Effect of childhood obesity on back and lower limb flexibility, and functional mobility

Purpose The current study examined how childhood obesity negatively impacts motor performance. This will provide a higher quality of life and help in preventing harmful effects on motor performance and the musculoskeletal system. The purpose of the current study was to examine the effect of childhood obesity on back and lower limb flexibility, and functional mobility in school children. Material and methods The study included 64 male children, divided into two groups, the obese group (N=32), and the healthy group (N=32). Their ages ranged from 12 to 16 years. The body mass index was used to detect the extent of obesity. The assessment of back flexibility was done by using the Sit and reach flexibility test. Weight-bearing Lunge test and modified Thomas test were used to assess the flexibility of the soleus and the iliopsoas muscles respectively. Participants’ functional mobility was detected by the Timed up-and-go test (TUG). Results The healthy group’s lower limb and back flexibility were significantly higher when compared to the obese group (P