Effectiveness of Multisport Play-Based Practice on Motor Coordination in Children: A Cross-Sectional Study Using the...

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured multisport play-based program on the development of motor coordination in Italian children aged 6 to 10 years, using the Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder (KTK). Methods: An observational cross-sectional design was applied, involving 320 children (mean age 8.1 ± 1.4 years; 52% male) from the Puglia region in southern Italy. Participants were divided into a Multisport Group (MG; n = 162), engaged in multisport activities, and a Curricular Group (CG; n = 158), involved in standard physical education programs. Anthropometric measurements (weight, height, and BMI) and motor coordination outcomes (Motor Quotient, MQ) were assessed using the KTK. Statistical analyses included ANOVA, Pearson's correlations, and logistic regression models. Results: The results showed that the MG achieved significantly higher MQ scores (108.3 ± 12.5) compared to the CG (101.2 ± 13.4; p < 0.001). Moreover, higher BMI values were significantly associated with an increased risk of lower MQ scores (OR = 2.35; 95% CI: 1.45-3.81; p < 0.001), indicating that children with elevated BMI had more than twice the likelihood of showing impaired motor coordination. Strong positive correlations were found between all KTK subtests and the total MQ score. Conclusions: Participation in structured multisport programs appears to enhance motor coordination in children and may represent a valuable educational and preventive strategy within primary school physical education and public health interventions.