The motor ability factors estimated by forward and backward creeping time

Abstract

Motor coordination ability is thought to be related to performance in sports. We thought that methods for evaluating and measuring motor coordination ability should be consistent from infancy to adulthood when investigating the relationship between sports performance and development of physical fitness. The creeping, which involves movement using all four limbs, is used in studies on the timing of motions in various research fields, such as anthropology, growth and development, and neurophysiology. Therefore, we were interested in creeping motion. In the present study, we were investigated that the relationships between measurements of physical fitness tests and the time that it took to forward and backward creeping, and the validity of methods for evaluating motor coordination ability based on kinematic characteristics. Subjects were instructed to assume a creeping position with their arms and legs supporting the trunk and to move either forward or backward as fast as possible on a 9m straight course. The relationships between the time it took for subjects to reach the 8m mark and measurements of physical fitness tests were analyzed. Measurement variables of physical fitness tests were height, weight, a 25-m run, leg extension, a standing broad jump, a vertical jump, a side step test, whole body reaction time, and step count. Motions were also captured on a high-speed video camera in order to obtain two-dimensional kinematic data during forward and backward creeping. The forward creeping time was significantly correlated with 25-m run time, leg extension force, standing broad jump length, vertical jump height, and whole body reaction time, as well as the stride length of each limb. On the other hand, the backward creeping time was significantly correlated with step count and stride frequency of each limb. The factors that significantly correlated with forward creeping time were used for evaluation of speed, muscle strength, muscular power, and motor coordination ability. Therefore, forward creeping time may be a method for evaluating multiple motor factors. Moreover, step count and stride frequency, which were significantly correlated with backward creeping time, are thought to be related to neuromuscular function. Therefore, backward creeping time may be a method for evaluating the motor coordination ability of not only the limbs but also the whole body.