Edyta Smolis-Bąk, Agnieszka Szymańczuk, Hanna Rymuza,
Ilona Kowalik, Maria Kłoda, Grażyna Brzuszkiewicz-Kuźmicka

E. Smolis-Bąk, A. Szymańczuk, H. Rymuza, I. Kowalik, M. Kłoda, G. Brzuszkiewicz-Kuźmicka – The assessment of the attitude towards physical activity among the Physiotherapy students of Warsaw Medical University (WMU) and the students of Physical Education Academy (PEA). FP 2016;16(4);30-39

Abstract

Physical activity is a key integrating element of a healthy lifestyle. Physical Fitness determines the resourcefulness in various life situations, its high level may facilitate work, broaden the capabilities and contribute to a healthy lifestyle. Studies show that physical therapists are particularly predisposed to promote a healthy lifestyle among the medical patients. On the other hand, due to the nature of their work, they are at risk of muscular and skeletal injuries.
The objective was to assess the Warsaw Medical University (WMU) and the Academy of Physical Education (APE) Physiotherapy Students’ attitude toward physical activity and physical fitness.
Methodology. Examined was a group of 90 students (37 females, 9 males from WMU and 22 females, 22 males from PEA) of the age 22.7 on average ±2.0 years. Prepared questionnaire designed to assess attitudes toward physical activity was used. The level of physical fitness of the investigated students was examined with International Physical Fitness Test.
Results. The number of physical activity hours is significantly lower at the Medical University (1.6 ±1.5) than PE Academy (3.6 ±1.7), p<0,001. Very high (80%) interest in physical activity during leisure time has been demonstrated, with higher tendency among Physiotherapy PEA students than the WMU students (p = 0.07). A significantly lower level of physical fitness among WMU students, as compared to PEA students, was also found.
Conclusions. 1. Very high interest in physical activity during leisure time, in both groups, should be taken advantage of and developed in educational process. 2. Medical University students presented a much lower fitness level than PEA students, which may have resulted from fewer hours of physical activities at the Medical University of Warsaw (WMU). 3. Due to higher expectations in case of physiotherapists, it seems that physical fitness should be one of the recruitment process criteria at Medical University of Warsaw.

Keywords:

physical activity, assessment of physical fitness, physiotherapy students

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