Kinematic Characteristics of the Standing Long Jump in Young Children Aged 4–5 Years
in Journal of Motor Learning and DevelopmentClick name to view affiliation
The authors investigated the kinematic characteristics of the standing long jump in preschool children. Sixty 4-year-old children (boys: 30 and girls: 30) and sixty 5-year-old children (boys: 30 and girls: 30) participated in the present study. The authors focused on three differences in kinematics: between 4- and 5-year-old children, between boys and girls, and between high and low jumping performance groups at the same age. The kinematic data included the maximum flexions of the knee and hip before takeoff, at takeoff, and on landing; angular displacement of the upper body; takeoff speeds in horizontal and vertical directions; and takeoff angle of the greater trochanter. Anthropometric variables and kinematic data were separately analyzed with factors of age, sex, and group. The authors also performed multiple regression analysis to identify predictors of the jump distance. The movement speed of the greater trochanter in a horizontal direction, the maximum flexion angle of the hip before takeoff, and the hip angle on landing were identified as significant predictors of the jump distance among young children. These findings suggest that knowing how to use the hip and awareness of the horizontal direction are key factors to improve the long jump distance in young children.
Ogawa is with the Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences, Nara Women’s University, Nara, Japan. Ohtaka, Fujiwara, and Nakata are with the Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Human Life and Environment, Nara Women’s University, Nara, Japan.
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