This study explores the problems and strategies in modern physical education around the issue of improving students' sports participation. By analyzing factors such as outdated teaching methods, single curriculum design, imperfect evaluation mechanism, insufficient school sports culture atmosphere, and lack of social and family support, the reasons for the low level of students' sports participation are deeply analyzed. The study emphasizes that physical education is not only a means to improve physical fitness, but also an important way to promote students' mental health and cultivate social interaction skills. On this basis, the study proposes specific strategies such as improving teaching methods, optimizing curriculum design, strengthening school sports culture construction, providing diversified sports projects, and family and social support. Through multi-dimensional methods such as gamification teaching, stratified teaching, ability grouping, interest-driven, interdisciplinary integration, and family and community resource sharing, students' participation in sports activities can be effectively improved, thereby improving the effectiveness of physical education. The study pointed out that the purpose of physical education is to help students develop comprehensively in terms of physical fitness, psychological and social abilities through scientific teaching and management, and promote the improvement of their comprehensive quality.