IJCRR

IJCRR - 9(20), October, 2017

Pages: 19-23

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To Analyse the Physical Fitness of Female Physiotherapy Students and its Correlation with Depression and Anxiety

Author: V. Rajalaxmi, B. Vijayalakshmi, V. Shalini, L. Motcharakkini, G. Tharani

Category: Healthcare

Abstract:Aim: The aim of the study is to analyze the physical fitness of female Physiotherapy students in correlation with depression, anxiety and stress. This study also aims to create awareness among the students to engage them in the physical activities to improve their physical and mental fitness.
Background of the Study: The effectiveness to carry out daily task with vigor and alertness, without undue fatigue is not easy, therefore in order to complete all of these tasks; one must consistently address their fitness. Schools and colleges are also marked as a stressful environment that often has a negative effect on students' academic performance, physical health, and psychosocial well-being.
Methodology: After getting proper approval from the Institutional review board, 50 female physiotherapy students were selected from 75 volunteers based on the inclusion criteria(age of 17-22, normal BMI, healthy human being). The samples with psychological problems, tachycardia, and wheezing was been excluded. This observational study was carried out for the duration of 1 week among the students of faculty of physiotherapy. After getting consent from the samples they were assessed by six minute walk test (6MWT) focusing on gauging the aerobic capacity and endurance and psychological status by depression anxiety stress scale (DASS 21).
Result and Conclusion: In analyzing the data it shows that the subject with less fitness have more anxiety, depression and stress and the samples with more fitness have less depression anxiety and stress.

Keywords: Physical fitness, 6MWT, DASS 21, Anxiety, Stress, Depression

Full Text:

METHODOLOGY:

After the approval from the institutional review, board 50 female physiotherapy students were selected from 75 volunteers among the students faculty of physiotherapy. The age group was 17-22yrs (early adolescent). The inclusion criteria normal Body mass index (BMI), normal healthy human being (not merely absence of disease), we have excluded psychological problems, tachycardia and wheezing criteria. The subjects were assessed by six minute walk test (6MWT) which focuses on gauging the aerobic capacity and endurance giving us picture about their physical fitness. The equipment used was stopwatch, measuring tape, cones and chairs, colour tapes. We setup cones as either end of 30m stretch corridor or surface (plane and non-skit), by having chairs on both sides and half way along the walking stretch. Performance ability is assessed using 6 MWT walk test. The objective of this test is to walk as far as possible for six minutes. The students have to walk back and forth with 30 meter corridor. They could be encouraged but the walking speed must not be influenced. Walking cones are placed along the participant just behind them and should lead them. The distance walked is calculated from total laps and in meters recorded. To gauge the psychological aspect the short form version of depression anxiety stress scales (DASS21). Students were explained about the questionnaire and asked to answer truthfully. The mode of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress level that is Mild, Moderate and severe for every female physiotherapy students were also calculated. SPSS version 16 is used for the statistical analysis.

RESULT:

In analysing the mean values of the data collected shows that the subjects with less fitness have more anxiety depression and stress and the samples with more fitness have less depression, anxiety and stress. Hence the study emphases on regular physical activities to have a good psychological well-being resulting in good academic record.

DISCUSSION:

In this study, 50 females were selected based on the inclusion criteria from 75 volunteers and have undergone 6 MWT and asked to fill a questioner to know their level of mental fitness to measure depression, anxiety and stress. This is done to correlate distance walked during 6MWT with psychological parameters (Depression, anxiety and stress). The mean value shows that as the mean value of 6 MWT increases, the mean of depression decreases showing a negative correlation. The mean value shows that as the mean value of 6 MWT increases, the mean of Anxiety decreases showing a negative correlation. The mean value shows that as the mean value of 6 MWT increases, the mean of stress also increases showing a positive correlation. This clearly states that a person in depression and anxiety don't have a proper physical fitness nor unable to perform in any physical task efficiently. In other words a person whose physical fitness is compromised or sedentary for long time will lead to depression and anxiety later. Person with stress are able to perform better in physical fitness tasks as stress is a temporary one which can be easily handled by engaging in physical task.

Untreated depression and anxiety are likely to be related to a student's suicidal behaviour, poor scholastic performance, and withdrawal from their course. Identifying the Factors which precipitate stressors for depression and anxiety may facilitate clinicians' and educational organisations to know the important stressors faced by depressed and anxious students during their program(14). Exercise and cognitively based distraction techniques were shown to have equal effectiveness at reducing state anxiety, however exercise was more effective in reducing trait anxiety(15).Moreover, in a study of elementary students as subjects, physical fitness is significantly correlated with mental health (16).The Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal(HPA) axis plays a critical role in developing adaptive responses to physical and psychological stressors (17). Dysregulations in the HPA axis have been implicated in the manifestations of depression and anxiety symptoms. The findings suggest that exercise induced changes in the HPA axis modulates stress reactivity and anxiety in humans.
CONCLUSION:

Even though they are physically fit, due to lack of some physical activities, there is a decline in DASS. Therefore, each student should be individually involved in fitness along with their daily physical activities. Hence, this study concludes that regular physical activities are required to have a perfect physical and mental well-being.

Acknowledgement: I would like to thank the authorities of Dr MGR Educational and Research Institute University and Principal Faculty of Physiotherapy for providing me with facilities required to conduct the study. Authors acknowledge the immense help received from the scholars whose articles are cited and included in references of this manuscript. The authors are also grateful to authors / editors / publishers of all those articles, journals and books from where the literature for this article has been reviewed and discussed.

Ethical Considerations: This study is approved by the Institutional Review board of faculty of physiotherapy. All the procedures were performed in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible ethics committee both (Institutional and national) on human experimentation and the Helsinki Declaration of 1964 (as revised in 2008).

Conflict of Interest: 'Conflicts of interest: none'

Funding: This is a self-funded study.

TABLE -1

Depression Anxiety Stress Scale(DASS)	Depression		Anxiety		Stress		F	SIGNIFICANCE
	M	SD	M	SD	M	SD
NORMAL	6.20	1.79	6.20	1.79	10.13	3.10	6.438	.006
MILD	11.44	1.01	nil	Nil	16.67	1.40	72.902	.000
MODERATE	16.72	2.14	11.91	1.38	21.56	2.19	60.098	.000
SEVERE	24.00	2.31	16.38	1.56	29.00	2.14	111.13	.000
VERY SEVERE	34.36	5.80	28.86	7.42	39.80	3.56	6.539	.004

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TABLE -1, shows the mean value and standard deviation Of Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS), F-value and significance

TABLE -2

6 minute walk test (6MWT)	Depression		Anxiety		Stress		F	SIGNIFICANCE
	M	SD	M	SD	M	SD
NORMAL	420.00	70.36	420.00	72.36	375.00	70.14	1.264	.301
MILD	336.67	51.48	nil	nil	380.00	46.71	4.059	.058
MODERATE	373.33	53.69	354.56	62.67	360.00	58.09	0.406	.669
SEVERE	381.43	53.98	373.85	49.92	371.25	53.03	0.078	.925
VERY SEVERE	384.56	46.12	375.71	48.95	396.00	25.10	0.439	.649

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TABLE -2, shows the mean value and standard deviationOf 6MWT, F-value

TABLE-3

Depression	Dass Mean	Standard deviation (SD)	6MWT Mean	Standard deviation(SD)

References:

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