Comparative analysis of ability to climb a pole in middle schools in nothern Italy

Aim Life styles of boys and girl in the ages 11 to 13 are radically changed from 30 years to today. Many of them don’t move themselves and spend many periods of their leisure time in static games (playstation, gameboy, computer etc). The purpose of this study is to show that in this ipo-chinetic situation not only capacities of condition and motor global coordination decrease causing a functional impoverishments. Specifically this study show how , among 30 years to today, ability to climb to a pole is sensitively reduced both in boys and in girls from 11 to 13 years old. Methods The study has been conducted in North of Italy with many groups of 10-13 years old students (Total 498, 249 males and 249 females) compared with 30 years ago situation (Total 1078, 538 males and 540 females).The data about tests of climb have been collected through the scolastic system after a climb test submitted to boys and girl from 11 to 13 years old in the middle schools. Climb test has been proposed in the cities and gyms ( the same of 30 years ago) in this way : every student , in front of the pole, was asked departing from earth and trying to overcome the medium pole height (2 mt.) with both feet. The test has been considered valid when: • such goal was honored in way not dependent from the technique of execution of the climb • student, overcome once the medium pole height with both feet, was able of returning to earth with a good motor control letting himself/herselfs go down slowly Results After 30 years meaningful differences are noticed in the weight, in the height and in the BMI data has been compared with the NCHS Growth Charts and we noticed that today occours conditions of overweight in 42% of the 11 year-old , 38% of the 12 year-old and 32% of the 13 year-old boys and girl. For what it concerns to the ability of climb to the pole we notice, after 30 years, a loss of ability in every band of considered age. In some schools it was not possible to reach a taller number of students because the climb equipments were unusable and dangerous. Tab.2 point out the increase of the percentage of failure in the test of climb and the statistic indexes of correlation among the six groups of students. Conclusions The reduction of leisure time due to the study, the increase of static games, the lack of motor activites in natural environment and the lack of realization of the scholastic programs with many exercises to the great phisical education equipments for climbing , they are the causes that, to our opinion, have conducted to a reduction of the ability of climb. In order to find a possible solutions to these problems it is possible purpose : •to increase phisical activity inside the scholastic system (more than the actual two hours of physical education for week!); •to invite teachers in their didactic plannings to purpose more exercises abuout learning of the climb as ability, gesture and action useful in all life span; •to ask to the scholastic directors to improve the purchase of gymnastic equipments and to guarantee an ordinary maintenance to the equipments devoted to the climb and learning and control of the traslocazionis against gravity .