Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) can lead to behavioral, neuromotor, and psychological changes, as school-aged children, fearing an episode of urinary incontinence, often avoid common activities for their age group, such as ball games. The lack of such activities may be related to delays in the acquisition of motor skills, as the child is not exposed to stimuli that promotes this development.

To compare ball-handling skills in children with and without LUTS.

This is a cross-sectional and observational study conducted with schoolchildren aged 5 to 11 years old, of both sexes, who either presented or did not present LUTS. Neurodivergent children and those who had undergone amputations were excluded. Two questionnaires were administered: the Dysfunctional Voiding Symptom Score (DVSS), used to screen for urinary symptoms and divide participants into groups with and without symptoms, and a sample characterization questionnaire, which included questions such as age, sex, skin color, weight and height. Gross motor skills were assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development-3 (TGMD-3), with a specific focus on ball skills, which are scored on a scale of 0 to 54 points. The assessed skills included: striking a ball with two hands, striking a ball with one hand, bouncing a ball, catching a ball with two hands, kicking a ball, overhand throwing, and underhand throwing. Data were analyzed descriptively and using an independent t-test. The groups were compared in terms of sex, skin color, and categorical BMI using chi-square or Fisher's exact tests. All analyses were performed using SPSS version 26.

A total of 77 children were evaluated, of whom 54.55% did not have LUTS and 38.96% had LUTS. Both groups were homogeneous in terms of age, sex, and skin color (p < 0.05). BMI also showed no significant difference between the groups (p = 0.922). Regarding ball skills, children without LUTS had a mean score of 41.09 ± 4.89 points, while those with LUTS had a mean score of 32.00 ± 5.61 points (p < 0.001). For all seven skills assessed, children with LUTS scored lower compared to children without LUTS.

The findings indicate that children with LUTS perform significantly worse in ball-handling skills compared to children without LUTS. These results suggest that motor deficits may be associated with the presence of LUTS, highlighting the importance of assessing and monitoring the motor development of these children.

The results reinforce the need for interventions that go beyond the treatment of urinary symptoms and promote the improvement of motor skills in children with LUTS. Physical therapists should include specific approaches for the development of ball-handling skills in the context of pediatric rehabilitation. Collaboration among physical therapists, physical educators, and other healthcare professionals is essential to prevent and detect motor deficits early in these children, aiming to minimize long-term functional impacts.