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Physical fitness and developmental coordination disorder in Greek children

Georgia D Tsiotra1, Alan M Nevill, Andrew M Lane

  • 1School of Sport, Performaing Arts and Leisure, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, UK.

Pediatric Exercise Science
|June 27, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Children with suspected Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD+) show lower physical fitness, including strength and speed, compared to peers without DCD. Interventions should address both motor skills and fitness.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Motor Development
  • Sports Science

Background:

  • Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) affects motor skills in children.
  • Physical fitness is crucial for overall child development.
  • Limited research compares physical fitness in children with and without DCD.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare physical fitness levels between children with suspected DCD (DCD+) and their typically developing peers (DCD-).
  • To identify specific fitness components that differ between these groups.

Main Methods:

  • Recruited 177 Greek children for assessment.
  • Measured body mass index (BMI), flexibility, vertical jump (VJ), hand strength (HS), 40m dash speed, aerobic power, and motor proficiency.
  • Utilized Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) for statistical analysis.

Main Results:

  • Children with DCD+ exhibited significantly lower BMI, VJ, and 40m dash speed compared to DCD- peers (p < .01).
  • Significant differences were also found in hand strength (HS) between the groups (p < .01).
  • Motor proficiency was a key factor influencing these fitness disparities.

Conclusions:

  • Children with suspected DCD+ demonstrate poorer physical fitness across multiple domains.
  • Findings highlight the need to integrate physical fitness improvements into DCD management strategies.
  • Early intervention focusing on both motor coordination and physical fitness is recommended.

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