Abstract:

The contemporary lifestyle of the school population in Slovakia, which has become hypokinetic over the past two decades, has resulted in worsened physical fitness and work performance as well as an increase in various lifestyle diseases, including musculoskeletal disorders, worsening of which has been caused also by the coronavirus pandemic.

Nowadays, physical activity appears to be one of the possible and available key commodities for maintaining students’ physical and mental health and for boosting their immunity. As a result, it is necessary to teach them how to take responsibility for their own health even in the present situation and to seek preventive measures in their lifestyles.

This pilot study responds to the COVID-19 global pandemic. It aims to use the Acral Coactivation Therapy (ACT) in order to support good posture in female students suffering from back pain during online teaching of physical and sport education. The experimental group (n=38, age: 16.5±1.1years, body height: 172.4±6.2 cm, body weight: 61.9±4.2 kg) and the control group (n=35, age: 16.9±1.3 years, body height: 174.4±5.9 cm, body weight: 62.4±5.9 kg) consisted of adolescent female students from selected secondary schools in the Liptov region, who were willing to participate in the pilot study. We acquired the data by means of standardised methods used for physical examination of the musculoskeletal system. The results significantly (p<0.01) proved positive effects of our ACT based physical programme, which was conducted online via the Zoom application, on the experimental group members (p<0.01). Their back pain significantly decreased (p<0.05) and the functional state of their muscle system improved.

This empirical study extends the knowledge and highlights the possibilities of online teaching of physical and sport education to keep students healthy during the pandemic. Due to the present situation, teachers are more responsible for health of their students and for respecting their possibilities and interests. As a result, they have to carefully choose the content of teaching as well as specific teaching methods and strategies.

Acknowledgements:
The listed study is part of the research project VEGA “1/0519/19 Physical activity as prevention of health of school population in Slovakia”.

Keywords:

Acral Coactivation Therapy, Pain, Prevention, Physical and sports education.