Functional Training Effect on Functional Movements and Physical Capacity in 10 to 13-Year-Old Children Attending Swimming Activities

Background. Functional training is used both in rehabilitation - to restore lost functions, and in professional sports - to improve results in competitions. Functional training is characterized by complex training of physical features, and it develops specific movements. The aim was to evaluate functional training effect on functional movements, static endurance of trunk muscles and dynamic balance in children aged 10 to 13 attending swimming activities. Methods. The study involved 24 children in the age group of 10–13 who attended swimming activities 5 times a week. Subjects were randomly divided into two groups: subject (n = 12) and control (n = 12). Participants of the subject group while attending regular swimming activities were prescribed functional training of 10-week once a week with supervision of a physiotherapist. The participants of the control group while attending regular swimming activities were prescribed a routine swimmer training of 10-week once a week in the gym under the supervision of a sports coach. Static endurance, dynamic balance, leg muscle’s explosive force and swimming competition results corresponding to the time interval of the beginning and end of the study were assessed before and after the interventions. Results. All the evaluated indicators had tendency to improve, but significant differences between the results of the two groups were found in the static endurance of the abdomen and trunk lateral muscles, dynamic balance, functional movements, long jump results and 50-meter swimming results. Conclusion. Functional training under the supervision of a physiotherapist can significantly improve the functional and physical capacity of children attending swimming activities. Keywords: physical characteristics, functional training, endurance, balance, functional movements.