Development and Trainability of Sensorimotor Function Across Childhood and Adolescence

Abstract

Sensorimotor function - the integration of sensory feedback and motor output - forms the basis of coordinated movement, balance, and motor learning. Its refinement throughout childhood and adolescence enables increasingly precise and efficient movement, supporting both athletic performance and long-term physical activity. Understanding its development and trainability is crucial for promoting motor competence, preventing injuries, and fostering cognitive–motor integration.

From early childhood, sensorimotor competence evolves through the acquisition of fundamental movement skills (FMS) such as running, jumping, catching, and balancing. These skills integrate coordination, strength, and postural control, forming the foundation for later sport-specific abilities. Although FMS proficiency typically increases with age, large-scale evidence indicates that many children and adolescents worldwide do not achieve mastery in most FMS, with clear age- and sex-related differences - boys often excelling in object-control and girls in stability-related skills (Lorenzo-Martínez et al., 2025). Early FMS proficiency is positively associated with higher physical activity, fitness, and favorable body composition (Cattuzzo et al., 2016), whereas low FMS competence is linked to reduced participation and less active developmental trajectories.

As children mature, postural control and coordination become more automatic and anticipatory. Improvements in balance reflect more efficient integration of visual, vestibular, and proprioceptive inputs, shaped by both maturation and practice. Structured FMS-based and sensorimotor interventions, especially those implemented in school and community settings, are highly effective for improving motor proficiency. A comprehensive meta-analysis reported large effects for overall and locomotor skills and moderate effects for object-control skills following such interventions (Morgan et al., 2013). Programs delivered by trained educators or physical education specialists that provide developmentally appropriate, engaging, and varied motor experiences yield the strongest outcomes.

Improved sensorimotor proficiency contributes to both performance and health. Enhanced coordination and balance support injury prevention, efficient movement mechanics, and cognitive engagement through shared neural pathways. Consequently, physically enriched environments that challenge sensory integration and adaptive motor control are essential to foster lifelong movement competence.

In conclusion, sensorimotor function develops through an interaction of biological maturation, experience, and training. While growth provides the neural and structural foundation, structured, skill-based practice accelerates refinement and supports sustainable motor development. Promoting FMS and balance competence early in life should therefore be a central goal in physical education, youth sport, and public health initiatives.

References

Cattuzzo, M. T., Dos Santos Henrique, R., Ré, A. H. N., de Oliveira, I. S., Melo, B. M., Moura, M. S., de Araújo, R. C., & Stodden, D. F. (2016). Motor competence and health related physical fitness in youth: A systematic review. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 19(2), 123–129. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2014.12.004

Lorenzo-Martínez, M., Abelairas-Gómez, C., Carballo-Fazanes, A., & Rey, E. (2025). Prevalence of fundamental movement skill mastery in school-aged children and adolescents: A systematic review. BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, 11, e002439. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjsem-2024-002439

Morgan, P. J., Barnett, L. M., Cliff, D. P., Okely, A. D., Scott, H. A., Cohen, K. E., & Lubans, D. R. (2013). Fundamental movement skill interventions in youth: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Pediatrics, 132(5), e1361–e1383. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2013-1167