Th Role of Gymnastics Training on Development of Motor Skills and Health-related Physical Fitness in Children Aged 4–12 Years: A Narrative Review

Poster Presentation
Paper ID : 1517-SSRC
Authors
1دانشجوی کارشناسی ارشد آسیب شناسی ورزشی و حرکات اصلاحی، دانشکده علوم ورزشی، دانشگاه فردوسی مشهد
2دانشیار آسیب شناسی ورزشی و حرکات اصلاحی، دانشکده علوم ورزشی، دانشگاه فردوسی مشهد
3استادیار آسیب شناسی ورزشی و حرکات اصلاحی، دانشکده علوم ورزشی، دانشگاه فردوسی مشهد
4استادیار آسیب شناسی ورزشی و حرکات اصلاحی، دانشکده علوم ورزشی، دانشگاه بین المللی امام رضا (ع)
Abstract
Background
Childhood is one of the most important periods for children’ physical and motor development. Learning and developing the basic movement skills are formed in this stage. Gymnastics training (i.e., Artistic, Rhythmic, Aerobic Gymnastics) can be practiced from an early age and develops the main components of motor skills and health-related physical fitness such as cardiovascular endurance, body composition, flexibility, muscular strength and endurance.

Aim
The purpose of the present study was to review the existing literature on the role of gymnastics training on motor skills and health-related physical fitness in children aged 4–12 years.

Materials and Methods
The present study is a narrative review of previous research findings on the role of gymnastics training on motor skills and health-related physical fitness in children aged 4–12 years. In this review, all articles were elaborately searched from January 2011 to January 2024 in electronic such as PubMed, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar SID, Magiran, and Noor Mags with keywords including gymnastics, physical fitness, motor skills, and children. The search strategy of this review was restricted to articles that included children aged 4–12 years. Following the comprehensive searching and screening the articles for inclusion, the relevant articles were reviewed.

Results
A total of 13 articles were included in this review based on the inclusion criteria. The included studies have shown that gymnastics training can improve postural control, gross motor skills, body composition, reduce body weight through developing health-related physical fitness in either healthy children or kids with special needs. Gymnastics training particularly in children with autism spectrum disorder and visually impaired children resulted in improving balance scores, postural control, and motor coordination.

Conclusion
The present study showed that gymnastics training as well-rounded sport can play an important role in improving postural control, gross motor skills, body composition, reduce body weight, and cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, muscular strength and endurance which can ultimately develop children’s motor skill competencies.
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