Influence of sports clubs in developing physical fitness of youth belong to rural area

Abstract

Introduction: Cross-sectional studies detected associations between physical fitness, living area, and sports participation in children. Yet, their scientific value is limited because the identification of cause-and-effect relationships is not possible. In a longitudinal approach, this study examined the effects of living area and sports club participation on physical fitness development in the youth between the age group of 18-25. Methods & Materials: One-hundred and fifty (age: 18–25 years; sex: 150 boys) were tested for their physical fitness (i.e., endurance [12 min run], speed [50 m sprint], lower- [standing broad jump] and upper-extremity muscle strength [shot put], flexibility [stand-and-reach], and coordination [shuttle run]). Living area (i.e., urban / rural) and sports club participation were assessed using questionnaire.Results: Over the one year study period, urban compared to rural community showed significantly better performance development for upper- (p = 0.009, ES = 0.16) and lower-extremity strength (p