Physical fitness and developmental coordination disorder in Greek children.
We investigated whether children with suspected Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD+) demonstrate different physical fitness levels compared with their normal peers (DCD-). Randomly recruited Greek children (n = 177) were assessed for body mass index (BMI), flexibility (SR), vertical jump (VJ), hand strength (HS), 40m dash, aerobic power, and motor proficiency. ANCOVA revealed a motor proficiency (i.e., DCD group) effect for BMI (p < .01), VJ (p < .01), and 40m speed (p < .01), with DCD+ children demonstrating lower values than DCD-. Differences between DCD+ and DCD- were also obtained in log-transformed HS (p < .01). These findings suggest that intervention strategies for managing DCD should also aim at physical fitness increases.
Tsiotra
Georgia D
GD
School of Sport, Performaing Arts and Leisure, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, UK.
Nevill
Alan M
AM
Lane
Andrew M
AM
Koutedakis
Yiannis
Y
D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D018737:Hand Strength; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019957:Motor Skills Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010809:Physical Fitness; D018583:Pliability; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors