Abstract
[Purpose] The purpose of this research was to investigate the relationships between lower limb flexibility and physical characteristics of growing children. [Subjects] The subjects were 136 grade 6 primary school children, 61 boys and 75 girls. [Method] For flexibility, we measured ankle dorsiflexion with the knee in extension and the straight leg raise angle and investigated their relationships with body weight, height and BMI. [Results] Compared to boys, girls had significantly greater flexibility. For both girls and boys, no relationship between height and flexibility was found. No relationship between weight and flexibility was found for girls; however, among boys, those who were heavy or showing an obese tendency had low flexibility. [Conclusion] The results show that the flexibility of grade 6 primary school boys is related to weight and BMI, not height, and that for girls it is not related to physical characteristics.
