COVID-19 Restrictions Linked to Global Decline in Children’s Movement Skills

Published in the Journal of Sports Sciences, this research examined changes in abilities such as balancing, running, jumping, hopping and skipping before and after COVID-19 lockdowns, school closures and reduced access to physical activity. Researchers from the University of Strathclyde in Scotland analyzed data from more than 278,000 children and adolescents aged 3 to 19 across Europe, Asia, and South America.

Overall, 10 of the 11 studies reviewed reported a decline in motor competence following the pandemic, with one study showing a 50 percent increase in the prevalence of motor problems. Children aged 3 to 12 experienced small to moderate reductions in overall movement ability, including skills involving object control, such as throwing and catching. The largest declines were seen in overall motor competence and among children from lower socio-economic backgrounds. Notably, the Netherlands – where COVID-19 restrictions were relatively limited – was the only country where no post-pandemic decline was observed.

Motor competence is closely linked to brain development, physical fitness, healthy body weight, and lifelong participation in sport and physical activity. Lead author Professor John Reilly said the drop observed after COVID-19 was far greater than the gradual decline already underway before the pandemic, and likely driven by increased screen time, reduced physical activity, and rising body fatness during lockdowns.

To read how research from the Johns Hopkins University in the United States has found that worldwide pandemic lockdowns only prevented 0.2 per cent of COVID-19 deaths and were “not an effective way of reducing mortality rates during a pandemic,” see this news story on our website.