Musculoskeletal system and physical activity in younger school age pupils

Abstract

The aim of study was to find out the current
level of musculoskeletal system in younger
school age pupils with intention of body
posture and muscle balance, including the
physical activity, within physical regimen.
The monitored group consisted of 90 pupils
in younger school age, of which was 51.1 %
(n = 46) girls (body height 139.46 ± 3.9 cm,
body weight 34.12 ± 3.1 kg) and 48.9 % (n =
44) boys (body height 138.63 ± 3.8 cm),
body weight 33.2 ± 2.6kg) of the town -
Trenčín. The mean age of pupils was 8.67 ±
0.6 in girls and 8.3 ± 0.9 in boys. In terms of
evaluation methods of selected factors,
within the musculoskeletal system, we
used standardized methods for physical
practice. In order to obtain data and
information about physical activity, we
used the non-standardized survey, which
was based on the needs of study. The
obtained results pointed to the below
facts. Up to 48 % of girls and 50 % of boys
had poor body postures. There was no
significant difference between genders (p >
0.01). The significant difference was
between the genders, within the different
areas of body postures, mainly in spine
curvature (χ2 p < 0.05) and in position of
shoulders and scapulas (χ2 p < 0.05), as the
boys were evaluated with points 2. The
most significant difference of shortened
muscle groups was between the girls and
boys in m. pectoralis major (χ2 p < 0.01) and
m. tensor fasciae latae (χ2 p < 0.05). We
found that in boys was dominance of
weakened muscle groups, such as m.
abdominis, m. trapezius pars descendens
(lower part of trapezius muscle) and
fixators of scapulas (χ2 p < 0.01). The
weakening of m. gluteus (χ2 p <0.05) and
deep flexors of head and neck was
characterized in the increased standards in
girls. On average, the girls spent 90 minutes
and boys 127 minutes per week of
physical activities, as the difference was 37
minutes (χ2 p < 0.01).