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Children's Improvement of a Motor Response during Backward Falls through the Implementation of a Safe Fall Program
Óscar DelCastillo-Andrés1, Luis Toronjo-Hornillo2, Manuel Rodríguez-López3
1Physical Education and Sports Department, University of Seville, 41013 Seville, Spain. ocastillo@us.es.
Insights
The Safe Fall program effectively teaches primary schoolchildren how to fall backward safely. This intervention significantly improved children's motor responses, reducing injury risks from falls.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric injury prevention
- Childhood motor development
- Physical education research
Background:
- Falls are a leading cause of unintentional injury deaths in children.
- Understanding children's motor responses during falls is crucial for developing effective prevention strategies.
- Existing programs may not adequately address safe backward falling techniques.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the motor responses of primary schoolchildren during backward falls.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of the Safe Fall program in teaching safe falling techniques.
- To assess the impact of the intervention on children's ability to perform protective physical motions.
Main Methods:
- A quasi-experimental design was employed with 122 schoolchildren aged 10-12.
- The INFOSECA observation scale was used to record physical reactions during backward falls.
- Data were analyzed using descriptive, correlational, and contrast statistics, including the McNemar test (p < 0.05).
Main Results:
- Over 85% of students demonstrated competence in all five essential physical motions for safer backward falls post-intervention.
- The Safe Fall program intervention led to significant improvements in motor responses.
- The study confirmed the program's efficacy in teaching safe falling techniques.
Conclusions:
- The Safe Fall program is a viable and effective method for teaching safe backward falling to primary schoolchildren.
- Implementing this program within Physical Education classes can enhance safety and reduce fall-related injury severity.
- Targeted interventions can significantly improve children's ability to manage accidental falls.
Abstract:
The World Health Organization has warned that, in children, the second cause of death from unintentional injuries are falls. The objective of this study was to analyze the motor response of primary schoolchildren when a backwards fall occurs. These analyses occurred before and after interventions of the Safe Fall program, which aims to teach safe and protected ways of backward falling. A quasi-experimental research design was used, with a sample of 122 Spanish (Sevillian) schoolchildren in the 10⁻12 age bracket. The INFOSECA ad-hoc observation scale was used for data collection: this scale registers 5 essential physical reactions throughout the process of a safe and protected backwards fall. After that, a number of descriptive, correlational and contrast statistics were applied. The value used in the McNemar test to establish statistical significance was p < 0.05. Results showed that over 85% of students had developed the competence to correctly perform all five physical motions that allow for a safer backward fall. The teaching of safe and protected techniques for falling backwards in child population in Primary Education is possible through the implementation of the Safe Fall program in Physical Education classes, which can help making falls safer, diminishing the risk and severity of the injuries they cause.
