Physical activity outside of organised sports is associated with functional performance.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine whether high levels of strenuous physical activity outside of organised sports are associated with better functional test performance.


METHODS
Youth athletes (n = 445, mean = 14.2 ± 2.5 years) reported their frequency of strenuous physical activity outside of organised sports. The functional performance tests: vertical jump height, pro agility test time, estimated maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), front plank time and postural stability were measured and compared between groups.


RESULTS
Athletes in the five or more times a week group demonstrated faster pro agility times (5.37 ± 0.43 seconds) than the never group (5.59 ± 0.56 seconds; p = 0.002) and the 1-4 times a week group (5.52 ± 0.47 seconds; p = 0.005). The five or more times a week group demonstrated higher mean vertical jump height (42.9 ± 13.3 vs. 40.3 ± 10.8 cm; p = 0.009) and higher estimated VO2max (48.1 vs. 45.6 mL/kg/minute; p = 0.001) than the 1-4 times a week group.


CONCLUSIONS
Youth athletes who engaged in strenuous physical activity outside of organised sports five or more times a week performed best on functional performance tests.
The Micheli Center for Sports Injury Prevention, Waltham, MA, USA.|Colby College, Waterville, ME, USA.
Noah
N
Tocci
The Micheli Center for Sports Injury Prevention, Waltham, MA, USA.|Division of Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.|Brain Injury Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
David R
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2955-0191
DR
Howell
The Micheli Center for Sports Injury Prevention, Waltham, MA, USA.|Division of Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.|Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Dai
D
Sugimoto
The Micheli Center for Sports Injury Prevention, Waltham, MA, USA.|Division of Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.|Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Andrea
A
Stracciolini
The Micheli Center for Sports Injury Prevention, Waltham, MA, USA.
Jen
J
Morse
The Micheli Center for Sports Injury Prevention, Waltham, MA, USA.|Division of Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.|Brain Injury Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.|Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.|Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
William P
WP
Meehan
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010809:Physical Fitness; D013177:Sports / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
Physical ability; Physical exercise; Physical performance; Youth athletes; Youth sports