The Relationship Between Motor Competence and Landing Error Scoring System Performance in Youth Soccer Players

Duncan, MJ, Heering, T, Tallis, J, Guimaraes-Ferreira, L, Martins, R, Crotti, M, Barnett, L, Lander, N, and Lyons, M. The relationship between motor competence and landing error scoring system performance in youth soccer players. J Strength Cond Res 38(9): e496–e502, 2024—This study examined the relationship between motor competence (MC) and Landing Error Scoring System (LESS) performance in a sample of male junior grassroots footballers aged 10–13 years. Ninety-eight boys aged 10–13 years (mean ± SD = 11.7 ± 1 years) undertook assessment of MC, using the Test of Gross Motor Development (third edition) and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury risk using the LESS. Height and mass were assessed from which maturity status was predicted. Multiple backward linear regressions indicated a significant model (p = 0.001), which explained 49% of the variance in LESS scores. Locomotor MC (β = −0.538, p = 0.001), object control MC (β = −0.261, p = 0.004), and age (β = 1.17, p = 0.03) significantly contributed to the model. Maturity offset (p = 0.100) was not significant. Analysis of covariance (controlling for age and maturity offset) indicated a significant difference in locomotor MC between those classified as poor for LESS. A similar result was observed for object control MC (p = 0.003, = 0.09), where those classed as poor for LESS had significantly poorer object control MC compared with those classed as excellent, good, and moderate. The results of this study indicate that there is a relationship between both locomotor and object control MC and errors in drop jump landing mechanics in boys aged 10–13 years, with MC explaining nearly 50% of the variance in LESS scores. Practically, this study indicates that MC, particularly locomotor MC, has potential to identify performance in jump landing tests that are associated with increased risk of ACL injury in boys who play grassroots soccer.

Biopsychosocial and Environmental Correlates of Children's Motor Competence: An Exploratory Study

BACKGROUND

Given the significance of motor competence (MC) for healthy development and as a cornerstone for lifelong physical activity (PA), it is crucial to understand the manifold factors that are associated with MC. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate correlates of children's MC and their fundamental movement skills (FMS) within their daily life from a comprehensive biopsychosocial-ecological perspective.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional sub-study of the 'Physical Literacy for Communities (PL4C)' WAVES cohort study conducted in the West Vancouver School District, Canada. Motor competence was assessed using the PLAYfun tool including overall MC score and five FMS category scores, namely, running, locomotor skills, upper and lower body control and balance skills. By means of structural equation modeling (SEM), direct associationswith MC and with the specific FMS categories addressing physical activity behavior, self-perceived physical literacy, parenting, and school ground design were investigated.

RESULTS

A total of 355 children with a mean age of 7.5 years and 111.1 min of MVPA per day participated. The group comprised 51% boys and 47% girls from 14 elementary schools. Most children were at an emerging MC-level (71%), while those at a competent MC-level exhibited significantly more daily minutes of MVPA (123 versus 109, p = 0.001). Additionally, they played outdoors more frequently and engaged in more instructor-led PA. The results revealed that logistical support from parents had not only a direct positive association with overall MC, both for girls and boys, but also with most of the FMS categories. However, the correlates of MC varied between genders and showed different patterns across the five FMS categories. While time spent in sports or coach-/instructor-led physical activities had a significant SEM generated direct effect only for boys' MC and for locomotor, upper body object control and balance, the aesthetic design of the school grounds was only associated with girls' MC and those same three FMS categories. Multivariate SEM could explain 26% of variance for girls' MC and 30% for boys'.

CONCLUSIONS

This exploratory baseline assessment revealed parental logistical support as an important correlate of MC, irrespective of gender. There were distinct gender patterns across biopsychosocial-ecological correlates influencing MC and FMS. Despite the heterogeneity of the results, our findings indicate a potential role of school ground design in supporting the development of children's MC, especially for girls.

Construct Validity of the Athlete Introductory Movement Screen in Grassroots Footballers Aged 11-13 Years

BACKGROUND

This study examined the construct validity of the Athlete Introductory Movement Screen (AIMS) in children.

METHODS

Following ethics approval, parental consent, and child assent, 87 children (50 boys, 37 girls) aged 11-13 years (Mean ± SD = 12.4 ± 0.6 years) performed the AIMS and Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-3) in a counterbalanced order. AIMS tertiles were subsequently created, classifying children with 'high', 'medium', or 'low' movement skills.

RESULTS

A 2 (Gender) X 3 (AIMS tertile) ways analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), controlling for age and age at peak height velocity, with TGMD-3 scores as the dependant variable, indicated that TGMD-3 scores were significantly higher for girls categorised as having a medium movement skill compared to girls categorised as low, and those categorised having high movement skill compared to medium and low movement skill groups (all, p = 0.001). There was no difference in TGMD-3 scores for boys classed as having low and medium movement skills. Boys categorised as high for movement skills had significantly greater TGMD-3 scores than their peers categorised as having both low and medium movement skills (p = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

As the AIMS differentiates the theoretically related construct of motor competence, this study demonstrates that the AIMS has construct validity as a measure of movement skill in children aged 11-13 years.

Motor Competence as a Protection Factor Against Pediatric Obesity: The Bidirectional Relationship Between Motor Competence and Weight Status

Purpose: Motor competence is negatively associated with body mass index (BMI) in young people. However, it is still unclear whether motor competence is linked to the risk of obesity in adolescents and longitudinal evidence is missing. The main purpose of this study was to assess the association between motor competence and risk of obesity across adolescence. Methods: A 2-year follow-up study was conducted with a total of 122 adolescents (59.8% girls) aged 12 to 13 years at baseline. Motor competence (KTK), weight status (BMI) and physical activity (questionnaire) were assessed at three time points. Generalized estimating equation and logistic regression models were conducted to examine the relationships between motor competence and weight status, adjusting for potential confounders (i.e. age, sex and physical activity). Results: Motor competence and BMI were inversely related over time. The chance to have overweight/obesity decreased by 6.5% and 8% with a 10-point increase in motor competence across time. In addition, adolescents had 6.4 to 8.2 greater chance to have low motor competence with a 1-point increase in BMI across time. Conclusion: Motor competence is inversely associated with the risk of overweight/obesity across adolescence. Therefore, the development of motor competence can be a protection factor against excessive weight gain. As such, we recommend the development of motor competence as a strategy to prevent pediatric obesity through diversified types of physical activities such as sports, active play and physical education classes.

The role of playgrounds in promoting children's health - a scoping review

BACKGROUND

Active outdoor play is important for children's health and development, and playgrounds provide good places for play. However, the importance of playground use for health and well-being is unclear. Our scoping review aims to create an overview of all research on playground use and health benefits for children.

METHODS

Scopus, Web of Science, SportDiscus, and PsycInfo were searched using two search blocks, focusing on 'playground' and 'children' respectively, for publications from 2000 to November 2023. The primary inclusion criterion was examining the relationship between playground use and positive physical, mental, or social health outcomes. Only papers published in English were reviewed. For each publication, we synthesized and condensed the results, categorizing them by playground setting, reported health outcome, participant age group, study design, methodologies, publication's country, year, and 'stage of evidence'.

RESULTS

Data from 247 studies were extracted and nearly 80% of these publications were descriptive or exploratory studies. Fifty-two were intervention studies. Adding playground markings to schoolyards led to increased physical activity. Greening schoolyards had mainly positive effects on social and mental health. In Early Childhood Education and Care, renewing play structures had a positive effect on physical activity in three publications. All Public Open Space interventions we found were different, with mixed effects on health outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

The existing evidence provides good arguments for policy makers, city planners and school-leaders to invest in adding playground markings in schoolyards as this will likely result in more physical activity. The evidence for the health benefits of investing in new play structures indicated that tailoring the playground to local needs is important as 'one size does not fit all' and playgrounds need to be designed as engaging and interesting places for children's play if they are to generate health benefits. Investing in 'greening' playgrounds is likely to result in social and mental health benefits for children, but does not always result in more physical activity. The research field needs more efficacy and effectiveness studies, and in particular replication and scale-up studies to demonstrate which type of playground interventions are successful.

PROTOCOL

The review protocol was registered at Open Science Framework ( https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/UYN2V ).

Effects of a 10-Week Integrated Curriculum Intervention on Physical Activity, Resting Blood Pressure, Motor Skills, and Well-Being in 6- to 7-Year-Olds

BACKGROUND

Integrated curriculum interventions have been suggested as an effective means to increase physical activity (PA) and health. The feasibility of such approaches in children living in deprivation is unknown. This study sought to pilot an integrated curriculum pedometer intervention in children living in deprivation on school-based PA, body fatness, resting blood pressure, motor skills, and well-being.

METHODS

Using a pilot cluster randomized intervention design, children (6-7 y old, n = 64) from 2 schools in central England undertook: (1) 10-week integrated curriculum intervention or (2) control (regular school-based activity). School-based PA, body fatness, resting blood pressure, motor skills, and well-being were assessed preintervention and postintervention.

RESULTS

For the intervention group, PA was higher on school days when children had physical education lessons or there were physically active integrated curriculum activities. Body fatness significantly decreased, and well-being and perceived physical competence increased, pre-post for the intervention group compared with the control group. Accelerometer-derived PA, motor skills, and resting blood pressure were not significantly different pre-post for intervention or control groups.

CONCLUSIONS

A 10-week integrated curriculum PA intervention is feasible to conduct and can positively impact aspects of health in 6- to 7-year-old children in England.

Examining the mediating role of muscle quantity in adolescents: associations with adiposity, cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular fitness, and cardiometabolic risk factors

The aim of this study was to evaluate the mediation role of muscle quantity in the relationship between physical fitness and cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRF) in adolescents. This cross-sectional study conducted with 120 adolescents of both sexes, aged between 10 and 17 years. Body mass, height, fat mass (FM), lean mass, blood pressure, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, glucose, insulin, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and 1 repetition maximum strength (1-RM) with evaluation of the leg press 45° (RM-leg), bench press (RM-bench) and arm curl (RM-arm). Body mass index z-score, appendicular skeletal muscle mass, appendicular skeletal muscle mass index, lean mass index (LMI), muscle-to-fat ratio (MFR), age at peak height velocity, and CMRF z-score were calculated. The direct relation between FM and CMRF was mediated by the LMI (26%) and inverse relation between CRF and CMRF was mediated by the LMI (26%). For girls, the direct relation between FM and CMRF was mediated by the LMI (32%); the inverse relation between CRF, RM-leg, RM-arm and CMRF was mediated by the LMI (32%, 33%, and 32%, respective). For boys, the indirect effect was not significant, indicating that LMI is not a mediator in the relation between FM, CRF, 1-RM with CMRF. The direct relation between RM-leg and CMRF was mediated by the MRF (16%). This finding evidenced the importance of promoting a healthy lifestyle to improve physical fitness levels and the quantity of muscle mass in adolescents.

Impact and Implementation of an Early Years Fundamental Motor Skills Intervention for Children 4-5 Years

Fundamental motor skills (FMS) are the cornerstone of a child's motor development, but concerns remain on the current level of FMS competencies, and intervention is required. This evaluation investigated if a targeted Early Years FMS intervention, delivered by a specialist physical education (PE) provider, improved the FMS of 4-5-year-old children across multiple sites.

METHODS

The Early Years FMS intervention ran for 18 weeks, 1 h/week, using a standardised programme of activities to develop FMS competencies across 219 children from 15 schools in the Midlands, UK. An adapted assessment was employed as a measure of FMS, assessing locomotor, object control, and stability skills at weeks 1, 9, and 18. The FMS were each rated as green = competent, amber = working towards, or red = not meeting the standards of the skill. A description of key programme implementation characteristics was described.

FINDINGS

Statistically significant increases in FMS competencies were achieved for 80% of participants at 18 weeks. Key implementation characteristics for the intervention included consistent staffing, a standardised programme, and a variety of pedagogical approaches delivered by specialist PE staff.

CONCLUSION

This evaluation provided important insights into the effectiveness and implementation of the Early Years FMS intervention to improve FMS competencies in children aged 4-5 years.

Associations between motor competence and physical activity levels of children with intellectual disabilities and/or autism spectrum disorder: Movement matters

Motor competence is important for lifelong physical activity (PA). The current study aimed to examine associations between PA and motor competence. In total, 43 children aged 7-12 years with intellectual disabilities and/or autism spectrum disorder completed anthropometric measures, the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-2, and wore a wrist accelerometer to capture total PA, moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), average acceleration, and intensity gradient. No significant associations were found between PA outcomes and motor competence. Motor competence performance was commonly 'below average' or 'average'. The weakest subtests were upper limb coordination and strength. The strongest subtest was running speed and agility. Total weekly MVPA was 336.1 ± 150.3 min, higher than UK recommendations of 120-180 per week for disabled children and young people. Larger scale studies are needed to better understand the relationship between PA and motor competence. Future research should also consider the influence of environmental factors on PA in this group.

Motor Competence between Children with and without Additional Learning Needs: A Cross-Sectional Population-Level Study

The aim of this study was to examine associations in motor competence between children with additional learning needs (ALN) and typically developing children. This cross-sectional study involved a nationally representative cohort of 4555 children (48.98% boys; 11.35 ± 0.65 years) from sixty-five schools across Wales (UK). Demographic data were collected from schools, and children were assessed using the Dragon Challenge assessment of motor competence, which consists of nine tasks completed in a timed circuit. A multi-nominal multi-level model with random intercept was fitted to explore the proficiency between children with ALN and those without. In all nine motor competence tasks, typically developing children demonstrated higher levels of proficiency than their peers with ALN, with these associations evident after accounting for age, sex, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. This study highlights motor competence inequalities at a population level and emphasises the need for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers to prioritise motor competence development, particularly for children with ALN.

Improving Fundamental Movement Skills during Early Childhood: An Intervention Mapping Approach

The earlier in life that a child can begin mastering fundamental movement skills (FMS), the more positive their physical activity (PA) trajectories and health outcomes are. To achieve sufficient development in FMS, children must be guided with tuition and practice opportunities. Schools and educators provide an opportunity for interventions that improve health behaviours and outcomes for children. The aim of this study was to use intervention mapping (IM) to design a programme of school-based intervention to improve FMS for children aged 4-5 years old. Following the six steps of IM, with each step comprising three to five tasks that require the input of a planning group formed by key stakeholders, a programme of intervention was planned. Prior knowledge and primary and secondary evidence was used to support the development of the programme. A logic model of the problem as well as logic models of change, programme design, production, implementation, and evaluation were proposed or completed within the study. The results can be used to begin to implement an FMS-focussed intervention within school settings within England and propose a sustainable and realistic approach for helping children to develop FMS with the support of well-informed educators who are confident to deliver better FMS practice and PA opportunities.

Motor Competence Among Irish Adolescents: An Investigation of Sex Differences and Relatedness Between Fundamental Movement Skills and Functional Movement

In prior research, Irish youth displayed poor motor competence across fundamental movement skills (FMS) and functional movements (FM). Our purpose in this study was to compare FMS and FM across male and female Irish adolescents and to determine whether there are associations between these movement domains. We collected data on 373 adolescents (178 females; M age = 14.38, SD = 0.87 years) from six Irish secondary schools, including motor competence testing of 10 FMS, and 7 FM. Overall levels of motor competence of both FMS and FM were low, and certain levels of dysfunctional movement were high. We observed significant sex-based differences in both FMS and FM, and there was a moderate association between FMS and FM that warrants further investigation. There is a need for societal intervention and policy changes to address low levels of motor competence among adolescent youth.