Sports最新文献

{"title":"Influence of Anthropometric Characteristics and Muscle Performance on Punch Impact.","authors":"Manuel Pinto, João Crisóstomo, Christopher Kirk, Javier Abián-Vicén, Luís Monteiro","doi":"10.3390/sports13080281","DOIUrl":"10.3390/sports13080281","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Despite the known relevance of punch impact in boxing, limited evidence exists regarding how anthropometric and muscle performance variables contribute to it. This study investigated the relationship between anthropometric characteristics, muscle power and strength performance, and punch impact power in 69 boxing practitioners (mean ± SD age: 27.0 ± 6.1 years). Anthropometric variables (body height (BH), armspan (AS), body mass (BM)) and muscle power and strength tests (countermovement jump (CMJ), one repetition maximum in bench press (1RM BP), and handgrip strength (HS)) were assessed. Punch impact power was assessed with PowerKube (PK), a specific device designed to measure punch impact power. Punch impact power was positively correlated with BH, AS, and BM. Linear regression indicated that BH and AS explained about 36% of the variance in Straight punch impact power and 30-34% in Hook punch impact power. BM showed weaker predictive capacity, explaining 10% of the variance in Straight punch impact power and 11% in Hook punch impact power. When comparing punch impact power differences across groups with varying BH, AS, and BM, it was found that groups with High BH exhibited higher punch impact power than the groups with Low and Medium BH for both Straight and Hook punches. For AS, the High AS group also demonstrated higher punch impact power, with similar trends for BM, where significant differences were observed only between the High and Low BM groups. Additionally, our findings confirm significant relationships between anthropometric characteristics, muscle power, and strength performance. These findings highlight the importance of a comprehensive assessment of anthropometric profiles, alongside muscle power and strength evaluations, to better predict punch impact power. This approach provides valuable insights for boxing training and may also inform exercise programming for the general population.</p>","PeriodicalId":53303,"journal":{"name":"Sports","volume":"13 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12390596/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144977495","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Handgrip Strength Asymmetry in Female Basketball Players: The Critical Role of Arm Position and the Challenge of Statistical Power.","authors":"Vassilios Panoutsakopoulos, Antonella V Schwarz, Evangelia Merkou, Stratos Savvoulidis, Mariana C Kotzamanidou, Zacharias Papadakis","doi":"10.3390/sports13080279","DOIUrl":"10.3390/sports13080279","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> Handgrip strength asymmetry is a critical yet underexplored basketball component. While the digit ratio (2D:4D) is linked to strength, its interplay with age, body composition, and biomechanics is unclear. This study aimed to quantify these independent and interactive effects on asymmetry in female basketball players. <b>Methods:</b> Maximum handgrip strength was measured bilaterally in three arm postures in 26 adolescent and adult players. Linear Mixed Model with a random intercept tested the effects. <b>Results:</b> Omnibus tests revealed no statistically significant main effects or interactions for age group, lean body mass (LBM), or 2D:4D ratio. However, a planned contrast showed that asymmetry was significantly lower in an overhead arm posture compared to an extended arm posture (<i>p</i> = 0.035). A simulation-based power analysis determined the study was significantly underpowered (11.5%) to detect small-to-medium interaction effects. <b>Conclusions:</b> While biomechanical position subtly modulates strength asymmetry, the influence of age, lean mass, and digit ratio may be negligible or require substantially larger samples to detect. Individual differences, which accounted for 57% of the variance, appear to be the dominant drivers of handgrip asymmetry in this athletic cohort, highlighting the complexity of strength imbalances and the critical need for adequately powered research in this domain.</p>","PeriodicalId":53303,"journal":{"name":"Sports","volume":"13 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12389758/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144978514","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Neuroplasticity of Brain Networks Through Exercise: A Narrative Review About Effect of Types, Intensities, and Durations.","authors":"Carlotta Rosso, Paolo Riccardo Brustio, Jordi Manuello, Alberto Rainoldi","doi":"10.3390/sports13080280","DOIUrl":"10.3390/sports13080280","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>(1) Background: Recent decades have seen growing interest in neuroplasticity and the activity-dependent mechanisms that allow Brain Networks to adapt functionally. Among the various stimuli, physical exercise has emerged as a key modulator of brain plasticity. This narrative review aims to synthesize evidence on the structural and functional effects of physical exercise on the brain in healthy individuals aged 18-80 years. Exercise modalities were categorized into Cardiovascular, Strength, and Mixed Training. Each was further classified by intensity (Light-to-Moderate vs. Vigorous) and duration (Short- vs. Long-Term). A total of 25 interventions were analyzed to evaluate how these variables influence Brain Networks. Findings indicate that exercise type, intensity, and duration collectively modulate neuroplastic responses. Notably, physical training induces structural and functional changes in major Brain Networks, including the Default Mode Network, Salience Network, Central Executive Network, Visuospatial Network, Sensorimotor Network, and Language and Auditory Networks. These results underscore the potential of physical exercise as an effective non-pharmacological strategy to enhance brain health and plasticity across the adult lifespan. This narrative review aims to highlight the effects of physical exercise in changing the brain either functionally or structurally. Moreover, the most relevant exercise training modalities that may improve/change neural networks in healthy populations (18-80 years) were discussed. (2) Methods: Three different types of exercise were considered: (i) Cardiovascular, (ii) Strength, and (iii) Mixed Exercise. For each of them, two levels of intensity (Light-to-Moderate and Vigorous) and two durations (Short-Term and Long-Term Effects) were included. By analyzing 25 interventions, indications about the effects on the brain considering the three factors (type of exercises, intensities, and durations) were provided. (3) Results: The findings suggest that the type of exercises, intensities, and durations could to lead neural modification over time. Specifically, exercise intervention contributes to both structural and functional changes in brain regions located in key Brain Networks, including the Default Mode Network, Salience Network, Central Executive Network, Visuospatial Network, Sensorimotor Network, and Language and Auditory Networks. (4) Conclusions: In conclusion, the evidence presented herein underscores the beneficial effects of physical exercise on the structural and functional integrity of the brain, highlighting its importance as a non-pharmacological intervention to improve brain plasticity.</p>","PeriodicalId":53303,"journal":{"name":"Sports","volume":"13 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12390317/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144978099","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unrecognized and Unreported Concussions Among Community Rugby Players.","authors":"Rachael Wittmer, Thomas A Buckley, Charles Buz Swanik, Katelyn M Costantini, Lisa Ryan, Ed Daly, Regan E King, Arryana J Daniels, Katherine J Hunzinger","doi":"10.3390/sports13080278","DOIUrl":"10.3390/sports13080278","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study examined the prevalence of intentionally unreported and potentially unrecognized concussions in community rugby players and whether nondisclosure reasons vary by sex, position, or playing history. An online survey was completed by 1037 players (41.0% female; mean age 31.6 ± 11.3 years; 10.1 ± 8.1 years playing) who reported diagnosed, unreported, and unrecognized concussions. Poisson regression models estimated prevalence ratios (PRs), and Fisher's exact tests compared reasons for nondisclosure. The diagnosed, unreported, and unrecognized concussion rates were 66.5%, 32.4%, and 42.2%, respectively. Players with diagnosed concussions had a 7.2-fold higher prevalence of nondisclosure and a 2.3-fold higher prevalence of nonrecognition. A longer playing history was linked to greater nondisclosure (PR: 1.2), and males had a higher prevalence of nonrecognition (PR: 1.4). Position and sex were not associated with nondisclosure; position and playing history did not affect recognition. While nondisclosure reasons were mostly consistent across demographics, players with a history of concussion were more likely to report avoiding removal from games or practices (38.5% vs. 13.6%, <i>p</i> = 0.021). Concussions are common in community rugby, with high rates of underreporting and unawareness, influenced by experience and prior concussions. These findings underscore the need for better education and reporting systems to improve player safety.</p>","PeriodicalId":53303,"journal":{"name":"Sports","volume":"13 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12390137/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144978412","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Stretching Before Resistance Training as a Strategy to Improve Stair Descent Performance in Older Women.","authors":"Vittoria Ferrando, Marco Panascì, Ambra Bisio, Valentina Chiarotti, Federica Marmondi, Matteo Bonato, Piero Ruggeri, Emanuela Faelli","doi":"10.3390/sports13080276","DOIUrl":"10.3390/sports13080276","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background</b>: Aging is associated with reduced joint flexibility and balance, which increases the risk of falls, especially during stair descent where motor control is critical. Stretching has been shown to improve ankle range of motion and gait speed. This study investigated the effects of a 4-week training program combining stretching plus resistance training (RT) with elastic bands on functional capacity and ankle stability during stair descent in older women. <b>Methods</b>: Twenty-four active older women (mean age: 73.1 ± 0.97 years) were randomly assigned to static stretching (SS), dynamic stretching (DS) and control (CG) groups. All participants completed two weekly 60 min sessions consisting of progressive RT preceded by three different warm-ups. The SS and DS groups completed static or dynamic stretching, while the CG walked. Assessments included 30s-Chair Stand (30s-CS), Handgrip Strength (HGS), Time Up and Go (TUG), Chair Sit and Reach (CSR), Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE), and ankle kinematics during stair descent. <b>Results</b>: All groups improved 30s-CS and TUG (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Only the SS group improved CSR in both legs and the ankle dorsiflexion angle during stair descent at final foot contact (<i>p</i> = 0.002). RPE increased over time across all groups (<i>p</i> < 0.0001); however, the SS and DS groups reported lower exertion than the CG group in first-second weeks (<i>p</i> = 0.0001-0.003). <b>Conclusions</b>: SS prior to progressive RT improved flexibility and ankle kinematics during stair descent, thus reducing the perception of effort particularly during the initial training phase. These findings indicate the effectiveness of SS as a warm-up strategy for increasing ROM and potentially reducing the risk of falls in this population.</p>","PeriodicalId":53303,"journal":{"name":"Sports","volume":"13 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12390480/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144978436","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Physical and Biomechanical Relationships with Countermovement Jump Performance in Team Sports: Implications for Athletic Development and Injury Risk.","authors":"Moses K Bygate-Smith, C Martyn Beaven, Mark Drury","doi":"10.3390/sports13080277","DOIUrl":"10.3390/sports13080277","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Several physical qualities have been linked to countermovement jump (CMJ) performance. However, the relative importance of each of these factors is unclear. (1) Objectives: The present systematic review sought to evaluate the characteristics associated with CMJ performance in adult team-sport athletes. (2) Methods: A comprehensive search of three databases and the grey literature yielded 18 articles that met the inclusion criteria. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to assess statistically significant relationships and interpreted as negligible (0.00-0.10), weak (0.10-0.39), moderate (0.40-0.69), strong (0.70-0.89), and very strong (0.90-1.00). (3) Results: Eighteen articles remained eligible, with an average quality score of 76% ± 14 on the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal index. The strongest correlations reported included time-to-bottom, time-to-peak force, knee extension peak power at 180 °/s, and squat jump height. (4) Conclusions: The conclusions drawn from this study suggest that, to maximize CMJ performance, priority should be given to movement biomechanics and lower-body power whilst considering individual braking-phase strategies. These findings may inform training programs aimed not only at enhancing athletic performance but also at reducing injury risks associated with poor jumping mechanics in team sports.</p>","PeriodicalId":53303,"journal":{"name":"Sports","volume":"13 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12390081/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144978158","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Supervised Machine Learning Algorithms for Fitness-Based Cardiometabolic Risk Classification in Adolescents.","authors":"Rodrigo Yáñez-Sepúlveda, Rodrigo Olivares, Pablo Olivares, Juan Pablo Zavala-Crichton, Claudio Hinojosa-Torres, Frano Giakoni-Ramírez, Josivaldo de Souza-Lima, Matías Monsalves-Álvarez, Marcelo Tuesta, Jacqueline Páez-Herrera, Jorge Olivares-Arancibia, Tomás Reyes-Amigo, Guillermo Cortés-Roco, Juan Hurtado-Almonacid, Eduardo Guzmán-Muñoz, Nicole Aguilera-Martínez, José Francisco López-Gil, Vicente Javier Clemente-Suárez","doi":"10.3390/sports13080273","DOIUrl":"10.3390/sports13080273","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Cardiometabolic risk in adolescents represents a growing public health concern that is closely linked to modifiable factors such as physical fitness. Traditional statistical approaches often fail to capture complex, nonlinear relationships among anthropometric and fitness-related variables.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To develop and evaluate supervised machine learning algorithms, including artificial neural networks and ensemble methods, for classifying cardiometabolic risk levels among Chilean adolescents based on standardized physical fitness assessments.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using a large representative sample of school-aged adolescents. Field-based physical fitness tests, such as cardiorespiratory fitness (in terms of estimated maximal oxygen consumption [VO_2max]), muscular strength (push-ups), and explosive power (horizontal jump) testing, were used as input variables. A cardiometabolic risk index was derived using international criteria. Various supervised machine learning models were trained and compared regarding accuracy, F1 score, recall, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC-ROC).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among all the models tested, the gradient boosting classifier achieved the best overall performance, with an accuracy of 77.0%, an F1 score of 67.3%, and the highest AUC-ROC (0.601). These results indicate a strong balance between sensitivity and specificity in classifying adolescents at cardiometabolic risk. Horizontal jumps and push-ups emerged as the most influential predictive variables.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Gradient boosting proved to be the most effective model for predicting cardiometabolic risk based on physical fitness data. This approach offers a practical, data-driven tool for early risk detection in adolescent populations and may support scalable screening efforts in educational and clinical settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":53303,"journal":{"name":"Sports","volume":"13 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12390583/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144978360","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of Sport Education Model and Physical Fitness on Motivation and Prosociality for a Healthy Approach in Secondary Students Using an Experimental Design.","authors":"Augusto Hoyo-Guillot, Francisco Tomás González Fernández, Pedro Jesús Ruíz-Montero","doi":"10.3390/sports13080274","DOIUrl":"10.3390/sports13080274","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This study aims to demonstrate the value of physical education (PE) in fostering prosociality and academic motivation through active approaches derived from the sports education model (SEM), in contrast with the traditional methodology (TM). One of the new features introduced is based on an approach focused on physical fitness and health that goes beyond sports practice.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A 10-week intervention was conducted with a sample of 127 students (<i>n</i> = 127). In total, 63 students (<i>n</i> = 63) received an SEM-based intervention and 64 (<i>n</i> = 64) received traditional teaching. The effect of these methodologies on motivation, prosocial climate, and the perceived importance of PE has been verified, based on a fitness-oriented proposal.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The findings indicate improvements in the SEM group's prosociality (giving, <i>p</i> = 0.015; verbal comfort, <i>p</i> = 0.019; solidarity, <i>p</i> = 0.039). Additionally, the TM group showed increased importance attributable to PE, though a deterioration in prosocial values was also observed. No evidence was found regarding changes in motivation.</p><p><strong>Discussion/conclusion: </strong>The implementation of SEM has positive effects on students' prosociality, whereas the opposite effect can be observed when employing TM. The non-inclusion of sports activities can affect the motivation variable.</p>","PeriodicalId":53303,"journal":{"name":"Sports","volume":"13 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12390379/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144978521","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Superiority of Dynamic Stretching over Static and Combined Stretching Protocols for Repeated Sprint Performance in Elite Male Soccer Players.","authors":"Ridha Aouadi, Mohamed Amine Ltifi, Halil İbrahim Ceylan, Mohamed Chedly Jlid, Nicola Luigi Bragazzi","doi":"10.3390/sports13080275","DOIUrl":"10.3390/sports13080275","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study aimed to examine the effects of different stretching techniques on repeated sprint performance and to assess the influence of the sequence in which static and dynamic stretching are performed. Ten male Division II soccer players (age: 22.80 ± 1.13 years; height: 180.60 ± 3.59 cm; body mass: 70.60 ± 6.04 kg) completed a repeated sprint test consisting of 6 × 30 m sprints after five different warm-up protocols in a randomized, counterbalanced design: (1) general warm-up without stretching (NS), (2) static stretching (SS), (3) dynamic stretching (DS), (4) SS followed by DS (SS-DS), and (5) DS followed by SS (DS-SS). Stretching was performed during the recovery periods between sprints: ~6 min for SS and DS, and ~12 min for combined protocols. Sessions were spaced 72 h apart. Performance metrics included mean sprint time, best sprint time, and total sprint time. ANOVA and Cohen's d were used for statistical analysis. Repeated sprint test performance was significantly enhanced after DS compared to SS, DS-SS, and SS-DS (<i>p</i> = 0.042-0.002; ES = 0.31-2.26), but not significantly different from NS (<i>p</i> > 0.05). SS had a detrimental effect when compared to DS and NS (<i>p</i> < 0.05; ES = 1.86-2.26). Improvements were observed in mean sprint time and total sprint time across all six sprints (<i>p</i> = 0.042-0.006; ES = 0.31-2.26) and in best sprint time (<i>p</i> = 0.006-0.002; ES = 0.89-1.86). In conclusion, DS prior to repeated sprint test improves performance compared to SS and combined methods. NS also supports strong performance but shows a slight advantage over SS and combinations. Incorporating DS into warm-up routines is recommended to optimize sprint performance, reduce injury risk, and support athlete preparation.</p>","PeriodicalId":53303,"journal":{"name":"Sports","volume":"13 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12389893/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144978396","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Marked Differences in Lower-Limb Muscle Strength and Motor Performance Between Japanese and Chinese Children Aged 9-12: A Cross-National Study.","authors":"Kun Niu, Kaoru Tsuyama","doi":"10.3390/sports13080271","DOIUrl":"10.3390/sports13080271","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>This study includes an investigation of lower-limb muscle strength and physical activity among children in Japan and China, with the aim of promoting children's health.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 564 children (300 boys, 264 girls) aged 9-12 years from public primary schools in Tokyo, Japan, and Jiangxi Province, China, were included. Height, body weight (BW), hip adductor and abductor strength, and toe grip strength were measured. The side-step test (SST) and timed-up-and-go test (TUGT) were performed. Exercise habits were assessed via a questionnaire.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Japanese students produced significantly higher values than Chinese students in SST (23.3-37.1%) and TUGT (6.6-8.0%), except among 11-year-old girls. Japanese boys aged 10-11 and girls aged 10-12 had significantly greater hip adductor strength/BW and toe grip strength/BW. Japanese students also showed significantly higher hip abductor strength/BW at all ages. Additionally, the proportion of children engaging in vigorous-intensity physical activity (VPA) was significantly higher in Japanese boys aged 10-12 and girls aged 9-11 than in their Chinese counterparts.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Chinese students showed diminished lower-limb strength and agility compared to Japanese students. These findings highlight the importance of promoting outdoor play, particularly VPA, to improve children's physical fitness and health, especially in China.</p>","PeriodicalId":53303,"journal":{"name":"Sports","volume":"13 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12390339/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144978112","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}