Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40863760›Full record

ReviewSports (Basel, Switzerland)2025

Table Tennis as a Tool for Physical Education and Health Promotion in Primary Schools: A Systematic Review.

M A Ortega-Zayas, A J Cardona-Linares, M Lecina, N Ochiana, A García-Giménez, F Pradas

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Sports (Basel, Switzerland), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

M A Ortega-ZayasENFYRED Research Group, University of Zaragoza, 22001 Huesca, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-7540-5737
A J Cardona-LinaresENFYRED Research Group, University of Zaragoza, 22001 Huesca, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-1473-6997
M LecinaENFYRED Research Group, University of Zaragoza, 22001 Huesca, Spain.ORCID 0000-0003-0454-6302
N OchianaDepartment of Physical Education and Sports Performance, Faculty of Movement, Sports and Health Sciences, Vasile Alecsandri University of Bacău, 600115 Bacău, Romania.ORCID 0000-0002-7885-5813
A García-GiménezENFYRED Research Group, University of Zaragoza, 22001 Huesca, Spain.ORCID 0009-0002-1869-6854
F PradasENFYRED Research Group, University of Zaragoza, 22001 Huesca, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-6829-0775

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Racket sports are very popular not only in professional sports but also among recreational players. As a result, their impact on the field of education has grown significantly in recent years. Table tennis (TT) offers significant advantages in terms of skill acquisition and health improvement. Nevertheless, its application within physical education (PE) curricula remains undetermined. The aim of this systematic review was to analyze the use of TT as educational content in the subject of PE in primary school. The PRISMA 2020 methodology was used to conduct the systematic review. Six databases (ERIC, Pubmed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Sport Discus, and Web of Science) were used during the search process. The search cutoff date was December 31, 2024. After applying the eligibility criteria, 3595 articles were found. Only seven studies were selected for the final analysis and the data included 1526 students from primary school. The results indicate that TT is rarely used in primary education during PE classes. Research indicates interest among teachers and students in playing it during PE. Furthermore, due to the benefits, motivation, and interest this sport generates, educational experiences have been developed, such as roundtable discussions, table top tennis, balloon TT, and TT triathlon. A lack of materials, facilities, and teacher training for teaching this sport is notable. The teaching experiences analyzed in this review confirm that TT is a highly versatile and interesting sport as a subject matter in school PE. The use of TT allows for innovative, comprehensive, and inclusive PE, thanks to the sport's multiple possibilities. Given its adaptability and low entry barrier, TT could serve as an effective tool for increasing children's physical activity levels, improving motor skills, and fostering social-emotional development. However further research is needed to quantify its impact on health outcomes such as cardiovascular fitness or obesity prevention.

Indexed as

children’s physical activityhealth promotionmotor skillsschool-based interventionsteaching strategies

Identifiers

PMID40863760
PMCPMC12390257

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.