Motor Activity and Physical Abilities of Students in the Conditions of Restrictions of COVID-19.

Abstract

Abstract The article analyzes the results of the research of impact of limitations of motor activity of students in the conditions of pandemic COVID-19 on the indicators of functional and physical condition of students 17-19 years who studied on the 2nd course in Khmelnytskyi Humanitarian-Pedagogical Academy. The study involved 121 students (89 girls; 32 boys). Methods: The assessment of the state of the cardiovascular system: heart rate at rest (HR); systolic blood pressure (SBP); diastolic blood pressure (DBP) has been done; assessment of the respiratory system (RS) has been conducted. The analysis of morphofunctional changes in the following indicators has been done: life index (LI), body mass index (BMI), Index of Robinson (IR), Ruffier-Dixon Index (RDI). Results: It is established that the restriction of motor activity has led to functional changes in the bodies of students, reducing their efficiency and recovery of the organism after physical exercises. In both groups of students after four months of research, there was deterioration in performance (RS), (LI); (IR); (RDI); (BMI). After nine months of quarantine restrictions, there was a gradual improvement in functional parameters in both groups, indicating the adaptation of students to the new conditions of limited motor activity. At the same time, the functional indicators failed to reach the initial level. It is found that during the first four months there was a decrease in physical fitness of students, namely: the development of strength by 34% in girls (р<0,001) and 28% in boys (р<0,001); coordination abilities by 12% in girls (р<0,01) and by 13% in boys (р<0,01); development of speed and strength abilities by 15% in girls (р<0,01) and by 13% in boys (р<0,01); 5% speed development in girls (р<0,05) and 4% in boys (р<0,05). At the second phase of the research, some students (12% - girls and 21% - boys) were able to reach the previous physical condition. These are mainly the students who led an active lifestyle before the pandemic and sought additional exercise during quarantine restrictions. Conclusions: the processes of adaptation and restoration of motor activity under quarantine restrictions of boys were faster. After nine months, in the majority of exercises tested, the boys’ level of physical fitness reached 95-98% (р<0,001) of the initial level; in girls it was 91-94% (р<0,001). Only the performance of exercises for the development of strength in boys corresponded to 88.6% of the initial, and in girls to 81.2%.