Children & Women
in Sports
A comprehensive study guide covering WHO exercise guidelines, postural deformities, women's sports participation, and the Female Athlete Triad.
by Age Group
The World Health Organization identifies physical inactivity as the 4th leading risk factor for global mortality. These guidelines cover all age groups.
Physical Activity: Active several times/day through interactive floor-based play including 30 min of tummy time
Sedentary: Not restrained for more than 1 hour at a time. No screen time.
Sleep: 14–17 hrs (0–3 months); 12–16 hrs (4–11 months) including naps
1–2 yrs: At least 180 min/day various activities including moderate-to-vigorous intensity
3–4 yrs: 180 min/day; at least 60 min moderate-to-vigorous intensity
Sleep: 11–14 hrs (1–2 yrs); 10–13 hrs (3–4 yrs) including naps
Screen: No screen for 1-yr-olds; ≤1 hr for 2-yr-olds; ≤1 hr for 3–4 yrs
Intensity: Moderate to vigorous
Duration: At least 60 min/day; more than 60 min gives additional benefits
Types: Aerobic, strengthening, jumping, running, throwing, twisting
Benefits: Musculo-skeletal, cardiovascular, neuromuscular health & academic performance
Aerobic: 150–300 min/week moderate OR 75–150 min/week vigorous intensity
Muscle: Strengthening activities 2+ days/week involving major muscles
65+: Add balance-enhancing exercises 3+ days/week to prevent falls
Benefits: Reduces risk of heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes, cancers, depression
Infants (0–1 yr)
Tummy time, reaching, grasping, rolling on mats. Provide open, safe floor environment. 14–17 hrs quality sleep.
Toddlers & Children (1–4 yrs)
Walking, running, jumping, catching, throwing. Skipping, hopping, riding bikes, ball games. 180 min active play daily.
Youth (5–17 yrs)
Structured sports, games, recreation. 60+ min/day moderate-to-vigorous. Develop musculo-skeletal & cardiovascular health.
Adults & Seniors (18+ yrs)
150–300 min aerobic/week + muscle strengthening. Seniors add balance exercises. Progressive increase in intensity.
Deformities
Posture is the attitude assumed by the body with muscle coordination. Postural deformities may be caused by heredity, disease, injury, obesity, poor habits, or improper diet.
Knock Knees
Flat Foot
Round Shoulders
Lordosis
Kyphosis
Scoliosis
Bow Legs
Knock Knees
Cause: Rickets, vitamin D/calcium deficiency, obesity, arthritis, injury
Symptoms: Knees touch, gap of 3–4 inches between ankles, stiff joints, limp
Correction: Horse-riding, pillow between knees, Padmasana, Gomukhasana, leg raises, walking callipers
Flat Foot
Cause: Genetics, tight shoes, obesity, arthritis, tarsal coalition
Symptoms: No arch; entire sole touches ground in standing position
Correction: Walking on toes/heels, skipping rope, picking marbles with toes, Vajrasana, Adhomukhsavasana
Round Shoulders
Cause: Poor posture habits (smartphone, driving), muscle imbalance, heredity
Symptoms: Shoulders bent forward, narrow upper back curve, chronic neck pain
Correction: Chest stretches, T-stretch, wall stretch, pull-ups, Chakrasana, Dhanurasana
Lordosis
Cause: Obesity, muscular/skeletal disease, poor posture, malnutrition
Symptoms: Exaggerated inward curve in lower back (lumbar region)
Correction: Sit-ups, braces, weight reduction, Dhanurasana, Halasana, balanced diet
Kyphosis
Cause: Heredity, aging, osteoporosis, malnutrition, poor posture habit
Symptoms: Exaggerated forward rounding of upper back; instability while walking
Correction: Back-strengthening exercises, swimming, gym ball, Dhanurasana, Chakrasana, Bhujangasana
Scoliosis
Cause: Cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, arthritis, lifting heavy weights, wrong posture
Symptoms: Spine tilted sideways in C or S shape; may affect lung function
Correction: Hanging on horizontal bars, slow breaststroke swimming, Trikonasana, Adhomukhasana; brace or surgery in severe cases
Bow Legs
Cause: Lack of Vitamin D, Phosphorus, Calcium; Blount's disease
Symptoms: Legs curve outward at knees while feet/ankles touch; pigeon-toed walking
Correction: Braces, modified shoes, balanced diet, walking on inner edge of feet
in Sports
Physical, Psychological and Social Benefits of women's participation in sports — an empowering journey recognized globally.
Lifestyle Diseases: Reduces risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity
Bone Density: Higher chance of osteoporosis in females; sports help build stronger bones
Toned Muscles: Regular exercise increases muscle tone and strength
Cardiovascular: More capillaries → better oxygen intake → reduced fatigue
Obesity: Women have greater obesity risk; regular sport helps stay in shape
Stress Management: Physical activity releases hormones to reduce stress levels
Emotion Control: Sports builds emotional strength through difficult game situations
Confidence: Every win boosts confidence; spreads to all areas of life
Self-Esteem: Helps realise self-worth and boosts self-image
Leadership: Sports inculcates leadership skills useful beyond the field
Coordination: Learn to work in coordination with team members
Communication: Become more vocal and expressive; essential in team play
Inter-relationships: Maintain healthy relationships on and off the field
Cooperation: Learn to work in total harmony and peace with others
Gender Equity: Sports provides a platform for empowerment and equality
Menarche & Menstrual Dysfunction
🌸 Menarche
Menarche is the first menstruation — the most significant milestone in a woman's life. It marks the attainment of sexual maturity (puberty) in girls.
Average age: 8 to 15 years old
Factors influencing age: Genetics, socio-economic conditions, nutrition, exercise, seasonality
Menstruation: Monthly discharge of blood and uterine lining lasting 3–5 days. Women have periods until ages 45–55, with menopause around age 50.
⚕️ Menstrual Dysfunction
Normal menstrual cycle: 21–35 days. Anything outside this range, or with abnormal symptoms, is menstrual dysfunction.
Types of Menstrual Disorders:
First described by American College of Sports Medicine in 1992, the Female Athlete Triad is a syndrome of three interlinked conditions caused by energy imbalance in sportswomen.
Low Energy Availability / Disordered Eating
Menstrual Dysfunction (Amenorrhea)
Low Bone Mineral Density (Osteoporosis)
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Model Answers
Comprehensive Q&A covering all topics in Unit II — ideal for CBSE Class XII Physical Education exam preparation.
Infants (Less than 1 year):
- Be physically active several times/day through interactive floor-based play including 30 min of tummy time.
- Not restrained for more than 1 hour at a time. No screen time.
- 14–17 hrs sleep (0–3 months); 12–16 hrs sleep (4–11 months) including naps.
Toddlers (1–2 years):
- At least 180 min/day of various physical activities including moderate-to-vigorous intensity.
- No screen time for 1-year-olds; no more than 1 hour for 2-year-olds.
- 11–14 hours of good quality sleep with regular sleep/wake-up times.
Children (3–4 years):
- At least 180 min/day of physical activities at any intensity; at least 60 minutes moderate-to-vigorous.
- Sedentary screen time no more than 1 hour.
- 10–13 hours of good quality sleep, possibly including a nap.
Knock Knees (Genu Valgum) is a knee misalignment where the knees turn inward. Both knees touch each other in normal standing posture, but there is a gap of 3–4 inches between the ankles.
Causes:
- Severe lack of Vitamin D and calcium (rickets)
- Obesity — extra weight strains knees
- Arthritis in the knee, injury or infection
- Hereditary factors
Corrective Measures:
- Horse-riding exercises and keeping a pillow between the knees while standing
- Yoga: Padmasana and Gomukhasana strengthen leg muscles and realign knees
- Leg raises (seated or lying down)
- Using walking callipers at pre-puberty stage
- Weight loss through diet and exercise if overweight
Physical Benefits:
- Lifestyle diseases: Reduces risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity
- Bone density: Helps build stronger bones, reducing risk of osteoporosis (more common in females)
- Toned muscles: Regular exercise increases muscle tone and strength
- Cardiovascular health: Increases capillaries for better oxygen intake
Psychological Benefits:
- Stress management through hormone release during physical activity
- Emotional strength — better emotion control through challenges in sports
- Confidence and self-esteem boost with every achievement
- Leadership qualities that extend beyond the sports field
Social Benefits:
- Improved coordination and teamwork skills
- Enhanced communication — being more vocal and expressive
- Better inter-relationships and cooperation on and off the field
- Gender equity and social empowerment
The Female Athlete Triad is a syndrome first described by the American College of Sports Medicine in 1992. It consists of three interlinked conditions caused by energy imbalance in female athletes.
1. Low Energy Availability / Disordered Eating:
- Anorexia Nervosa: Extreme food restriction due to intense fear of weight gain. Symptoms: menstrual dysfunction, constipation, muscle weakness, stress fractures.
- Bulimia Nervosa: Binge eating followed by purging (vomiting, laxatives). Symptoms: dehydration, dental problems, extreme weight fluctuation, depression.
2. Menstrual Dysfunction (Amenorrhea):
- Menstrual irregularities are a marker of poor health quality in female athletes.
- Intense exercise reduces estrogen and progesterone, stopping monthly cycles.
- Over 15% of Olympic female athletes may suffer from amenorrhea.
3. Low Bone Mineral Density (Osteoporosis):
- Caused by low hormone levels and improper diet; leads to fractures, pain, deformity.
- Bone density peaks in the 20s–30s; treatment involves weight gain and diet restoration.
Kyphosis (Hunch Back):
- Exaggerated forward rounding of the upper back; the word means "bent or bowed" in Greek.
- Causes: Heredity, aging, arthritis, osteoporosis, malnutrition, poor posture, heavy weight-pulling.
- Correction: Back-strengthening exercises, swimming, gym ball, resistance bands, Dhanurasana, Chakrasana, Bhujangasana. Sleeping on a flat bed with thin pillow.
Lordosis (Sway Back):
- Exaggerated inward curve in the lumbar (lower back) region; also called "bent backward."
- Causes: Obesity, muscular/skeletal disease, poor posture while standing/sitting/walking, malnutrition.
- Correction: Sit-ups, sitting against wall and pushing trunk backward, lying on back and raising upper extremities and legs together, Dhanurasana, Halasana. Use of braces and weight reduction in severe cases.
Menarche: The first menstruation in a girl's life; considered the point of sexual maturity (puberty). Average age: 8–15 years. Factors affecting menarche age include genetics, socio-economic status, nutrition, exercise type, and seasonality.
Menstruation: Monthly discharge (through vagina) of blood and uterine lining, lasting 3–5 days, from puberty until menopause (~age 50).
Menstrual Dysfunction is an abnormal condition in the menstrual cycle (normal range: 21–35 days):
- Pre-menstrual Syndrome (PMS): Depression, anxiety, irritation, headache before cycle
- Amenorrhea: Missed/absent periods — primary (never starts) or secondary (stops for 3+ months)
- Dysmenorrhea: Painful menstruation with cramps, lower back pain, nausea
- Menorrhagia: Heavy and long-term/continuous bleeding
- Polymenorrhea: Cycle shorter than 21 days (too frequent)
- Oligomenorrhea: Infrequent periods with intervals greater than 35 days
- Metrorrhagia: Missed, delayed or erratic/abnormal bleeding patterns
Scoliosis is a lateral (sideways) curvature of the spine where the spine bends, twists, or rotates to form a C or S shape. The word comes from the Greek "skolios" meaning "bent." It is more common in girls and typically appears during the growth spurt before puberty.
Causes:
- Conditions like cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy
- Diseases such as arthritis, paralysis, or rickets
- Lifting heavy weights and living in an unhealthy environment
- Standing and sitting in wrong posture; cause often unknown
Corrective Measures:
- Hanging on horizontal bars and swinging on opposite side of the C-curve
- Aerobic activities — slow-paced breaststroke swimming
- Yoga: Trikonasana and Adhomukhasana to straighten the spine
- Brace in children to stop worsening; surgery in severe cases
- 1. Minimum duration at vigorous intensity for adults above 65 years/week? → (a) 75 minutes
- 2. Rate at which activity is performed is known as? → (b) Intensity
- 3. Deformity of the legs (knees touch, ankles apart) → (c) Knock Knees
- 4. Lordosis is a problem of the → (a) Lower Back
- 5. Scoliosis is a postural deformity related to → (d) Spine
- 6. Kyphosis is a deformity found in → (d) Thoracic region
- 7. Sports is an important tool for social empowerment — it develops → (d) Leadership
- 8. Psychological benefit of women's participation in sports → (b) Emotion Control
- 9. Frequent menstruation is known as → (c) Polymenorrhea
- 10. Female athlete triad is a syndrome characterized by → (d) All of the above (Osteoporosis, Amenorrhea, Eating Disorder)
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