ORIGINAL ARTICLE   

Gazzetta Medica Italiana - Archivio per le Scienze Mediche 2021 December;180(12):822-8

DOI: 10.23736/S0393-3660.20.04312-0

Copyright © 2020 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

lingua: Inglese

The relationship between developmental changes in toe muscle strength and physical fitness during childhood

Sakiko UKITA ¹ ✉, Kaoru TSUYAMA ², Hiroki AOKI ³

¹ Kanto Gakuin University, Kanagawa, Japan; ² Nippon Sport Science University, Kanagawa, Japan; ³ National Institute of Technology, Fukui College, Fukui, Japan

BACKGROUND: This study considered the relationship between age-related changes in toe muscle strength and elements of physical fitness.
METHODS: The subjects were 194 males at an elementary school between the ages of six and ten (40 six-year-olds, 30 seven-year-olds, 31 eight-year-olds, 40 nine-year-olds, and 53 ten-year-olds). Toe muscle strength was assessed along with other measures of physical fitness, including grip strength (a measure of hand muscle strength), Sit-and-Reach (flexibility), repetitive side step (agility), softball throws (skill), 50-m running time (speed), sit-ups (muscle endurance), 20-m shuttle run (full body endurance), and standing long jump (muscle power).
RESULTS: The results indicated a significant age difference in all physical fitness items, and a linear regression between all items and age. The regression equation was significant for almost but the Sit-and-Reach. There was a significant correlation between toe muscle strength and all other items measured. In addition, a significant partial correlation between foot muscle strength and the physical fitness items measured, except flexibility, was discovered.
CONCLUSIONS: Accordingly, toe muscle strength in children appears to follow a similar developmental trajectory to other aspects of physical fitness.

KEY WORDS: Toes; Muscle strength; Child; Physical fitness