Study Reveals Benefits of Barefoot Physical Activity for Motor Skills Development



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The study, published in Frontiers in Pediatrics suggests that children and adolescents spend the most time doing regular physical exercise. In addition, he notes that barefoot children are remarkably better at jumping and balancing than children who are usually wearing shoes, especially 6 to 10 years old. According to a Frontiers communique, these barefoot effects decrease in older adolescents

. It is generally considered that walking barefoot is more natural and the use of shoes is a factor of influence on the health of the feet and the development of movements. "Explains Professor Astrid Zech of the Jena University in Germany

." Some studies report that barefoot situations alter biomechanics in children and adults during running and jumping, but clinical knowledge is limited "We wanted to study, for the first time, whether changes in foot biomechanics due to barefoot activities are really relevant for the development of basic motor skills during childhood and childhood. teens. "

Zech, with two research teams, evaluated three motor skills – balance, long jump and a 20-meter sprint – in 810 children and teens 2. 2 primary schools and secondary in the rural areas of Western Cape in South Africa and in the urban areas of northern Germany.The two groups were chosen to represent different lifestyles of the shoe: the children of 39; South Africans are usually barefoot, while German children wear shoes most of the time.

The barefoot participants are significantly higher than the others. participants shod. This difference was observed in both test conditions (barefoot and shod) and in all age groups (6 to 10, 11 to 14 and 15 to 18 years), but particularly evident in children from 6 to 10 years old. Barefoot children also have better results when they are barefoot than when they are shod.

"Most students in our study (South Africa) go to school and practice barefoot sports and leisure activities," notes Professor Ranel Venter of the University of Stellenbosch, who led the South African research team. "Our finding that these children were more successful in balancing and jumping supports the hypothesis that the development of basic motor skills during childhood and adolescence depends at least in part on activities. regular barefoot. "

. Here, children who are usually shoed have had better results, especially those in the 11 to 14 age group, and both groups have performed better in the rail. The researchers explain that the environment – the factor that could be normalized between the two study sites – may have influenced this result.

"In South Africa, the sprint test took place on the outside with different conditions and surfaces. In contrast, German children have pbaded the sprint test inside, mainly in a gym with a sprung floor, "says Zech.

" The type of shoe may also have influenced the results. South African students wear school shoes, while German students use sneakers or sports shoes in their physical education clbades. While our results suggest that growth can be beneficial for fast sprinting, we need to study this further. "

Overall, researchers point out that their work emphasizes the benefits of barefoot physical activity for motor development

". Physical education clbades, exercise and sports programs, and recreational activities that aim to improve basic motor skills could benefit from including barefoot activities, "Zech concludes. "Parents could also encourage time spent barefoot at home."

[Source(s): Frontiers, Science Daily]

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