Limited evidence exists examining associations between motor competence (MC) and health-related fitness in young adults. The study aims were to (a) determine group differences in MC and fitness in a sample of young adults, (b) examine the strength of the relationship between motor and fitness measures, and (c) determine the extent to which MC predicts fitness results. Young adults ( n = 332, M age = 21.47 ± 1.83) were recruited from seven universities across the United States of America, Italy, and Spain. Product-oriented measures of MC (kick and receive, throw–catch, jump, and Supine-to-Stand and Go) and health-related fitness (handgrip, plank, push-up, and 20-m shuttle run) were used. Group comparisons were analyzed using Kruskall–Wallis H and Mann–Whitney U tests. In both motor and fitness assessments, the U.S. sample tended to perform significantly better than their Italian and/or Spanish counterparts. The Italian sample outperformed the Spanish sample in all motor and fitness measures, except for aerobic fitness. Associations between motor and fitness tests were determined via Pearson correlations ranging from ±0.20 to 0.70. Linear regression results indicate that sex, not MC, was the strongest predictive variable for fitness outcomes. Cross-cultural differences in MC and fitness exist but it is not clear why or when these differences begin to emerge.

Children with an impaired ability to perform coordinated motor skills often experience problems beyond the motor domain, including secondary mental and physical health issues. However, limited research is available on whether low motor competence (LMC) increases the risk of emotional and behavioral problems and if health-related quality of life domains are differently affected by sex. A randomized and stratified by school and sex research design was employed to cross-sectionally analyze the motor competence (MC) of 12.9-year-old children ( N = 581; 282 boys, 289 girls) using the Bruininks–Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, second edition Short Form and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory. Analysis using Statistica for Windows (2024) confirmed significantly poorer physical health ( p < .01, d = 0.35), psychosocial health ( p < .01, d = 0.30), and summary health-related quality of life scores ( p < .01, d = 0.18) in LMC children ( n = 104, 17.9%) compared with typical development children ( n = 471, 81%). Significant differences ( p < .05, d > 0.2) emerged between boys and girls with LMC and typical development particularly in the physical health of girls with LMC ( p < .001, d = 0.50), highlighting vulnerability to mental problems in LMC girls. Girls with LMC also had lower, although nonsignificant, physical health ( p < .09, d = 0.34), psychosocial summary, and overall health-related quality of life scores ( p > .05) than LMC boys. These findings accentuate negative influences on the quality of life of boys and girls with impaired MC, which warrants public awareness, and educational and health attention.

This study examined the effect of a parent-led, gamified stability skills intervention on stability skill and motor competence in 4–5 year olds. Eighty-four children were allocated to intervention ( n = 49 [17 boys]) or control ( n = 35 [22 boys]) groups. The intervention group undertook a 12-week parent or caregiver (PG) led, gamified stability skills program designed to be performed in a home environment. The control group participated in their usual activities. Stability skill and motor competence were assessed pre- and postintervention. A subsample of PGs ( n = 7) participated in postintervention interviews. A series of analyses of covariance controlling for baseline values demonstrated significantly higher stability skills ( p < .001) and higher ball kicking velocity ( p = .025) postintervention for the intervention group compared with controls. There were no significant differences in other motor competence tests (all p > .05). There was a significant positive relationship ( p < .001) between intervention dose and change in stability skills. Thematic analysis from PG interviews identified the following as facilitators for intervention engagement: (a) Intervention Format, (b) Autonomy, and (c) Social Support and the following as barriers to uptake: (a) Intervention Format, (b) Logistics and Life Constraints, (c) Parental Perceived Competence, and (d) Links to School.

Enhancing executive function in children and adolescents can have significant positive impact on their current and future daily lives. Upregulation of executive function associated with motor skill acquisition suggests that motor learning scenarios provide valuable developmental opportunities to optimize executive function. The present systematic review aimed to identify key motor learning features that contribute to executive function enhancement in children and adolescents. A January 2024 database search identified 62 eligible studies, involving a total of 4,163 children and adolescents, aged 3–17 years, from developmentally typical (35 studies) and atypical or clinical (27 studies) populations. Schools (51%), sports (22%), laboratory (11%), or home (5%) settings with 8- to 12-week programs for primarily fundamental or perceptual-motor skills but also sport, dance, and musical instrument skills were implemented to evaluate executive function outcomes in domains including working memory (55%), inhibitory control (55%), attention (48%), and cognitive flexibility (41%). Enhanced executive function was most frequently associated with gross and discrete or serial motor skill characteristics, closed or stationary regulatory environments, and variable practice conditions. Studies frequently omitted the assessment of motor learning outcomes or lacked sufficient methodological detail needed to classify motor skill and practice design features that might contribute to executive function enhancement.

The principles of motor learning have been applied in neurological rehabilitation for years. The underlying assumption is that these principles that have been identified in research on healthy individuals would also apply to those with neurological disorders, making them highly relevant for rehabilitation. However, there is currently no tool dedicated to evaluating motor learning abilities, that refers to procedural perceptual-motor learning (PPML) abilities, before rehabilitation. To address this gap, we created a new tool assessing PPML (EVALuation de l’APprentissage Procedural [EVAL_APP]), based on two experimental tasks known to assess motor sequence learning and visuomotor adaptation. The study aimed to determine whether this tool is suitable for clinical practice and meets care needs by conducting a cross-sectional online survey of psychomotor and occupational therapists in France. The results show that professionals are interested in measuring PPML, and over half of them indicated that they would use the tool. Participants who felt trained about PPML responded positively to the relevance of PPML assessment and to the future use of the EVAL_APP tool. While some parameters of the EVAL_APP tool are well adjusted, others may need improvement to be adapted for children with neurodevelopmental disorders, including Developmental Coordination Disorder. The results are encouraging for pursuing the conception of the new tool by considering the opinion of professionals specialized in pediatric rehabilitation.

Handwriting is a useful skill through education, yet handwriting difficulties are common in students with Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD), including Developmental Coordination Disorder. There are few practical tools to assess legibility, among these the Handwriting Legibility Scale (HLS) shows good reliability and validity for 9- to 14-year-olds in the United Kingdom. The aims of the current study were to investigate applicability of the HLS in students with and without SpLD in (a) another language and (b) older age groups. First, the HLS was translated and applied to writing scripts of 193 9- to 14-year-olds in Italy. Findings support previous work on reliability and validity. A principal component analysis confirmed a single component for the HLS at this age and there was differentiation between scripts from students with and without SpLD. Second, the HLS was applied to writing scripts of 80 15- to 16-year-olds and 120 17- to 25-year-olds in the United Kingdom. Results showed good reliability and differentiation between scripts from students with and without SpLD. A principal component analysis revealed two components for the HLS in the older age groups. Language and age differences in the use of the HLS are discussed, alongside other considerations when applying the tool to help identify handwriting difficulties in students.

The worldwide increase in childhood overweight and obesity underscores the need to study variables like fundamental movement skill (FMS) levels from early childhood. This study investigated the bidirectional longitudinal relationship between body mass index (BMI) and process-oriented FMSs, including locomotor skills and object control skills in 675 Finnish children, aged 3–8 years at baseline (50.5% female, mean age 5.5 years) over 3 years. Standardized BMI-for-age SD scores (BMI SDS z-scores) followed Finnish national standards. The FMS assessment comprised four subtests from the Test of Gross Motor Development, third edition. Age-adjusted standardized residuals of FMS or skill domains and BMI SDS z-scores were used in a two-level, cross-classified, cross-lagged regression analysis, accounting for gender, and baseline value of the dependent variables. The results showed no statistically significant longitudinal relationship between BMI and FMS or its skill domains for either gender in either direction. This suggests that BMI and process-oriented FMS, encompassing locomotor skill and object control skill, develop independently, possibly influenced by unexplored variables. These findings contradict earlier results based on product-oriented measurements, which may include a physical capacity component. The outcomes further underscore the importance of monitoring weight status from early childhood, given its significant association with later-life weight conditions.

Environmental characteristics of kindergartens are important for the development of kindergarten-aged children. However, knowledge of the role of kindergarten play environments in developing children’s fundamental movement skills is limited. A pilot study was carried out to compare the fundamental movement skills of 3.5- to 5-year-old children in two kindergarten groups. One group had access to a traditional playground, an indoor room for active play, and had weekly trips. The other group had access to a nature-based playground. Fundamental movement skills were measured using the short form of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, second edition test. In total, 28 children participated—11 children attended the kindergarten group with the traditional playground, and 17 children attended the kindergarten group with the nature-based playground. The total test score was 14.64 for children with access to a traditional playground and 16.71 for children with access to a nature-based playground. However, no statistically significant difference between the groups in total test score and the individual tests was found. It might be that space and diversity of features are more important than exposure to nature. In future research, more robust longitudinal studies with larger samples are required to investigate different kindergarten playground designs and environmental features related to motor skill development.

The natural development of static lower limb varus/valgus alignments during early childhood is well understood. However, our understanding of dynamic lower limb frontal plane alignments is limited, and we lack normative descriptions of this phenomenon for both boys and girls. This study investigated dynamic lower limb alignment during jump-landings in preschool children, focusing on associations with sex, age, and motor performance. Dynamic lower limb alignment was measured as the Knee-to-Ankle Separation Ratio (KASR) in 605 children aged 3–6 years using markerless motion capture. Based on KASR measurements, we categorized the children into three kinematic groups: Valgus, Intermediate, and Varus. Median KASR scores were 0.86 (0.80–0.96) overall, 0.89 (0.81–0.98) for boys, and 0.85 (0.78–0.92) for girls. Over 75% of the children exhibited some level of dynamic knee valgus during jump-landings (KASR < 1). However, roughly two-thirds of the children in the Valgus group were girls. Age-adjusted differences in motor performance were small and only statistically significant for jump height and length in girls. These findings suggest that dynamic knee valgus during jump-landings is a common occurrence in preschool children, especially among girls. The potential relationship between dynamic lower limb alignment and age and motor performance warrants further investigation.

Robotic devices are used to provide physical guidance when teaching different movements. To advance our knowledge of robotic guidance in training complex movements, this investigation tested different kinematic data filtering methods of individual’s golf putts to convert them into trajectories to be employed by a robot arm. The purpose of the current study was to identify a simple filtering method to aptly replicate participants’ individual golf putter trajectories which could be used by the robot to execute them with greater consistency and accuracy than their human counterpart. Participants putted toward three targets where three-dimensional data of the putter’s head were filtered and then fitted by using one or two dimensions of the participant’s putter head trajectories. As expected, both filtering methods employed with the robot outperformed the human participants in ball endpoint accuracy and consistency. Further, after comparing the filtered to the human participants’ trajectories, the two-dimensional method best replicated the kinematic features of human participants’ natural putter trajectory, while the one-dimensional method failed to replicate participant’s backstroke position. This investigation indicates that a two-dimensional filtering method, using Y-forward and Z-vertical position data, can be used to create accurate, consistent, and smooth trajectories delivered by a robot arm.