2023, Volume 19, Issue 1
Physical fitness vs. postural defects in boys at age 10
Kazimierz Witkowski1, Agnieszka Michalik1, Paweł Piepiora1
1Faculty of Physical Education and Sports, Wroclaw University of Health and Sport Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland
Author for correspondence: Paweł Piepiora; Faculty of Physical Education and Sports, Wroclaw University of Health and Sport Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland; email: pawel.piepiora@awf.wroc.pl
Full text
Abstract
Background and Study Aim: It is noted that postural defects in children and adolescents negatively affect their health and physical fitness. It was assumed that there is a relationship between physical fitness and postural defects. The purpose of this article was to verify the relationship between physical fitness and postural defects in boys aged 10 years.
Material and Methods: Non-training boys (n = 60) aged 10 years were studied in two groups: healthy (n = 30); with postural defects (spine, shoulder blades, feet; n = 30). Basic somatic characteristics were transferred from school nurses' records. Physical fitness, on the other hand, was examined with the International Physical Fitness Test, which consists of eight trials: 50 m dash, standing broad jump, long run 1000 m, hand grip; pull ups, 4x10 m shuttle run, sit ups and bend trunk.
Results: Statistically significant differences were noted between healthy children and children with defects – depending on the defect, the differences were in the forward trunk bend in standing, in the shuttle run in long-distance running and in the overhang on a bar. On the other hand, between children with defects – depending on the defect, the differences were in sit-ups from lying backwards, forward trunk bending in standing and in hanging on a bar.
Conclusions: It was found that in the study population, spinal defects affect the level of flexibility; shoulder defects affect the level of agility; foot defects affect the level of strength, relative arm strength and agility.
Key words: spinal defects, shoulder defects, foot defects, International Physical Fitness Test
