Health Promotion in Children and Adolescents through Sport and Physical Activities—3nd Edition

A special issue of Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology (ISSN 2411-5142).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2022) | Viewed by 16535

Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

After the first and second editions' success, we are proposing the Special Issue “Health Promotion in Children and Adolescents through Sport and Physical Activities during the COVID-19 pandemic — 3rd Edition” to continue investing in this topic of particular interest. In line with the previous editions, the idea is to collect studies investigating the role of physical activity and sport in physical and mental well-being, with a particular focus on practical implications, innovation, tools, and technique development during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

This Special Issue will address pediatric exercise science as a key scientific discipline that can help future generations live longer and better.

It is already clear that sedentariness and a low level of muscular strength significantly affect cognitive functions and daily relations.

Still, I think it can be of interest to understand the key determinants of health promotion in youngsters by physical activity and how we can help professionals better manage related concerns.

Authors are invited to submit letters, original research papers, case studies, meta-analyses, scoping and systematic reviews.

Prof. Dr. Antonino Bianco
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

  • physical activity
  • training
  • conditioning
  • health promotion
  • pediatric exercise science
  • sport
  • COVID-19 pandemic
  • sedentary lifestyle
  • SARS‑CoV‑2

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

9 pages, 395 KiB  
Article
The Effects of Body Tempering on Force Production, Flexibility and Muscle Soreness in Collegiate Football Athletes
by Christopher B. Taber, Roy J. Colter, Jair J. Davis, Patrick A. Seweje, Dustin P. Wilson, Jonathan Z. Foster and Justin J. Merrigan
J. Funct. Morphol. Kinesiol. 2022, 7(1), 9; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/jfmk7010009 - 11 Jan 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4454
Abstract
There has been limited research to explore the use of body tempering and when the use of this modality would be most appropriate. This study aimed to determine if a body tempering intervention would be appropriate pre-exercise by examining its effects on perceived [...] Read more.
There has been limited research to explore the use of body tempering and when the use of this modality would be most appropriate. This study aimed to determine if a body tempering intervention would be appropriate pre-exercise by examining its effects on perceived soreness, range of motion (ROM), and force production compared to an intervention of traditional stretching. The subjects for this study were ten Division 1 (D1) football linemen from Sacred Heart University (Age: 19.9 ± 1.5 years, body mass: 130.9 ± 12.0 kg, height: 188.4 ± 5.1 cm, training age: 8.0 ± 3.5 years). Subjects participated in three sessions with the first session being baseline testing. The second and third sessions involved the participants being randomized to receive either the body tempering or stretching intervention for the second session and then receiving the other intervention the final week. Soreness using a visual analog scale (VAS), ROM, counter movement jump (CMJ) peak force and jump height, static jump (SJ) peak force and jump height, and isometric mid-thigh pull max force production were assessed. The results of the study concluded that body tempering does not have a negative effect on muscle performance but did practically reduce perceived muscle soreness. Since body tempering is effective at reducing soreness in athletes, it can be recommended for athletes as part of their pre-exercise warmup without negatively effecting isometric or dynamic force production. Full article
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13 pages, 1079 KiB  
Article
The Best of Two Different Visual Instructions in Improving Precision Ball-Throwing and Standing Long Jump Performances in Primary School Children
by Vincenzo Sorgente, Erez James Cohen, Riccardo Bravi and Diego Minciacchi
J. Funct. Morphol. Kinesiol. 2022, 7(1), 8; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/jfmk7010008 - 10 Jan 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3087
Abstract
Two observational learning approaches have been shown to be successful in improving children’s motor performances: one is “technique-focused”, another is “goal-focused”. In this study, we sought to compare the effectiveness of these two strategies, thus testing for the more efficient method of observational [...] Read more.
Two observational learning approaches have been shown to be successful in improving children’s motor performances: one is “technique-focused”, another is “goal-focused”. In this study, we sought to compare the effectiveness of these two strategies, thus testing for the more efficient method of observational learning to enhance motor skills in primary school children. To this end, two experiments were designed. Experiment 1 involved a precision ball throwing task. Experiment 2 involved a standing long jump task. A total of 792 subjects (aged 6–11) participated in this study and were divided into technique-focus (Experiment 1 n = 200; Experiment 2 n = 66), goal-focus (Experiment 1 n = 195; Experiment 2 n = 68), and control groups (Experiment 1 n = 199; Experiment 2 n = 64). The experiments were divided into pretest, practice, and retention phases. During the practice phase, the technique-focus and goal-focus groups were given different visual instructions on how to perform the task. The results showed that children aged 10–11 belonging to the technique-focus group performed significantly better in the practice phase than both the goal-focus and the control group (p < 0.001), but only for the precision ball throwing task. These findings could be useful for training adaptation in the context of motor learning and skills acquisition. Full article
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9 pages, 808 KiB  
Article
Effects of Different Multi-Year Physical Exercise Programs on Motor Skills in Preschool Children
by Kristian Plazibat, Josip Karuc and Tihomir Vidranski
J. Funct. Morphol. Kinesiol. 2021, 6(3), 74; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/jfmk6030074 - 09 Sep 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2500
Abstract
Acquiring optimal motor skills in preschool children presents a key element for proper psychomotor development. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine gender differences and the effects of a multi-year exercise program on the level of motor skills in 161 preschool [...] Read more.
Acquiring optimal motor skills in preschool children presents a key element for proper psychomotor development. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine gender differences and the effects of a multi-year exercise program on the level of motor skills in 161 preschool children (5–6 yo). Participants were divided into one control and three experimental groups. Motor skills were assessed with the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOT-2). To determine the difference in scores for each BOT-2 test between control and experimental groups, one-way ANOVA was used for girls and boys separately, while two-way ANOVA was used to determine the difference between the genders in the overall BOT-2 score. The results indicate that a 1-year multilateral exercise program has a positive effect on the level of motor skills in preschool children. Interestingly, additional years of participation in exercise programs yielded the maintenance of acquired motor skills level. Additionally, the exercise program affected preschool girls more than boys considering both individual and composite BOT-2 scores. According to the findings of this study, the presented exercise program could have potential benefits on multilateral development of the motor skills in preschool children, which could facilitate the balance of locomotor and manipulative skills. Therefore, the integration of multilateral programs intended for preschool children could be considered for implementation within the kindergarten curriculum. Full article
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9 pages, 279 KiB  
Article
Multi-Component Physical Activity Interventions in the UK Must Consider Determinants of Activity to Increase Effectiveness
by Mark A. Faghy, Kirsty E. Armstrong-Booth, Vicki Staples, Micheal J. Duncan and Clare M. P. Roscoe
J. Funct. Morphol. Kinesiol. 2021, 6(3), 56; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/jfmk6030056 - 23 Jun 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3127
Abstract
Interventions to increase physical activity in children have adopted broad approaches and achieved varying success. There is a need to adopt approaches underpinned with a theoretical basis. Accordingly, the aim here was to implement and evaluate a 12-week intervention designed using the concepts [...] Read more.
Interventions to increase physical activity in children have adopted broad approaches and achieved varying success. There is a need to adopt approaches underpinned with a theoretical basis. Accordingly, the aim here was to implement and evaluate a 12-week intervention designed using the concepts of the COM-B model to determine the effect this has on physical activity levels. One hundred and forty-seven school-age children (mean age 8.9 ± 1.3 years) took part in a 12-week program delivered in a school setting. Topics included physical activity, healthy eating, sleep quality and reducing screen time/sedentary activities when not in school. A sample of participants wore a wrist-worn accelerometer for seven days pre-and post-intervention (N = 11). The physical activity frequency was unchanged (2.9 ± 1.0 AU) when compared with post-intervention values (3.1 ± 0.8 AU, mean increase 6.8 ± 3.7%, p > 0.05). Changes were observed in the daily consumption of fruit and vegetables (pre-intervention 44.6% vs. post-intervention 60.2%, p < 0.05). Sedentary time, light activity, moderate activity and vigorous activity were unchanged post-intervention (p > 0.05). There is a need to adopt a broader approach that incorporates a theoretical basis and considers the complex ways by which physical activity behaviours are influenced. Full article
10 pages, 844 KiB  
Article
Acute Effects on Physical Performance Measures after 45 Min of Official Competition in Youth Soccer Players
by Federico Gazzo, Julián Giráldez, Rodrigo Villaseca-Vicuña, José Antonio González-Jurado and Santiago Zabaloy
J. Funct. Morphol. Kinesiol. 2021, 6(2), 49; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/jfmk6020049 - 04 Jun 2021
Viewed by 2508
Abstract
(1) Background: An improved understanding of soccer players’ match-related physical performance and recovery may help conditioning programs and re-warm up strategies to increase team performance during official competitions. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the acute effects of 45 min [...] Read more.
(1) Background: An improved understanding of soccer players’ match-related physical performance and recovery may help conditioning programs and re-warm up strategies to increase team performance during official competitions. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the acute effects of 45 min of official competition (first half in matches) on physical performance variables in U-16 youth soccer players. (2) Methods: 20 male soccer players (age: 14.4 ± 0.5 years; height: 1.70 ± 0.05 cm; body mass: 65.1 ± 11.6 kg) were recruited to participate in this study. Data was collected from five official matches. Participants performed the assessments in two stages of each match: after the pre-match warm-up and after the first half. Tests included rate of perceived exertion (RPE), 30-m sprint and countermovement (CMJ). (3) Results: Statistically significant differences were found (p < 0.001) when the measurements prior to the game were compared with those recorded after half time across all variables. Effect sizes (ES) were very large for RPE (ES = 1.82), moderate for 30-m sprint times (ES = 0.64) and small for CMJ (ES = −0.25). (4) Conclusions: After 45 min of official competition, our results suggest that U-16 soccer players demonstrated a reduction in sprint and jump performance, in addition to a higher RPE. Hence, this information could be useful when designing re-warming strategies that can be performed before the second half. Full article
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