Enhancing Physical Fitness in Primary School Children Through Inclusive Sports Activities

Enhancing Physical Fitness in Primary School Children Through Inclusive Sports Activities

(1) Background: The aim of this study is to investigate whether the application of adaptive sports programs, initially designed for children with disabilities, can have a positive effect on physical fitness and body composition in healthy primary school children; (2) Methods: The sample comprised 80...

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Main Authors: Nikola Utvić, Lidija Marković, Radenko Arsenijević, Nikola Aksović, Bojan Bjelica, Stanimir Stojljković, Saša Bubanj, Gabriela Raveica, Daniel-Lucian Dobreci, Nicolae-Lucian Voinea, Vasile-Cătălin Ciocan, Mihaela Anghel, Bogdan-Alexandru Antohe, Tatiana Dobrescu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Children
Subjects:
motor abilities
Eurofit test battery
physical education
children
adaptive sports
inclusive activities
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/12/6/758
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Summary:(1) Background: The aim of this study is to investigate whether the application of adaptive sports programs, initially designed for children with disabilities, can have a positive effect on physical fitness and body composition in healthy primary school children; (2) Methods: The sample comprised 80 participants, equally divided by gender (50% male, 50% female), with a mean age of 11.5 (SD = 0.03). They were divided into two groups, an experimental and a control group, with an even gender distribution. The research lasted 12 weeks, with additional classes allocated for the initial and the final measurements. The Eurofit test battery assessed physical fitness; (3) Results: ANCOVA revealed significant group differences in body composition variables within the total sample and gender distribution (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Significant differences were observed in handgrip strength (HGR), flamingo balance test (FBL), shuttle run 10 × 5 m (SHR) (<i>p</i> < 0.001), and also hand tapping (HTP) (<i>p</i> = 0.01). Participants in the experimental group outperformed the control group, highlighting the effectiveness of the intervention program. Specifically, boys in the experimental group showed significant improvements in HGR and SHR (<i>p</i> < 0.001), while girls improved significantly in HGR, FBL, and SHR (<i>p</i> < 0.001); (4) Conclusions: The experimental program, which incorporates sports elements for disabled individuals, led to significant improvements in the physical fitness parameters of children.
ISSN:2227-9067

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