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.
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Dynamic Lower Limb Alignment During Jumping in Preschool Children: Normative Profiles and Sex Differences
Steen Harsted, Lise Hestbæk, Anders Holsgaard-Larsen, and Henrik Hein Lauridsen
The Effects of Spectators on National Basketball Association Free Throw Performance
Logan T. Markwell, Harjiv Singh, Andrew J. Strick, and Jared M. Porter
Free throw shooting percentage has averaged around 75% for nearly five decades. However, free throw percentages significantly increased to 79% during the 2020 spectator-less National Basketball Association season. The current study investigated if the elevated free throw shooting percentage observed during the spectator-less season has returned to the 50-year average now that spectators have returned to National Basketball Association arenas. Moreover, home and away free throw percentages were examined to determine if a potential home-field advantage contributed to this phenomenon. Analyses revealed that the free throw shooting percentage from the spectator-less season was significantly higher than the two spectator-filled seasons preceding and following the spectator-less season. Furthermore, the analyses found no differences in free throw percentages between home and away games. While the free throw shooting percentage increased to 79% during the spectator-less season, the free throw shooting percentage returned to the 50-year average (i.e., ∼75%), following the spectator-less season. Additionally, it does not appear that a perceived home-field advantage influenced the increased free throw performance observed in the spectator-less season. Multiple factors likely contributed to this free throw phenomenon, including the environmental characteristics shaped by the lack of spectators.
The Move2Smile Online Hub for Parents to Support Aspects of Preschoolers’ Physical Literacy at Home: A Feasibility Study
Maeghan E. James, John Cairney, Nikoleta Odorico, Tracia Finlay-Watson, and Kelly P. Arbour-Nicitopoulos
This study aimed to develop and evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of a web-based platform for parents to support preschoolers’ development of physical literacy. Specifically, this intervention focused on children’s motor and social-emotional skill development. Twenty parents (M age = 35.7, SD = 4.2) of preschool-aged children (M age = 4.1, SD = 0.6) were assigned three intervention modules and completed weekly usage and feedback questionnaires (1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree). Parents (n = 15) also completed a follow-up interview. Parents indicated the modules were useable (4.5/5), useful (4.5/5), feasible (4.4/5), enjoyable (4.5/5), and acceptable (4.5/5). Five themes underlying parental engagement were generated: (a) activity organization and planning, (b) (de)motivators, (c) parent knowledge and skills, (d) experience with the platform, and (e) application to everyday routines. The online modules under investigation were deemed both acceptable and feasible by parents. However, factors such as time and knowledge may impact parental engagement at home. Future research is needed to better understand the antecedents to parent physical literacy support behaviors in the early years.
The Path to Translating Focus of Attention Research Into Canadian Physiotherapy, Part 4: Sequentially Linking Assessment Outcomes Into a Chain of Evidence Supporting the Workshop
Julia Hussien, Liza Khodko, Cooper Macdonald, and Diane Ste-Marie
In previous research, Canadian physiotherapists identified barriers to effective external focus promotion and recommended the delivery of a focus of attention workshop as a solution. Accordingly, the current research entailed the virtual delivery of such a workshop, consisting of asynchronous Website modules followed by a synchronous group session, to 15 Canadian physiotherapists working mainly with musculoskeletal rehabilitation clients. Assessment of the workshop outcomes was guided by constructs of social cognitive and adult learning theory, and organized based on the four levels of the Kirkpatrick model (KP1-Reaction, KP2-Learning, KP3-Behavior, and KP4-Results). Specifically, participants received links to questionnaire packages at three time points: 1-week preworkshop, immediately postworkshop, and 1-week postworkshop. Results showed that participants (a) reported high satisfaction, engagement, and perceived relevance of the workshop (KP1); (b) experienced significant improvements to their knowledge, skills, attitudes, and self-efficacy from pre- to immediately postworkshop (KP2); and (c) self-reported increases to their external focus promotion in the week following the workshop (modified KP3), and perceived improvements to their clients’ outcomes as a result of this external focus encouragement (modified KP4). Taken together, these results serve as a chain of evidence supporting the usefulness of the workshop in translating focus of attention findings into Canadian physiotherapy.
An Examination of Bilateral Skill Proficiency and Frequency of Pass in Selected and Nonselected Youth Academy Gaelic Footballers
Kevin J. Murray, Con Burns, Sean Lacey, Cian O’ Neill, and Edward K. Coughlan
This study examined differences in bilateral skill proficiency and frequency of use between selected and nonselected under-17 male intercounty academy Gaelic footballers. Participants (N = 82, mean age = 15.54 years, SD = 0.27) were retrospectively grouped as selected (n = 19) and nonselected (n = 63) for the final squad. A discrete skills test evaluated bilateral hand pass and kick pass proficiency. Within-academy matches (N = 8) were recorded to analyze in-game bilateral passing proficiency and frequency (N = 3,109). Selected players were more proficient in both nondominant kick pass (p = .001) and nondominant hand pass (p = .007) in the discrete skills test and nondominant hand pass (p = .002) in match play. Nonselected players used the dominant hand pass (p = .037) significantly more than selected players in match play. The strongest predictors of selection were the nondominant kick pass and nondominant hand pass in the skills test, and successful dominant kick pass and successful nondominant hand pass in match play (p < .05), with 89% of players correctly classified. The findings suggest that higher bilateral proficiency scores provide greater opportunities to be selected.
Impact of an Online Rater Training on Scoring Accuracy of Two Skills on the Test of Gross Motor Development-3 Among Children With Developmental Disabilities: A Pilot Study
Hyokju Maeng, Deborah R. Shapiro, Elizabeth Kipling Webster, and Hyunjin Kwon
Rater training is necessary to accurately evaluate fundamental motor skills among children with developmental disabilities (DD). The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the impact of an online rater training program for novice raters on scoring accuracy of the run and two-hand strike skills on the Test of Gross Motor Development—Third Edition (TGMD-3) among children with DD. A training program was created consisting of two units/modules. The first module introduced the TGMD-3 and the second outlined behavior, movement characteristics, and correct scoring for the run and two-hand strike for children with DD. Forty-one novice raters completed three rounds of training and scoring. Data analysis compared the change of rating accuracy of novice raters on the run and two-hand strike skills of the TGMD-3 across three different occasions. There was a statistically significant positive impact on the scoring accuracy of novice raters for the run, two-hand strike skills, and the total skill score (p < .001). The TGMD-3 online rater training program for novices in the present study could provide a model training program to improve the accuracy of scoring fundamental motor skills among children with DD.
Humans Versus Robots: Converting Golf Putter Trajectories for Robotic Guidance
Stephen R. Bested, Valentin A. Crainic, Gerome A. Manson, and Luc Tremblay
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.
Performance Metrics From Product-Oriented Measures of Fundamental Motor Skills—A Comparison and Developmental Perspective
Kara K. Palmer, Adam Pennell, Bryan Terlizzi, Michael A. Nunu, David F. Stodden, and Leah E. Robinson
This study (a) examined the associations among different performance metrics derived from different strategies (i.e., maximum and average scores) and trials from product-oriented measures of motor skills, and (b) explored how different performance metrics from product-oriented assessments of motor skills change in young children with typical development. Children (N = 279; 156 girls; M age = 4.44 years) completed a battery of product-oriented assessments for throwing (in meters per second, five trials); kicking (in meters per second, five trials); jumping (in centimeters, five trials); running (in meters per second, two trials); and hopping (in meters per second, four trials—two preferred foot, two nonpreferred foot). A total of 36 performance metrics were derived—throw (n = 7), kick (n = 7), jump (n = 7), run (n = 4), and hop (n = 11). Intraclass correlations examined reliability among performance metrics for each skill; linear mixed models examined whether variations changed across early childhood. There was excellent reliability among all performance metrics for each skill (all ICC > .90). Linear mixed models revealed that children’s motor performance improved for two metrics of the throw, five variations of the jump, and three metrics of the hop (all p < .05). Researchers should be aware that some performance metrics from product-oriented assessments (e.g., maximum and average of three or five trials) are highly related and change, whereas others do not.
Do Fundamental Movement Skill Domains in Early Childhood Predict Engagement in Physical Activity of Varied Intensities Later at School Age? A 3-Year Longitudinal Study
Maria Kasanen, Arto Laukkanen, Donna Niemistö, Jimi Kotkajuuri, Nanne-Mari Luukkainen, and Arja Sääkslahti
This study was conducted to determine how total fundamental movement skill (FMS) score and, separately, locomotor skill (LMS), and object control skill scores in children 3–8 years old predicted their specific-intensity physical activity 3 years later. Overall, 441 Finnish children (51.7% female, baseline mean age of 5.6 years) participated in the study. Total FMS, LMS, and object control skill scores were assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development, third edition. The time spent engaged in physical activity of different intensities (light, moderate, vigorous, moderate-to-vigorous, light-to-vigorous, and sedentary behavior) was determined using accelerometers. A two-level regression model was used in the analysis, considering potential covariates and interactions. The results showed that moderate physical activity, vigorous physical activity, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity were predicted by the total FMS score (β = 0.177 to 0.203, p = .001–.003) and the LMS score (β = 0.140 to 0.164, p = .004–.014), but not the object control skill score. Moreover, the LMS score inversely predicted sedentary behavior (β = −0.116, p = .042). In conclusion, higher FMS and, specifically, LMS scores seem to predict more engagement in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and less sedentary behavior over time. However, most of the variance in physical activity remains unexplained.
Social Media as a Tool for Understanding the Role of Motor Differences in Neurodivergent Identity and Lived Experience
Haylie L. Miller
Social media offers an exciting opportunity for the field of motor development and behavior research. With platforms such as Twitter offering access to historical data from users’ public bios and posts, there is untapped potential to examine community perspectives on the role of motor differences in identity and lived experience. Analysis of online discourse offers advantages over traditional qualitative methods like structured interviews or focus groups, including a less-contrived setting, global geographic and cultural representation, and ease of sampling. The aim of this special section is to present a pipeline for harvesting and analysis of Twitter data related to users’ identities and discourse characteristics, specifically situated in the context of motor development and behavior. This pipeline is demonstrated in two independent studies, one on autistic users and one on developmental coordination disorder (DCD)/dyspraxic users. These studies demonstrate the utility of Twitter data for research on neurodivergent and disabled people’s perspectives on their motor differences, and whether they are expressed as part of their identity. Implications of results are discussed for each study, as well as in the larger context of future research using a variety of approaches to analysis of social media data, including those from predominantly image- and video-based platforms.
