Relationship Between Motor Competence and Physical Activity: A Systematic Review

Background/Purpose: Previous research supports the existence of a relationship between fundamental motor skill (FMS) competence and physical activity engagement. An in-depth understanding of this relationship is unknown and there are two hypotheses that warrant investigation: 1) a direct, linear relationship exists between FMS and physical activity that increases in strength across developmental time (Stodden et al., 2008) and 2) the existence of a “proficiency barrier” that suggests if children are able to reach a FMS competence level above this barrier, then they are more likely to continue to engage in physical activity that requires the use of FMS (Seefeldt, 1980). The purpose of this review is to synthesize research that has examined the relationship between FMS and physical activity through the childhood and adolescent years and determine which hypothesis has greater empirical support.

Method: The following databases were searched for relevant articles: Academic Search Premier, PsycArticles, PsycInfo, PubMed, SportDiscus, and ERIC. Key terms for the search included: motor, movement, skill, abilities, competence, proficiency, development, and physical activity. Studies were included if they satisfied the following inclusion criteria: 1) published in a peer-reviewed journal, 2) participants were between 3 and 18 years old, 3) assessed motor competence, 4) measured physical activity, 5) related motor competence and physical activity through statistical procedures, and 6) printed in English.

Analysis/Results: 25 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in this study. Articles were published between 1996-2013 and represented a total of 14,239 participants. Results are mixed regarding support for a direct and linear relationship across developmental time between FMS and physical activity. The evidence indicates that across all ages, the most physically active children are also the most competent in FMS. These results provide support for the existence of a proficiency barrier of FMS competence.

Conclusions: This review provides a deeper analysis of the relationship between FMS competence and physical activity. However, it is still unclear whether or not engagement in physical activity leads to FMS competence or vice versa. The relationship between FMS and physical activity is complex and multifaceted, thus more research is needed.