answer

During the cognitive stage of motor learning, the therapist should focus on demonstrating the task to the patient. This will help the patient to develop a clear mental picture of the movement and understand what is required to perform the task correctly. Long, specific instructions may be overwhelming at this stage, and the therapist should avoid corrective feedback as the patient is still learning the basics of the skill. A "hands off" approach may lead to confusion or improper execution of the skill. Therefore, the best choice is C - demonstration of the task by the therapist.

Question 16

After practicing ambulating with a straight cane in the clinic environment,the patient is observed ambulating with the cane in the mall at the same skill level.What would this be an example of?

Accepted Answer

Resistance to contextual change refers to the ability to perform a learned skill consistently across different environments, such as moving from a clinic to a mall.

Question 17

With practice,a motor skill is becoming more coordinated.there are fewer errors in performance,and the patient relates that he is beginning to get the "feel" of the movement.What stage of motor learning is described?

Accepted Answer

This is the associative stage of motor learning where the individual starts to refine their movements and technique as they become more familiar with the skill. There are still some errors, but they are decreasing as the individual learns and develops a better feel for the movement.

Question 18

Why are motor programs important?

Accepted Answer

Motor programs reduce the degrees of freedom by allowing the nervous system to control synergistic groups of muscles. This makes movement more coordinated and efficient. They do not control all decisions that need to be made for movement, allow for slow movement based on feedback, or prevent errors in movement patterns.

Question 19

After performing a transfer the therapist encourages the patient to note that he completed the transfer successfully.What type of feedback is this?

Accepted Answer

This type of feedback is knowledge of results, as the therapist is informing the patient of the outcome of their transfer (success). This type of feedback is focused on the outcome or result of the task, rather than the specific details of how it was performed (knowledge of performance), the number of attempts (knowledge of trials), or any mistakes that were made (knowledge of errors).

Question 20

A learner is developing an overall understanding of a skill with inconsistent performance and frequent errors.What stage of motor learning is described?

Accepted Answer

The description of inconsistent performance and frequent errors suggests that the learner is in the cognitive stage of motor learning. In this stage, the focus is on understanding the task and developing basic movement patterns.

Quiz 13: Strategies to Improve Motor Function