Background: This study aimed to investigate the impact of growing up barefoot or shod on the motor skills development of children and adolescents.
Methods: Children and adolescents aged 6 to 18, who habitually go barefoot or wear shoes, were recruited from South Africa and Germany. Participants underwent balance and standing long jump tests under both barefoot and shod conditions. Mixed-effects linear regression analyses were conducted for three age groups (6-10 years, 11-14 years, and 15-18 years) while adjusting for confounding factors such as gender, race, BMI, PAQ score, and test order (barefoot vs. shod).
Results: A total of 385 habitually barefoot children and 425 habitually shod children took part in the study. Significant differences were found between age groups in the jump (p = 0.032) and sprint tests (p = 0.041) under shod conditions. Habitually barefoot children aged 6-10 performed better in the balance test (p = 0.015) and standing long jump (p = 0.005), while habitually barefoot adolescents aged 15 to -18 jumped longer distances (p <0 .001).
Conclusion: The findings emphasize the significance of footwear habits in relation to motor skills development in children and adolescents. Engaging in regular physical activity without shoes may be advantageous for improving jumping ability and balance skills, particularly among those aged between six to ten years old.
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