Educational issues, Vol. 8 No. 1, 2025.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.53577/oot.8.1.1
Distribution of Balance in Relation to Age and Its Association with High Jump Performance in Children
Sanja Ljubičić
; Faculty of Teacher Education in Rijeka
Abstract
The aim of this study was to analyse age differences in static balance in children and to determine its association with the performance of the high jump using the scissor technique. The study included 111 children with a mean age (SD) of 9.3 (1.4) years, of whom 68.8% were girls. Balance was assessed using the single-leg stance test for 20 seconds, utilizing the Gyko system. The observed variables were anteroposterior displacement length (AP), mediolateral displacement length (ML), and total mean displacement distance (D). The Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric test was used to determine differences in balance across age groups, while Dunn’s post hoc test was applied for the further analysis of differences between individual variables. Spearman’s correlation coefficient was used to assess the relationship between balance variables and high jump performance. The results indicated that children in the youngest age category had significantly higher ML values (C = 108.92, Q3-1 = 98.03) compared to older children in the third age category (C = 77.51, Q3-1 = 57.20). Spearman’s correlation results demonstrated that all observed balance variables had a statistically significant negative correlation with high jump performance, with the strongest negative relationship found for the ML variable (r = −0.491). These findings provide valuable insights into the importance of balance ability for motor skill performance and the distribution of balance development in children.
Keywords
1. children; 2. balance; 3. high jump
Hrčak ID:
333829
URI
Publication date:
16.7.2025.
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