Children’s Physical Abilities Decline Dramatically as Fracture Rates Double and ‘Radio Calisthenics’ is Banned

At a certain nursery school in Tokyo, “Radio Calisthenics” has reportedly been banned this year.

This is due to a significant decline in children’s physical abilities, leading to injuries occurring during the exercises.

Children are spraining their ankles while jumping, falling to the ground when twisting their upper bodies, and dislocating their shoulders when swinging their arms diagonally. As a result, it seems necessary to switch to gentler exercises that place less strain on their bodies.

Radio Calisthenics is supposed to be a “warm-up exercise” done before starting the day or engaging in physical activity. What does it mean that there are increasing numbers of children who can’t even do that?

In my book “Smartphone Parenting is Ruining Children” (Shinchosha), which interviews 200 education professionals across Japan, the current state of children is brought to light, revealing astonishing aspects of their behavior. From this, I would like to reflect on the physical abilities of today’s children.

 

Unable to move hands and feet alternately

Currently, various issues related to children’s physical abilities are emerging in elementary schools. Many children struggle to move their bodies, leading to frequent problems not only during sports events but also in their daily lives.

A teacher in Tokyo shares the following:

“What surprised me when I started working at a school in the city center was that there are children who cannot sit in a crouching position for more than a certain amount of time during school assemblies. Their core muscles have not developed appropriately for their age, so when I tell them to sit on the floor, they either lose their balance and fall over like a daruma doll or give up and lie down after just a few seconds. At our school, we have them sit in chairs instead.”

There are also children whose joints are so stiff that they cannot sit cross-legged, let alone in seiza (traditional Japanese sitting position). What other concerns do teachers have regarding the decline in children’s physical abilities? During interviews for this book, several issues were raised, including the following.

• When made to do floor mopping, they fall face-first and get injured.
• Their shoulder blades are stiff, preventing them from raising both arms for a “V” pose.
• During a 100m race, they can’t navigate the curve and end up falling.
• They are unable to move their arms and legs alternately, which hinders their ability to march or perform the crawl stroke.

One of the indicators used to measure these children’s physical abilities is the “softball throw.” The action of throwing a ball engages the entire body and includes many movements that are not typically performed in daily life. As a result, differences in physical abilities become very evident. According to national statistics, the distance thrown has gradually decreased since around 2010, coinciding with the period when tablets and smartphones became widespread among children. Many researchers point to this influence.

Similarly, the decline in children’s eyesight has also been observed around the same time. The percentage of elementary school students with vision worse than 1.0 increased from 19.1% in 1986 to 37.88% in 2022, according to the “School Health Statistics Survey.”

A teacher from an elementary school in Gifu Prefecture shares:

“There are many boys who can’t throw a ball anymore. It’s what you might call a ‘girl’s throw.’ Some try to throw in a way that resembles shot put, while others jump when they throw. In some cases, I’ve seen children lose their balance and fall as soon as they start the throwing motion. I remember being surprised during the pandemic when we had them do a ball toss; many kids couldn’t even throw the ball upward. The pandemic has likely contributed to this situation as well.”

While the decline in children’s physical abilities is concerning, teachers on the ground are more troubled by the accidents and injuries that arise from it.

Physical ability is not just the capacity to engage in sports; it is also the strength needed to protect the body. Maintaining balance to avoid falling and moving the body appropriately without excessive strain are also aspects of physical ability. In other words, a lack of physical ability increases the risk of accidents and injuries.

This is evidenced by the high rate of fractures among children. Compared to the 1970s, the fracture rate among current elementary, junior high, and high school students in schools has risen to 2.4 times higher.

Nowadays, schools are taking more comprehensive measures than before, such as scaling down sports days, removing vigorous activities from physical education, and implementing accident prevention strategies. Yet, despite these efforts, the increasing fracture rates suggest that children’s bodies are more susceptible to injuries than the statistics indicate.

A teacher at an elementary school in Tokyo shares:

“In the past, the main causes of fracture accidents at school were exceptional situations, like roughhousing during recess or tripping over a friend’s foot. But now it’s different. There are increasing incidents where a child bumps into a friend while trying to leave the classroom and fractures a bone, or stumbles and falls while carrying their belongings, resulting in a fracture. It’s hard to believe these accidents are happening. Frankly speaking, the entire school feels like a senior care facility now, and even if a child just runs a little, I can’t help but worry that something might happen.”

 

The Polarization of Physical Activity

While statistics are available regarding fractures, the realities of injuries such as sprains, bruises, and dislocations remain unclear. According to the teachers featured in this book, fractures are just the tip of the iceberg, and injuries smaller than fractures are likely increasing significantly.

Why is this happening? During interviews for this book, elementary school teachers spoke about the “disconnection” in opportunities for exercise.

Today’s children, often with both parents working, typically spend their after-school hours at daycare until sunset or return home to play online games. It is no longer common for them to gather with friends for hours of outdoor play after school.

As a result, unless parents consciously provide opportunities for exercise, children’s physical abilities are not developing. A teacher from an elementary school in Tokyo states:

“When I observe my class, those with high physical abilities tend to participate in sports through extracurricular activities. They receive guidance from coaches with specialized knowledge, leading to growth both physically and mentally. However, those who do not engage in sports through extracurricular activities have almost no opportunities to exercise in their daily lives. This has led to a polarization where children who are capable of physical activity are doing much better than before, while those who aren’t capable are completely lacking in this area. We could say that the middle ground is diminishing.”

Indeed, whether in professional baseball or soccer, the number of players stepping onto the world stage is increasing. However, as we’ve seen, there are also many children who struggle with basic physical activities, such as throwing a softball, doing a proper cleaning task, or even navigating curves on the playground. This situation can only be described as polarization.

Parents are aware that today’s children have fewer opportunities for physical activity. However, enrolling children in sports requires significant time and financial investment.

If children are enrolled in sports clubs, the cost per sport is around 10,000 yen. If two siblings are participating three times a week, that amounts to roughly 60,000 yen. Considering membership fees, equipment costs, training camps, and transportation, the actual monthly burden could approach 100,000 yen.

While volunteer-led youth baseball (little league) might be a bit less expensive, it imposes a heavy burden on parents, who must often serve as coaches, provide transportation, and offer support during practices and games.

This book discusses many issues related to children’s motor skills, which we hope will serve as a valuable reference. However, it’s crucial to recognize that these problems often begin before children enter elementary school—specifically, during their time in daycare or kindergarten. In the next section, titled “Parents Who Don’t Allow Their Children to Crawl,” we will explore the challenges surrounding young children’s physical activity.

 

 

Part 2: Serious Decline in Children’s Physical Ability as Parents Prevent Toddlers from Crawling