Effect of Coordination Exercises on Hand Function in Patient with Developmental Coordination Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) affects 5-6% of school-aged children, impairing motor control and coordination. This systematic review and meta-analysis examines the effectiveness of coordination exercises on improving hand function in individuals with DCD. METHODS: A comprehensive search was conducted across four databases: Scopus, PubMed, PEDro, and The Cochrane Library for interventional trials published between 2010 and April 2025. PRISMA guidelines were followed for the review, and the methodological quality of studies was assessed using the PEDro scale, GRADE system, Risk of Bias, and Level of Evidence. A random-effects model was used for meta-analysis, calculating standardized mean differences (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: Seven studies involving 361 children with DCD were included. Meta-analysis revealed a large effect of coordination exercises on hand function compared to control interventions (SMD = 1.13, 95% CI: 0.31 to 1.95, p = 0.0066). Interventions such as haptic perception training, adapted Taekwondo, gaze training, and pegboard tasks showed consistent improvements in fine motor skills. However, moderate-to-high heterogeneity was observed (I² = 70.8%), with sensitivity analysis revealing that two studies contributed over 90% of the total weight. CONCLUSION: Coordination exercises significantly improve hand function in individuals with DCD, showing a large effect size. These exercises are effective in enhancing fine motor skills and manual dexterity.