Fundamental motor skills in childhood predict occurrence of musculoskeletal sports injuries

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K16569
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Sports science
• Research Institution: Health Science University
• Principal Investigator: KASUYAMA TATSUYA 健康科学大学, 健康科学部, 准教授 (40631867)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 発達運動学 / 障害予防 / 幼児教育 / 臨界期 / 発達性協調運動障害

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study investigated longitudinal changes in motor patterns in primary school children to determine the influence of fundamental motor skills (e.g., running, jumping, throwing) on musculoskeletal sports injuries. Although the incidence of musculoskeletal sports injuries was low in primary school children, and it was not possible to examine changes in motor patterns in the injury groups, the study found that patterns of immature motor development were similar to those of sports injury mechanisms from previous studies. The longitudinal study of the changes in motor patterns revealed that fundamental motor skills acquired in the early primary school years (especially when they have just begun schooling) were carried over to higher grades, indicating the importance of fundamental motor skills in childhood.

Free Research Field

スポーツ医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

幼少期の基本的運動能力の重要性に関する報告は多いが、運動器スポーツ障害との関連を報告した研究は少ない。未熟な運動パターンが、運動器スポーツ障害にも影響する可能性が示唆されたことは、障害予防におけるリハビリテーション医療への影響だけでなく、体育分野など教育領域へも示唆を与える。また、先行研究同様に、幼少期の運動能力が以後の運動能力に影響を与えることが明らかになり、小学校低学年までの運動パターンの確立や基本的運動能力の向上は、生涯の運動能力や健康状態においても重要であることが示唆された。