TEACHING GYMNASTICS ELEMENTS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WITH PLACEBO EFFECT DIGITAL GAMES: CLUSTER RANDOMISED CONTROLLED TRIAL

This study examined the effects of using digital placebo video games in the gym while teaching gymnastics elements on the amount and level of activity intensity of elementary school students. One hundred thirty-two first triade students (70 girls) were included in the study, of whom 72 (age = 7.6 ± 0.96) participated in an experimental teaching program (EXP) using digital placebo games and 60 (age = 7.5 ± 0.91) participated in the control group (CON) in which traditional physical education continued to be taught. Three artistic gymnastic elements were taught: Forward roll, backward roll, and cartwheel. The results of the nonparametric Mann-Whitney test showed statistically significant differences between the groups (EXP vs. CON) in light physical activity (LPA) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) for all three gymnastic elements (forward roll: LPA: p < 0.001, MVPA: p < 0.001; backward roll: LPA: p < 0.001, MVPA: p < 0.001; cartwheel: LPA: p < 0.001; MVPA: p < 0.001). There were no statistically significant differences between groups in any gymnastics elements in vigorous physical activity (VPA); forward roll: p = 0.354; backward roll: p = 0.251; cartwheel: p = 0.427. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of integrating digital placebo games into physical education classes to improve the amount of LPA and MVPA when teaching gymnastics elements in the first triad.