Andrzej Lewandowski, Ryszard Grucza

Andrzej Lewandowski, Ryszard Grucza – Diversity of body composition among female students of physiotherapy at the Medical University in Bydgoszcz. Fizjoterapia Polska 2007; 7(2), 171-178

Abstract

Background. Human motor abilities, and particularly occupational physical activity patterns, undergo constant changes in response to the progress of civilisation. A career as a physiotherapist may be associated with adaptation of the body to the increased exertion, leading to the development of particular types of body composition. However, it is also possible that the process of selection of applicants for physiotherapy studies or student identification with the physiotherapist community leads to such adaptation manifesting itself while the student is still at college. Material and methods. Ninety-three female students in their third year of Physiotherapy were examined during the years 2001-2003. The somatic characteristics of the students were determined and analysed using the typology system of Wanke and Kolasa. Results. The female physiotherapy students did not exhibit any characteristic types of body composition. Analysis of somatic characteristics revealed a preponderance of the I element while the contribution of the H element was the smallest. There were insignificant differences regarding somatic characteristics between years of study. Some similarity was detected between the physiotherapy students and female medical students. There were also some differences compared to characteristics shared by the general population of Polish women. Conclusions. The results indicate that the choice of studies and future careers in physiotherapy as well as being a physiotherapy student had little effect on the body composition of the females. There was a trace effect of the general sporting ability test taken at the entrance examination on the somatic composition of the future physiotherapists.

Key words:

body structure, physiotherapy, typology, gender differentiation, social environment

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