Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
CLINICAL REHABILITATION, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Objective: To compare upper extremity performance of ambulant children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and typically developing peers under single- and dual-task conditions, and to examine its associations with mobility and balance. Design: Cross-sectional observational study. Setting: Data were collected at the Pediatric Neurology Department and the Pediatric Rehabilitation Unit of the Faculty of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation. Participants: Twenty ambulant boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (6-12 years) and 19 age-matched typically developing peers. Intervention: Not applicable. Main measures: Upper extremity performance was assessed using the Nine-Hole Peg Test under single-task, motor dual-task, and cognitive dual-task conditions. Functional mobility and balance, as well as clinical scales, were also evaluated. Results: Children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy performed significantly slower than typically developing peers under cognitive dual-task conditions (p < 0.001) and under motor dual-task conditions for the left hand (p = 0.032). Slower dual-task performance was moderately associated with poorer balance and trunk control. Cognitive dual-task performance showed high diagnostic accuracy for identifying Duchenne muscular dystrophy (area under curve = 0.91-0.96). Conclusions: Dual-task paradigms may reveal functional vulnerability in upper-limb performance in ambulant children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy that is not evident during single-task testing. Increased cognitive-motor demands appear to exacerbate functional difficulties beyond muscle weakness. These findings suggest that dual-task assessment may complement conventional clinical evaluations and provide additional insight for rehabilitation planning.