Motor Learning Flashcards
Motor learning
Set of processes associated with practice or experience leading to relatively permanent changes in capability for producing skilled actions
Motor behavior
Not the same as motor learning
Repeated observation of behavior allows us to determine if a motor skill is learned
Systems 3 stage model
Motor control for a specific movement is learned
Novice, advanced, expert
Novice
Simplify movements by reducing degrees of freedom (how much joint moves)
Exploring new strategies via practice
Ex: learning to ice skate - using stiff legs
Advanced
Increases the degrees of freedom
Selective, task specific muscle activations
Ex: looking more comfortable ice skating
Expert
Coordinated, efficient movement using all necessary degrees of freedom
Can perform in multiple environments
Ex: lots of movement at all joints - professional ice skating
Fitts and posner model
Attention and motor learning interact linearly
More attention, lower learning stage; lower attention, higher learning stage
Specificity principle
Learning is maximized for specific task trained
Task specific training
Implementation in clinical practice: specificity
Practice the specific action the patient wants to do/improve
More is better principle
Large amounts of practice are required to master a motor skill
Implementation in clinical practice: more is better
Practice will be needed outside of therapy sessions and after therapy services have ended
Extrinsic vs intrinsic feedback principle
Intrinsic feedback is optimal for promoting learning and generalization
Intrinsic FB - visual info
Extrinsic FB - someone tells you
Implementation in clinical practice: intrinsic > extrinsic feedback
Withdrawing extrinsic feedback forces the learner to process intrinsic feedback for detecting errors
Teach the person to look for feedback and judge movement without you telling them
Variability is good principle
Learning and generalization
Variation within and across tasks
Implementation in clinical practice: variability is good
Give the patient space to make mistakes and discover solutions
Part vs whole task training principle
Part task training can be useful if the task can be broken down into clearly separable components
Whole task is preferred
Implementation in clinical practice: whole > part task training
If the task is broken into parts, be sure to integrate back into whole task
Only break task into parts if there are clear parts (get out of bed and into wheelchair)
Internal vs external focus of attention principle
Internal: focus on something internal to you
External: focus on something in the environment
Implementation in clinical practice: external > internal focus of attention
Cue the learner to focus on the environment or objects associated with the movement
Follow through golf swing example
Internal: focus on arm/wrist
External: focus on club
Optimal learning principle
High levels of motivation and self efficacy
Implementation in clinical practice: optimal learning
Tasks should be challenging but attainable
Progress goes from more support to less support
Work with your patients to select functional tasks that are meaningful to them
