Open Access
Subscription Access
Open Access
Subscription Access
A Study of Physical Fitness Level in Asthmatic Children as Compared to Normal Children
Subscribe/Renew Journal
Background: Since decades there is a lack of firm conclusion and there are controversial evidences about the physical fitness in Asthmatics as compared to their healthy counterparts.
Objective: To assess physical fitness in Asthmatics and to compare it with normal school children of 15 to 16 years of age.
Study design: 50 normal and 50 diagnosed mild to moderate Asthmatics completed physical fitness assessment which included 1. Six minute walk test(6MWT) 2. Muscular strength and endurance and 3.Flexibility.
Results: Comparison of rate of perceived exertion (RPE) and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) at varies time intervals between Asthmatic and Normal children has shown significant (p < 0.05) differences. PEFR was low in asthmatics at all time intervals. RPE was significantly higher in asthmatics following 6MWT.The mean distance covered by Asthmatics was less (568.14) compared to Normal's (693.32 ) with 6MWT. There was no significant difference in muscle strength between two groups however normal's performed better with pushups. Flexibility in asthmatics was significantly lower compared to normals.
Conclusion: Asthmatics have lower physical fitness level than Normal children
Keywords
- P. Santuz, E. Baraldi, M. Filippone, F. Zacchello.Exercise performance in children in asthma; is it different from that of healthy controls? Eur Respir J 1997;June 10(6):1254-60.
- Alferd P Fishman, Pulmonary Diseases and Disorders.2nd Edition: 1295 -1325.
- David J Magee, Orthopedic physical Assessment. 5th edition: page no.540-545.
- Vivian H. Heyward. Advanced Fitness Assessment and Exercise Prescription. Assessing Muscular fitness.
- Mc Ardle, Katch FI, Katch VL,Evaluating energy generating capacities during exercise; essentials of exercise Physiology. 6th edition
- Chistopher J Clark,Lorna M Chocrane, Assessment of work Performance in asthma for determination of cardiorespiratory fitness and training capacity.Thorax 1988;43:745-749.
- Michael L. Pollock, Jack H.Wilmore, Exercise in health and disease.2nd Edition: 289-295
- Liu AH,Spah JD,Leung DYM,Childhood Asthma. Nelson’s Textbook of Pediatrics.20thEdition: 760-774.
- G.K. Garfinkel S. Kesten, K.R. Chapman, A.S. Rebuck, Physiologic and N physiologic Determinants of Aerobic Fitness in mild to moderate asthma.Am rev Respir dis 1992:145: 741-745.
- Liam Weish,2Richard G.D.,Roberts1, Justin G.Kemp2, Fitness and Physical activity in Children with Asthma Sports Medicine. 2004;34(13):861-870.
- Robert C.Strunk,Diane rubin, Laura Kelly,Bobby Sherman,Jolene Fukuhara,Determination of Fitness in children with Asthma.Am Rev Respir Dis 1992;145:741-745.
- Jay Hoffman, Norms for fitness,Performance,and Health. 41.
- B.Ricci.M.Marchetti,F figura,Biomechanics of Sit–Ups Exercises. Med Sci Sports Exercises 1981; 13(1):54-9.
- An Enduring Measure of Fitness. The Simple Push-ups well @nytimes.com.
- Vivian H.Heyward, Advanced Fitness Assessment and Exercise Prescription. Assessing Flexibility.
Abstract Views: 357
PDF Views: 0