Decoding Motor Skills: Video Analysis Unveils Age-Specific Patterns in Childhood and Adolescent Movement

Motor skill development is crucial in human growth, evolving with the maturation of the nervous and musculoskeletal systems. Quantifying these skills, especially coordinative abilities, re- mains challenging. This study aimed to assess the performance of five motor tasks in children and adolescents using high-speed video analysis, providing data for movement and health profession- als. Seventy-two volunteers were divided into three age groups: 27 first-grade primary school stu- dents (19 males and 8 females, aged 6.5 ± 0.5 years), 35 fourth-grade primary school students (16 males and 19 females, aged 9.2 ± 0.4 years), and 28 s-year middle school students (16 males and 12 females, aged 13.0 ± 0.3 years). Participants performed five motor tasks: standing long jump, run- ning long jump, stationary ball throw, running ball throw, and sprint running. Each task was rec- orded at 120 frames per second and analyzed using specialized software to measure linear and an- gular kinematic parameters. Quantitative measurements were taken in the sagial plane, while qualitative observations were made using a dichotomous approach. Statistical analysis was per- formed using the Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney tests with Bonferroni correction. Significant differences were observed across age groups in various parameters. In the standing long jump, older participants exhibited a longer time between initial movement and maximum loading. The running long jump revealed differences in the take-off angle, with fourth-grade students performing the best. Ball-throwing tests indicated improvements in the release angle with age, particularly in fe- males. Sprint running demonstrated the expected improvements in time and stride length with age. Gender differences were notable in fourth-grade students during the running long jump, with fe- males showing greater knee flexion, while males achieved beer take-off angles. Video analysis ef- fectively identified age-related and gender-specific differences in motor skill performance. The main differences were measured between first-grade primary school and second-year middle school stu- dents while gender differences were limited to all age groups. This method provides valuable in- sights into motor development trajectories and can be used by professionals to objectively assess and monitor the technical aspects of motor skills across different age groups.