Unraveling the Impact of COVID-19 Lockdowns on Youth Sports and Physical Activity: Insights From a Retrospective Cohort Study in Italy

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic led to widespread societal disruptions, including lockdowns aimed at reducing virus transmission. These measures had a profound impact on physical and mental health, particularly among children and adolescents. The closure of sports facilities and restrictions on outdoor activities resulted in a significant decrease in physical activity levels among this age group. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 211 participants attending sports medicine clinics in Northern Italy. The survey is aimed at assessing physical activity levels during three distinct lockdown periods. It gathered data on demographics and tracked trends and changes in physical activity throughout these phases. Results: During the initial lockdown, 37.4% of the youth maintained regular physical activity, primarily at home, with an average of 4 h/week. By October 26, 69.6% of the participants were still engaged in physical activities, with participation stabilizing at 71.0% by the time of the survey. Inferential analyses confirmed that the increase in participation between the first and second phases was statistically significant (p < 0.001, Cohen’s h = 0.85), whereas later changes were not significant. Although there was a slight increase in the weekly hours of physical activity, these levels remained below the World Health Organization’s recommended guidelines. Average weekly hours of activity showed only a small, nonsignificant increase (p = 0.12, Cohen’s d = 0.20). Importantly, in all phases, fewer than 20% of participants met WHO recommendations. Conclusions: The COVID-19 lockdowns significantly disrupted youth physical activity, which was heavily reliant on organized sports clubs. Despite some recovery after the restrictions were lifted, physical activity levels often fell below recommended guidelines. The disruption in physical activity patterns during the pandemic could have long-lasting effects on future health outcomes. The habits established during childhood and adolescence often persist into adulthood, and the significant drop in physical activity during the pandemic may impact health for decades. This highlights the need for targeted strategies and enhanced physical education programs to mitigate the health risks associated with sedentary behaviors.