This study aims to analyze injuries caused during ‘basketball-type’ classes among elementary school children in Physical Education Classes by grade, gender, and body parts; clarify patterns in injury situations; and provide materials for injury prevention measures. Data on injuries in children from 2013 to 2019 were provided by the Japan Sport Council and were included in this study. The results revealed the following:

(1) The incidence of basketball-type injuries were higher girls than boys in all grades.

(2) For boys and girls, the highest proportion of injuries in all grades was in the upper extremities, with girls having a higher proportion of injuries than boys. Approximately 91.5% of the boys and 95.0% of the girls had injuries to the hands and fingers.

(3) Among third-grade boys, injuries to the face accounted for approximately 13.8% of the total injuries, which decreased as the grade level increased. Among boys in all grades, injuries to the lower extremities accounted for more than 17% of the total; the boys reported a higher proportion of injuries to the face and lower extremities than girls.

(4) Approximately 99% of injuries to the hands and fingers were not injuries to the skin but to bones, joints, muscles, ligaments, etc, caused by the application of external force to the hands and fingers.

The study examined the relationship between agility, dexterity, and rebound jumping (RJ) ability in three and five-year-old boys. Participants comprised 31 three-year-old and 37 five-year-old boys. A few metrics such as the Rebound jumping RJ index, the execution time for side jumping, and “jump over and crawl under” were measured. The results revealed significant negative correlations between the RJ index and execution time of both side jumps and the “jump over and crawl under” task in boys of both age categories. Significant negative correlations were observed in the relationship between jumping height during RJ and both side jumps and the “jump over and crawl under” execution times. Similarly, significant positive correlations were observed between the time for ground contact during RJ and both side jumps and the “jump over and crawl under” execution times. Overall, the results suggest that RJ ability is related to agility and dexterity. Furthermore, improving abilities related to the force and motor control exerted during RJ were shown to be a possible factor in improving agility and dexterity later in life.

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a short-term program for improving long-throw distance in first-grade elementary school children. The research compared the effects of children's age (natural growth and development) and the influence of instruction on throwing distance. An experimental group participated in a short-term throwing exercise program based on the critical elements to be acquired, while the control group did not participate in such a program.

The main findings were as follows:

1. It was confirmed that children who participated 15 times in each 10-minute program increased their throwing distance.

2. Instruction was much more effective in increasing the long throw distance over the age effect.

These findings suggest that even within a limited class time, incorporating structured, short-time exercises can substantially enhance students' long-throw capabilities. This study also suggests the criticality of implementing appropriate instructional programs in lower elementary school physical education to improve the long-throw distance through short-duration focused activities.

This study examined the effects of coordination training (Co-TR) in early childhood from two perspectives: changes in coordination ability and emotional state. Owing to the increas-ing concern regarding the declining physical fitness in children, particularly decreased mo-tor control, an active play-based exercise program incorporating Co-TR elements designed to stimulate the nervous system was implemented. Participants were 46 senior kindergar-teners (25 boys and 21 girls). The 50-minutes program was conducted once a week for eight weeks. Coordination skills were assessed using motor performance tests, while emotional changes were measured using a “Mood Sheet” that integrates color, language, and facial ex-pressions into seven emotional patterns. The Co-TR program consisted of three catego-ries—tag-style games, ball-handling activities, and game-based exercises—all emphasizing rapid and accurate decision-making in response to sensory input to execute optimal actions. Improvements were observed in all motor performance tests after the intervention. A signif-icant interaction between test timing and sex was found in the balance test, with girls per-forming significantly better than boys in the post-test. Additionally, many children ex-pressed positive emotions, such as relief and a sense of accomplishment, after participating in the program. As the sessions progressed, more children reported feeling excited rather than neutral before the sessions. These findings indicate that the Co-TR program is not only effective in enhancing coordination skills in early childhood but also fosters a positive and engaging experience. Incorporating Co-TR into preschool settings may offer a promising solution to the growing concern regarding uncoordinated movements among children.

This study aimed to examine the effects of an exercise program involving continuous jumping on rebound jumping (RJ) ability, agility, and dexterity in 3-year-old children. The following measurements were taken before (P1) and after (P2) the non-intervention period (4 weeks) followed by a measurement after the 4-week intervention (P3). The exercise program comprised a daily 10-minute routine in which participants performed laps around an obstacle or step, either by jumping with both feet or by jumping with one foot. Rebound jumps were measured as an index of RJ ability; side jumps, as an index of agility; and “jump over and crawl under”, as an index of dexterity. Children who were able to participate in all three periods were included in the analysis. Twenty-seven children (12 boys, 15 girls) participated in the RJ, 24 (11 boys, 13 girls) in the side jump, and 21 (9 boys, 12 girls) in the “jump over and crawl under.”

A two-factor analysis of variance with periods and sex as factors revealed no significant interaction effects among RJ index, jumping height and ground contact time, side jump execution time and “jump over and crawl under” execution time. However, a significant main effect for periods (p < 0.05) was noted. Multiple comparison tests revealed significant changes in the RJ index (P2: 0.249±0.123, P3: 0.369±0.118, p < 0.05), RJ jumping height (P2: 0.05±0.02, P3: 0.08±0.02, p < 0.05), RJ ground contact time (P2: 0.235±0.056, P3: 0.199±0.029, p < 0.05), side jump execution time (P2: 8.48±4.71, P3: 6.31±1.70, p < 0.05), and “jump over and crawl under” execution time (P2: 31.94±6.02, P3: 25.95±6.20, p < 0.05) during the exercise intervention period. Furthermore, the effect sizes exhibited increased values during the designated exercise intervention period for all the measurements. In addition, there was a significant negative correlation between the change in the RJ index and the change in side jump execution time from P2 to P3 (r = -0.438, p < 0.05).

These results suggest that an RJ-like jumping exercise program may be a useful tool for promoting the development of RJ ability, agility, and dexterity in early childhood.

This study aimed to examine the effects of vaulting box height on the straddle vault movements in elementary school children. The straddle vaults of 282 3rd- and 4th-graders (138 boys, 144 girls) over 4- and 5-level vaulting boxes were videotaped. Their performances were evaluated using an observational rubric. Hip height was estimated using AI-based pose estimation, and the subjects were classified into two groups based on the difference between hip height and box height (large and small difference). We conducted mixed-effects ordinal logistic regression analyses with evaluation scores as the dependent variables. The height of the vaulting box, sex, and grade were included as fixed effects, and individual participants were modeled as a random effect. For evaluation items having a significant main effect of box height, two-way ANOVAs were performed using box height and the difference between hip height and box height as factors. The results were the following:

1) A higher box enhances take-off and forward arm thrust performance.

2) A higher box negatively affects arm preparation, hip lift, and hand placement.

3) If the box is considerably lower than hip height, the movements associated with bouncy take-off and forward arm thrust are restricted.

These findings indicate the need for instructional strategies taking individual physical characteristics and developmental changes in body size into account.

This study examined how elementary-school children's functioning in daily life, as assessed by the Questionnaire-Children with Difficulties (QCD), is related to their physical fitness and daytime sleepiness. All 493 children enrolled in elementary schools within the same city were invited to participate. A total of 307 children (152 males and 155 females) from Grades 1-6 for whom consent was received were included in the study. Data was collected on sex, grade, the New Physical Fitness Test level (Levels A to E), and daytime sleepiness (usually, sometimes, or almost never). We analyzed the associations of these variables with the QCD total score using a generalized linear mixed model. Sex (p = .024) and daytime sleepiness (p = .002) showed significant fixed effects on the QCD total score. The QCD total score was significantly higher among females and children with low levels of daytime sleepiness. However, the other variables (grade, p = .360; New Physical Fitness Test level, p = .520; grade × New Physical Fitness Test level, p = .930) did not show significant relationships. The results suggest that elementary-school children’s daily life functioning is associated with their daytime sleepiness but not with their physical fitness. They also suggest that sleep is important for elementary school children to function properly in daily life.

This study examined the relationship between the frequency of exercise and active play and the emotional and behavioral characteristics of preschool-aged children (3-6 years) outside of kindergarten or nursery school. It used secondary data from a web-based survey conducted by the Sasakawa Sports Foundation in November 2023. The survey sample was determined based on regional blocks, age categories (3-6 years), and gender, in alignment with census demographic data. Subsequently, information regarding the children's exercise and active play was collected, targeting parents of children who met the established criteria. Participants were asked about their children's participation in exercise and active play, including “outdoor play,” “indoor play,” and “sports-related lessons,” on each day of the week. The cumulative number of days per week in which children engaged in these activities was used as the frequency of exercise and active play.

Emotional and behavioral characteristics were assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)—a widely recognized instrument with established validity and reliability. The SDQ comprises four negative subscales and one positive subscale.

Descriptive analysis (n=3,144, 50.1% boys) recognized gender differences in SDQ scores. Analysis of covariance (n=2,903, 49.6% boys, excluding children with limitations of exercise owing to injury or illness over the past month) identified significant negative associations between frequency of exercise and active play and scores of “hyperactivity/inattention,” “peer problems,” and “total difficulties” (the sum of the negative subscale scores) (F=3.3–5.4, partial η²=0.003–0.006, p=0.001–0.003). Contrastingly, frequency of exercise and active play was positively associated with “prosocial behavior” score (F=14.3, partial η²=0.015, p<0.001).

This study suggests that encouraging preschool-aged children to engage in exercise and active play outside of school may contribute to a reduction in behavioral difficulties and an enhancement of prosocial behavior. Future research should explore the long-term impact of exercise and active play on emotional and behavioral outcomes through a longitudinal study.