We utilized the freeware tool GPower (http://www.gpower.hhu.de/ ) to calculate a one-sided a priori power analysis. The a priori power analysis was calculated using the F-test family (i.e., ANOVA repeated measures within-between interaction), and a related study that examined the effects of training on horizontal ground reaction force in ASD Children [22 (link)]. The included program variables were an assumed type I error of 0.05, a type II error rate of 0.20 (80% statistical power), and an effect size of 0.70 for horizontal ground reaction force taken from the reference study [22 (link)]. The analysis revealed that at least 12 participants would be needed per group to achieve medium- to large-sized interaction effects for the parameter horizontal ground reaction force. Accordingly, a total of twenty-four prepubertal ASD boys aged 7–11 years were recruited from a group of children who participated in an adapted physical activity program that was delivered in a local community center. The scores of the “Gilliam Autism Rating Scale-2” [23 ] for the participating ASD children were between 62 and 123 which shows that the participating children were diagnosed as ASD children. The enrolled boys were age-matched and randomly allocated to an experimental (n = 12) or a waiting control group (n = 12) (Fig. 1 ). Participants’ anthropometric and demographic data are presented in Table 1 . The following information was gathered from all participating children: date of birth, intensity, and date of autism anamnesis. Children with Asperger’s or pervasive developmental disorder were excluded from this study. A medical doctor examined all participants prior to the start of the study and excluded those with neuromotor or orthopedic disorders or medication that could affect the central nervous system. None of the participants reported any secondary neurological or orthopedic conditions including lower limb injuries during the 12 months prior to data collection. ASD disorder status and the presence or absence of learning disabilities were assessed using an Iranian translation of the Social Communication Questionnaire [24 , 25 ] and the Persian translation of the Autism Diagnostic Interview [26 , 27 ] by the medical doctor. We obtained children’s oral consent and parents’ or legal representatives’ written consent before the start of the study. The block randomization method (block size = 4) was used to allocate study participants into the experimental groups [28 (link)]. A naïve examiner realized the block randomization process. During the randomization procedure, a set of sealed, opaque envelopes was used to ensure the concealment of the allocation. Each envelope contained a card stipulating to which group the participant would be allocated to. Of note, participants were blinded to the group allocation. One examiner determined whether a participant was eligible for inclusion, while the other carried out gait analyses of the eligible participants. Both examiners were unaware of the group allocation. Another naïve examiner (i.e., physiotherapist with 10 years of professional experience) controlled the allocation of each participant and was responsible for delivering the treatment to both groups. This study was approved by the Ethical Committee of the University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran (IR.UMA.REC.1400.019) and registered at the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT20170806035517N4). The study was conducted in accordance with the latest version of the Declaration of Helsinki. The data were collected at sport biomechanics laboratory of University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran.![]()
CONSORT flow diagram of the present study
Group-specific baseline characteristics of the study participants
| Intervention (n = 12) | Waiting control (n = 12) | Significance level | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 9.2 ± 0.6 | 9.4 ± 0.5 | 0.904 |
| Body mass (kg) | 36.70 ± 2.47 | 36.70 ± 3.38 | 1.000 |
| Body height (cm) | 128.45 ± 4.84 | 130.00 ± 4.81 | 0.443 |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 22.29 ± 1.85 | 21.80 ± 2.61 | 0.599 |
Values are means ± standard deviations
n number of participants, BMI body mass index, NA not applicable
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