Parameter des Erlebens von Bewegungsfreude in der physiotherapeutischen Rekonvaleszenz muskuloskeletaler Funktionsstörungen im Kindes- und Jugendalter

The joy of movement as a fundamental prerequisite for physical and sporting activity is gaining greater importance in physiotherapy. In childhood and adolescence nowadays, health complaints, early illnesses, developmental disorders as well as motor deficits occur more and more frequently. This can be traced back to the lack of movement experiences. The aim of the study was to investigate the significance and strength of 12 influencing factors for children and adolescents to experience enjoyment of exercise during physiotherapeutic convalescence. These influencing factors include general sportiness, physical and sport competence, pleasure, flow experience, recreation, self-determination, competence experience, physical health, motivation to exercise and sport, social inclusiveness, parental support and social interaction. Furthermore, the study aimed to identify gender differences between the 12 influencing factors and the general experience of physical activity enjoyment. In a cross-sectional study, 18 children and adolescents aged 10–17 years participated. Physical activity enjoyment in physiotherapy convalescence was defined by the four components physical and sport skills, sport and exercise experience, sport and exercise motivation, and sport and exercise participation and assessed using the Physical Activity Enjoyment in Physiotherapy Questionnaire. The 12 influencing factors showed a differentiated pattern with regard to the strength and direction of the correlation with the four components of joy of movement. A strong positive influence of pleasure, intrinsic motivation, experienced sportiness as well as the perceived experience of competence on the experience of joy of movement was found in physiotherapeutic convalescence. Recreation, social inclusion, parental support and social interaction, on the other hand, had only a minor effect on the children’s and adolescents’ experienced joy of movement. In addition, gender differences in favor of boys were found for the experienced joy of movement. The results provide practice-oriented recommendations and suggestions for everyday therapeutic practice to promote the enjoyment of movement in children and adolescents with musculoskeletal dysfunctions during physiotherapeutic convalescence.