Children, Vol. 12, Pages 619: Effect of Relative Age on Gross Motor Coordination Development, Considering Biological Maturity and Sex

Children doi: 10.3390/children12050619

Authors:
Xiaoyu Zhang
Gaël Ennequin
Anthony J. Blazevich
Sébastien Ratel

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effect of relative age on gross motor coordination (GMC) development, taking into account biological maturity and sex. Methods: 729 participants aged 10 to 16 years completed three GMC tests newly designed to minimize the potentially confounding effects of physical fitness. The tests included a Hand-Foot coordination test, Dribbling-Targeting test (DT test), and a T balance and agility test (T test). Relative age was determined using birth quartiles: BQ1 (January–March); BQ2 (April–June); BQ3 (July–September); and BQ4 (October–December). Regarding biological maturity, the participants were categorized according to their estimated peak height velocity (pre- and post-PHV). Results: Relative age did not significantly impact the overall GMC score. In contrast, biological maturity emerged as a significant determinant of GMC, with post-PHV participants outperforming their pre-PHV counterparts in the three tests (p < 0.001). The results also showed a significant main effect of sex in the DT and T tests, i.e., in tasks involving dynamic coordination and agility, with boys consistently outperforming girls (p < 0.001). Significant biological maturity × sex interactions in the DT and T tests also indicated an advantage of boys over girls with advancing biological maturity (p < 0.05). Conclusions: these findings highlight the importance of considering biological maturity and sex rather than relative age in GMC development from childhood through adolescence.

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Xiaoyu Zhang www.mdpi.com