The Relationship Between Movement, Mathematics, and Logical Thinking

Introduction: Sedentary lifestyles among teenagers persist despite initiatives like daily physical education. While schools are primary arenas for promoting activity, many Hungarian students remain hypoactive and overweight, increasing risks of circulatory diseases. Previous research indicates positive associations between physical activity and cognitive functions. Objective: This study investigated the direct and indirect effects of movement on mathematical skills and logical thinking. Methods: The first part compared physical performance indicators (agility, speed, endurance via 505 tests, sprint, Yo-Yo test) with mathematics test scores and Raven test for logical thinking in 161 grade 6 and 8 students from sports-focused versus general curriculum schools. The second part assessed a 6-week locomotor intervention using the VSL3D ladder in mathematics lessons (2 lessons/week) with 10 lower secondary students with special educational needs (SEN), measuring changes in math performance and subject attitudes. Results: Sports school students demonstrated significantly better physical performance and mathematics scores. The VSL3D intervention yielded significant improvements in specific geometry skills (spatial orientation, mirroring) for SEN students, and mathematics became a more frequently preferred subject, though general liking scores did not change significantly. Conclusions: These findings support the complex positive effects of movement on cognitive and academic aspects, suggesting distinct benefits from general physical fitness and targeted, coordinative movement interventions. Article history: Received 2025 November 09; Revised 2025 December 30; Accepted 2026 January 05;Available online 2026 January 30; Available print 2026 January 30