At a glance
ClinicalIndex Comparison RecordStandardized by ClinicalIndex from the ClinicalTrials.gov record · verify against the source.
Why Does Learning to Ride a Bike Improve Executive Functions in Children With ASD?
In Brief
A clinical study evaluating Learning to Bicycle, Bicycle Treadmill, and 2 other interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Completed, enrolled 62 participants across 1 site.
Detailed Summary
The goal of this clinical trial was to determine if a specific type of cycling exercise improved executive functions in school-aged children with autism spectrum disorder (both boys and girls, aged 8-10 years, no healthy volunteers). The main questions it addressed were: 1. . Did learning to ride a real bicycle improve planning, flexibility, working memory, and inhibition more than stationary cycling? 2. .Was the benefit driven by (A) dynamic balance, (B) spatial updating, or both? Researchers compared four arms to identify if dynamic balance and/or spatial updating were the active components using three interventions groups, namely learning to bicycle (LTB), bicycle treadmill (BT), cycling with training wheels (TW)-and one active control group (stationary cycling, SC). Participants: 1. . Provided a small urine sample three times for BDNF brain-marker testing. 2. . Played four short tablet games (10 minutes each) at 1st intervention session , 4th intervention session and 8th intervention session to assess their Executive Functions. 3. . Attended four 45-minute cycling sessions per week for 2 weeks at their respective school. 4. .Continued all usual therapies; no medicine was administered The trial was completed on 31 December 2024 (RGC Ref 18616522, HREC 2021-2022-0397).
Study Details
Timeline
Interventions
2 weeks, 4×45 min/week. Progressive removal of stabilisers on 16-inch bikes. Recruited both dynamic balance and spatial updating during real locomotion.
2 weeks, 4×45 min/week. Bike fixed on smart rollers. Recruited dynamic balance only.
2 weeks, 4×45 min/week. Fixed stabilisers. Recruits spatial updating only.
2 weeks, 4 ×45 min/week. Monark ergometer. Active control; recruited NEITHER dynamic balance nor spatial updating mechanism.