Correlation of Gross Motor Movement, and Balance With Screen Time in Healthy Children

Correlation of Gross Motor Movement, and Balance With Screen Time in Healthy Children

Gross motor function involves large muscle control for activities like walking, running, and sports, and is essential for balance and coordination. Excessive screen time may hinder gross motor development by reducing physical activity, affecting strength and coordination. Structured activities like free play and exercise are key to minimizing these effects. A cross-sectional study will be conducted over 10 months in public and private schools in Lahore. Children aged 7-10 will be included. Screen time will be assessed through demographic data, and gross motor skills evaluated using the TGMD-2. Exclusion criteria: PBS < 20, TGMD-2 < 30, recent orthopedic surgery, and MMSE < 26. Data will be analyzed in SPSS v25 using descriptive statistics and correlation. This study explores the impact of screen time on children's physical development, particularly gross motor skills and balance

This study aims to examine the impact of screen time on gross motor development in school-aged children. Gross motor function, which involves large muscle control for activities such as walking, running, and sports, plays a vital role in developing balance, coordination, and overall physical health. With increased screen use among children, physical activity levels may decrease, potentially affecting their motor development.

A cross-sectional study will be conducted over 10 months in public and private schools across Lahore. The target population includes children aged 7 to 10 years. Screen time exposure will be recorded through demographic questionnaires, and gross motor skills will be assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development-Second Edition (TGMD-2). Children will be excluded if they have a Pediatric Balance Scale (PBS) score below 20, a TGMD-2 score below 30, recent orthopedic surgery, or a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score below 26. Data will be analyzed using SPSS version 25 with descriptive statistics and correlation tests. This study seeks to identify how screen time may influence key aspects of children's physical development, particularly focusing on gross motor skills and balance

Inclusion Criteria:

• Children between ages 7 to 10 years
• Children with screen time exposure of more than 2 hours per day on a weekday (30,
• Screen time exposure through television, smartphones, tablets, laptops or computers.
• Children with exposure of screen time more than 3 hours on a weekend

Exclusion Criteria:

• Children with Pediatric balance score: below 45.
• Children with TGMD-2 Score: below 30 (less than 10" percentile).
• Children who have had orthopedic surgery within the previous 6 months.
• Cognition Score below 26 on MMSE (Mini-Mental State Examination).