Reference values for running sprint field tests in preschool children: A population-based study

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Exercise Science
• Sports Medicine
• Human Movement Studies

Background:

• Establishing normative data for physical performance tests in children is crucial for development assessment.
• The 20-meter sprint test is a common measure of short-distance running speed in pediatric populations.
• Limited reference data exists for Spanish preschool children's sprint performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine reference values for the 20-meter sprint test in Spanish preschool children.
• To analyze the influence of age, sex, and anthropometric characteristics on sprint performance.
• To provide a reliable tool for assessing running speed in this demographic.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 3076 Spanish preschool children (aged 3-6 years).
• The 20-meter sprint test was utilized to measure running speed.
• Test-retest reliability was assessed in a subset of 89 children, yielding a high intraclass correlation coefficient (0.929).

Main Results:

• Sprint time decreased significantly with increasing age.
• Boys demonstrated faster sprint times than girls from ages 3 to 5, with no significant difference at age 6.
• Reliability analysis confirmed the test-retest stability of the 20-meter sprint test.

Conclusions:

• The study provides valuable reference values for 20-meter sprint performance in Spanish preschoolers.
• Age is a significant factor in sprint performance, with younger children being slower.
• Sex differences in sprint speed emerge during preschool years but may diminish by age six.