Monitoring physical and motor traits in primary school: a local harmful situation for older children

Fine motor skills and motor control networking in developmental age

Objectives

We investigated the relationships between fine motor skills, fitness, anthropometrics, gender and perceived motor performance in school beginners. The aim of our study was to delineate whether and to what extent fine motor control would show meaningful synchrony with other motor variables in the age of onset of handwriting in school.

Methods

A sample of N = 239 of 6‐to‐8‐year‐old children were tested with an array of tasks measuring fine motor (i.e., dexterity and speed) and grapho‐motor performance (tracing on a tablet screen), anthropometric indexes, and fitness (shuttle run) measures. A subset of 95 children was also tested for perceived motor competence.

Results

In spite of an overall poor anthropometric condition, our participants were relatively fit. As expected, older children performed better in both, fine motor tasks and the shuttle test. The girls were better in fine motor skills, and an original speed‐quality trade‐off in the drawing was found. However, the magnitude of difference by grade was greater for boys' fine motor skills than those of girls'. A network analysis revealed three specific clusters, (1) perceived competencies, (2) fitness, and (3) fine motor skills.

Conclusions

Given the relative independence of these areas of physical performance, we suggest focusing on these three clusters as distinct areas of physical education. Fine motor skills deserve further consideration, especially at an early school age. We have demonstrated that network analysis and technology devices used to evaluate motor development are useful and meaningful tools.

Monitoring motor traits of young athletes in Tuscany: a perspective from the first phase of the project "I ragazzi della Toscana 30 anni dopo"

BACKGROUND

The current study represents the preliminary report of an Italian regional project aimed to monitor the status of young athletes in modern times and linking it to the monitoring started in the nineties.

METHODS

After the preparatory stage, data were analyzed and discussed with coaches and researchers. Next, for the main stage, the coaches performed the tests and the supervisors reported them in a database. A total number of 173 participants (age: 10.64±2.42 years, BMI=18.43±3.49 kg/m²) were tested for standing long jump, sit and reach, 10×4 Shuttle Run, 3 kg-medical ball throw, and Sergeant Test. Nine sports disciplines were represented.

RESULTS

46.5% of the participants trained more than twice a week and 15.8% of the participants played more than 1 discipline. Girls were more flexible than boys, and differences emerged in the Sergeant and Shuttle Run Test, with boys outperforming girls in older ages.

CONCLUSIONS

The "sentinel" role of sports societies, in terms of health and developmental risks, should represent valuable accountability. Authors advocate a specific focus shall be directed to the risks of youth sports specialization, gender-related developmental trajectories, long-life physical activity, and sport engagement.

Laterality in Children: Evidence for Task-Dependent Lateralization of Motor Functions

The behavioral preference for the use of one side of the body starts from pre-natal life and prompt humans to develop motor asymmetries. The type of motor task completed influences those functional asymmetries. However, there is no real consensus on the occurrence of handedness during developmental ages. Therefore, we aimed to determine which motor asymmetries emerged differently during childhood. A total sample of 381 children in grades 1 to 5 (6-11 years old) of primary school were recruited and tested for two fine coordination tasks (Floppy, led by dexterity, and Thumb, led by speed-dominated skills) and handgrip strength (HS). Data about their handedness, footedness and sports participation were also collected. Children performed better with their dominant side, especially for the Floppy and HS tests. The asymmetries were more marked in right-handed children and did not differ by age, gender or type of sport. Our findings support the thesis of a functional lateralization in complex coordinative tasks and in maximal strength during developmental ages. Furthermore, our findings extend the evidence of a stronger lateralization in right-handed individuals, demonstrating it at a functional level in primary school children performing motor tasks. Fine motor skills allow a "fine" understanding of developmental trajectories of lateralized behavior.