High-quality movement patterns and high levels of mindfulness are thought to be beneficial in preventing sports injuries. Yoga is recommended in the field of athlete rehabilitation. This study investigated the effects of yoga intervention on functional movement patterns and mindfulness in collegiate athletes. It is a quasi-experimental study with a pre/post-test control design. The participants were divided into a yoga group and a control group. A Functional Movement Screen and the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale were used to assess participants’ basic movement patterns and mindfulness before and after 12 weeks of yoga intervention (two classes per week, 90 min per class). The results show that the yoga group’s FMS scores improved more compared to the control group [F(1,78) = 29.08, p < 0.001, ŋp² = 0.27], and that the scores for the deep squat (ŋp² = 0.4), shoulder mobility (ŋp² = 0.17), and trunk stability pushup (ŋp² = 0.36) improved substantially. The dysfunctional score ratio for deep squats (χ² = 18.57, p < 0.001), shoulder mobility (χ² = 26.90, p < 0.001), trunk stability pushup (χ² = 17.07, p < 0.001), and rotatory stability (χ²= 38.29, p <0.001) decreased significantly compared with the control group, but there was no significant improvement in asymmetric movement patterns (χ² = 0.75, p = 0.39). The mindfulness scores in the yoga group significantly exceeded those of the control group [F(1,78) = 13.56, p < 0.001, ŋp² = 0.15]. These results suggest that yoga intervention can improve functional movement patterns and mindfulness levels, but further evidence is needed to determine whether yoga could positively influence sports injuries.

Acquiring fundamental movement skills (FMS) in early childhood is linked to long-term engagement in physical activity, promoting lifelong health. Concurrently, the development of self-regulation contributes to fostering socially responsible and empathetic individuals. This study aims to contribute to the sustainable development goals of Good Health and Well-being (Goal 3) and Quality Education (Goal 4) by promoting early education practices that enhance children’s physical and socio-emotional development. This quasi-experimental study, employing a pre/post-test control design, examined the influence of different kindergarten physical education programs on FMS and self-regulation. Participants from a sports-themed kindergarten, ordinary public kindergarten, and non-profit private kindergarten were equally divided into three groups. The “Hello Sunshine” (HS) group followed a ball game-based program; the ordinary physical education (OPE) group’s curriculum had multi-themed physical activities; and the free-play (FP) group as a comparison group (free play) spent their activity time freely playing. Data from a total of 239 children were analyzed, all of whom received identical assessments of fundamental movement skills and self-regulation by the Test of Gross Motor Development-3 (TGMD-3) and the head–toes–knees–shoulders (HTKS) test at baseline and after 10 weeks of the PE curriculum. There was a significant effect of grouping on TGMD-3 composite scores after controlling for the pre-test score (F(2, 235) = 65.232, p < 0.001, Partial η² = 0.357). The composite score of the HS group was clearly higher than that of the OPE (95% CI:10.72~16.45) and FP (95% CI: 4.16~9.98) groups. A significant group time effect was observed for self-regulation (F(2, 236) = 4.588, p = 0.011, Partial η² = 0.037). After 10 weeks, the HS group displayed a more significant increase in self-regulation (14.8%) than that in the OPE (9.7%) and FP (14.6%) groups. The ball game-based program exhibited more advantages in promoting fundamental movement skills and self-regulation among the kindergarteners. Overall, this study’s findings highlight the potential benefits of kindergarten physical education programs and underscore the importance of early childhood development, emphasizing its potential to contribute to holistic child development and align with sustainability goals.

Aim: To examine the effects of parent-delivered traditional Thai massage (TTM) intervention on heart rate variability (HRV) and gait in children with autism. Methods: This was a two-armed, randomized controlled trial conducted at the Haikou Special Education School in Haikou Province, China, between October 2021 and March 2022. A total of 48 children with autism, aged between 7 and 12 years, were selected from the school and randomly divided into either the parent-delivered TTM group or the control group (no intervention) in a 1:1 ratio. In addition to their regular daily school routines, the TTM group received 16 TTM interventions (twice a week), with each session lasting ∼50 min. HRV and gait parameters were measured at baseline, completion of the 8-week intervention, and 2 months follow-up. Results: The results of this study showed that the TTM intervention had a notable positive effect on HRV, with a significant reduction in low-frequency value (p = 0.001), and increased high-frequency value (p = 0.001), compared with the controls, and the advantages persisted during the follow-up period. However, only the stride length in the TTM group was significantly longer than that in the control group at the post-test (p = 0.039) and follow-up test (p = 0.043), while none of the other parameters of gait comparison showed statistical significance. Conclusions: Parent-delivered Thai massage increased HRV levels and stride length in comparison to the control group, and some effects of the intervention were maintained over the follow-up period. Clinical Trials Registry Identifier ChiCTR2100051355; September 21, 2021.

Introduction: Recent studies have emphasized the intricate connection between exercise and cognition, focusing on specific cognitive processes and their correlations with specific motor skills. However, research on the impact of the qualitative aspects of movement on both short- and long-term cognitive performance is limited. In this quasi-experimental study, we investigate the impact of a 10-week fancy rope-skipping intervention on motor coordination and selective attention of 7–9-year-old children.Methods: A total of 60 primary school students from Changbin School in Haikou participated and completed the study from October to December 2022. The 60 participants were divided into a fancy rope-skipping group and a control group. Children's motor coordination was assessed using the Körperkoordinations Test für Kinder (KTK), while selective attention was evaluated using the d2 Test of Attention. Children were assessed at baseline and after the 10-week intervention.Results: Compared with the control group, the scores for the total KTK and for the hopping for height, jumping sideways, and moving sideways sub-items were significantly higher in the rope-skipping group after the intervention, with a significant interaction effect between time and intervention. Attention concentration improved in the rope-skipping group and had a significant interaction effect between time and intervention compared with the control group; the effects of the intervention on other aspects of selective attention were unclear.Conclusions: Our study suggests that a 10-week fancy rope-skipping intervention may potentially enhance motor coordination and selective attention accuracy in children aged 7–9 years.

The global prevalence of overweight and obesity in children under the age of five has emerged as a significant issue in recent years. Physical activity and fitness among children and adolescents have declined globally in the past few decades. Studies have indicated a link between levels of physical activity and cognitive performance in preschool children. This quasi-experimental study investigated the effects of three different types of physical education programmes on the physical fitness and emotional competence of 239 preschoolers(mean age = 5.49 ± 0.60 years, 54.4% boys)in Haikou, China. The preschoolers were grouped based on which programme they were assigned to: the “Hello Sunshine” ball skills programme (HS group), ordinary physical education (OPE group), and free play (FP group). The “Hello Sunshine” ball skills programme used both a structured curriculum design and autonomous activity selection during outdoor time., which were conducive to children’s physical fitness.The National Physical Fitness Measurement Standards Manual and the shortened version of the Social Competence and Behavior Evaluation Scale (SCBE-30) were used to assess physical fitness and emotional competence, respectively. These assessments were conducted both before and after the ten-week intervention period. The analysis utilised a mixed-effects model for physical fitness and a mixed-model ANOVA for the SCBE data. The HS group and OPE group demonstrated significantly improvement in the standing long jump, 10-m shuttle run and balance beam walking than the FP group; meanwhile, only anxious-withdrawal levels showed a significant grouping effect and group-by-time interaction effect. After the intervention, both the HS group and the FP group showed significantly lower scores for anxiety compared to the OPE group, with no significant difference observed between the HS and FP groups. The results suggested that structured ball skills programmes may promote physical fitness and reduce anxiety. The integration of effective physical exercise programmes into preschool curricula holds the potential for promoting holistic development.

The efficacy of massage therapy in the treatment of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) remains unclear. This study systematically reviewed the impact of massage therapy on children with ASD according to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) declaration guidelines. A literature search of the PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, Scopus, Google Scholar, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) electronic databases from inception to December 20, 2020, was conducted using the term “autistic/autism” along with one of the following terms, “massages,” and “Tui na.” The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias Tool. Eight randomized controlled trials examining the impact of massage on children with ASD were included. Interventions combining Qigong massage or Tui na with the control group treatments from once a day to twice a week, for a duration of 15–30 mins, and lasting for six weeks to five months were the main interventions. All reviewed studies reported significant improvement in children with ASD who received massage, especially in the sensory domain, and that massage in combination with control treatment was superior to control treatment alone. However, the overall quality of the available studies is poor with a high degree of heterogeneity. The majority of studies showed a high risk of bias with poor study design, inconsistency in massage protocols, and subjective outcome measures. Assessment bias was a common weakness of these studies. Therefore, there is insufficient evidence to conclude that massage is effective for ASD. Future studies should include large sample sizes, incorporate double-blind designs, employ appropriate outcome measures, and allow for long observation and follow-up periods. Furthermore, consensus must be reached on standardized treatments and additional therapies in order to provide better quality evidence for the treatment of ASD.