Background: The impact of prolonged digital device exposure on physical and mental health in children has been widely investigated by the scientific community. Additionally, the lockdown periods due to the COVID-19 pandemic further exposed children to screen time for e-learning activities. The aim of this systematic review (PROSPERO Registration: CRD42022315596) was to evaluate the effect of digital device exposure on children’s health. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was additionally explored to verify the further exposure of children due to the e-learning environment. Methods: Available online databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, Semantic Scholar, BASE, Scopus, Web of Science, and SPORTDiscus) were searched for study selection. The PICO model was followed by including a target population of children aged 2 to 12 years, exposed or not to any type of digital devices, while evaluating changes in both physical and mental health outcomes. The quality assessment was conducted by using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal Tool. Synthesis without meta-analysis (SWiM) guidelines were followed to provide data synthesis. Results: Forty studies with a total sample of 75,540 children were included in this systematic review. The study design was mainly cross-sectional (n = 28) and of moderate quality (n = 33). Overall, the quality score was reduced due to recall, selection, and detection biases; blinding procedures influenced the quality score of controlled trials, and outcome validity reduced the quality score of cohort studies. Digital device exposure affected physical activity engagement and adiposity parameters; sleep and behavioral problems emerged in children overexposed to digital devices. Ocular conditions were also reported and associated with higher screen exposure. Home confinement during COVID-19 further increased digital device exposure with additional negative effects. Conclusions: The prolonged use of digital devices has a significant negative impact on children aged 2 to 12, leading to decreased physical activity, sleep disturbances, behavioral issues, lower academic performance, socioemotional challenges, and eye strain, particularly following extended online learning during lockdowns.

The aim of this systematic review (PROSPERO registration number CRD42024517069) was to investigate the effectiveness of exercise interventions in Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome (PACS). We searched on several databases and followed the PRISMA guidelines (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses). We included randomized controlled trials that evaluate exercise interventions in adults (40–60 years old) diagnosed with PACS. The outcomes of interest were health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and functional fitness. Twenty studies were included after screening. Thirteen and fourteen studies were rated as “low” risk for HRQoL and functional fitness outcomes, respectively. Based on the evidence, an 8-week exercise protocol of aerobic training in combination with strength-based and breathing exercises was found to be safe and feasible while improving quality of life and functional fitness in people with PACS. Telerehabilitation can also be an option to avoid contagion and physical contact with the same beneficial effects. Future research should expand the knowledge about other types of exercise (i.e., water-based exercises) with high-quality trials and consider whether findings could be potentially transferable to recovery from a wider spectrum of viral infections.

Table tennis (TT) is a high-speed sport requiring integrated cognitive and motor skills. However, the existing assessment tools have failed to replicate its sport-specific demands. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Reactive Table Tennis test designed to assess cognitive–motor performance in TT. Sixty athletes were recruited from TT, combat sports (CS), team sports (TS), and track and field (TF). Participants were required to react to 10 visual stimuli randomly emitted from three devices placed 3 m frontally by performing 1.5 m lateral or frontal displacements. Athletes passed through a timing gate using either both hands (B) or only one hand (O) under two conditions: with consecutive stimulus presentation (C) and with a 0.8 s delay between stimuli (D), simulating the typical inter-shot time observed during the rallies. Each participant completed three trials per condition on three non-consecutive days. Results showed the highest reliability under the delayed conditions (ICC_BD = 0.969; ICC_OD = 0.961), along with lower coefficients of variation than for the consecutive conditions. TT players performed significantly faster (p < 0.05) than other athletes under BD, OD, and BC but not under OC conditions. The mean of three trials is recommended for more accurate assessments. The proposed test proved to be a valid and reliable tool, especially under the both hand-delay condition, and is suitable for large-scale use in TT.

Background: Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) are generally more sedentary than their typically developing (TD) peers, resulting in a negative impact on their physical and cognitive development. Moreover, children with ASD are less involved in physical activity and sports. This systematic review aimed to investigate the effectiveness of physical activity in children with ASD. Methods: As data sources, PubMed (NML), Web of Science—Core Collection (Clarivate), Web of Science—MedLine (Clarivate), and Scopus were searched for relevant studies, and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) was followed. The literature search was performed in March 2024, and a supplementary search was conducted in October 2024. Eligibility criteria: The included studies were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the effect of physical activity in children with ASD. Results: Sixteen studies were included following the PRISMA guidelines, involving a total of 465 participants. Intervention varied by type (land-based vs. aquatic), duration (7 weeks–one year), frequency (2–4 sessions/week) and session length (25–60 min). Evidence shows that physical activity interventions can positively influence motor coordination, with 81.2% of studies reporting beneficial effects, particularly in balance, motor coordination and overall motor proficiency. Land-based physical activity interventions may be an effective strategy for children with ASD, primarily due to their feasibility and accessibility. Conclusion: Physical activity intervention can improve motor coordination in children with ASD, with land-based programs generally being more accessible and aquatic program offering additional sensory–motor benefits for children with greater impairments. The current systematic review highlights the benefits of implementing physical activity in children with ASD, including extracurricular and school-based programs, to significantly enhance their functional outcomes, well-being, and overall quality of life.

In elite youth soccer, the objective is to identify, develop, and enhance players’ ability to support their progression. During adolescence, players of the same chronological age often show differences in technical, tactical, physical, and psychological performance due to variations in biological maturation. The bio-banding (BB) format tries to reduce these discrepancies by grouping players with maturity-matched peers, promoting development within a maturity-respecting environment. This review synthesizes the effects of BB on soccer-specific performance in comparison to traditional chronological-age (CA) grouping. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science (Core and Medline), and BASE databases were searched, and experimental studies using crossover, such as those applying both BB and CA in young soccer players, were considered eligible. Eleven experimental studies were included. Most of the investigated outcomes focused on physical performance (n = 9) and technical and tactical characteristics (n = 8), while psychological aspects were less examined (n = 2). Moreover, two studies further assessed how different BB methods influenced the investigated outcomes. The evidence confirms that BB influences youth soccer player characteristics, showing differences compared to CA grouping. BB can be an approach for optimizing individual growth but is not a definitive solution, presenting limits that require careful management, appropriate challenge, and integration with injury prevention and workload monitoring. Further research is needed to clarify its performance-related impact across maturity statuses.

Background: Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are generally less involved in physical activity and sport. Therefore, the present pilot study aimed at determining the effect of a sport-based training program on motor coordination development and functioning in children with ASD. Methods: Twenty children with ASD (age: 8.7 ± 1.6 years, 5 females) were included in a sport-based training program for 6 months. Participants were free to select their own sport discipline. Before and after the program, reaction time was evaluated using a simple (by identifying the targeted stimulus) and a complex (by discriminating the targeted stimulus among confounding signals) reactive test, while fine and gross motor coordination was assessed by transferring pennies, jumping in place (same sides synchronized), tapping feet and fingers (same side synchronized), and the Flamingo test. Results: The analysis showed a significant reduction (p = 0.016, d = 0.16) in complex reactive test (pre: 15.8 ± 14.8 s; post: 13.6 ± 11.1 s) and a significant improvement in transferring pennies test (pre: 6.3 ± 3.4 pt.; post: 7.8 ± 3.8 pt.; p = 0.034, d = 0.42). Furthermore, two of the low-functioning children, who did not perform any motor test before the program, were able to complete both reactive tests and transferring pennies test. No significant differences emerged for the remaining tests. Conclusions: A sport-based extra-curricular program improved reaction time and fine motor coordination in children with ASD. The complex reactive and transferring pennies tests were particularly effective in detecting changes, even in low-functioning children. These findings support the promotion of diverse physical activities to aid physical and cognitive development.