Abstract:

Due to the global pandemic COVID-19, the Government of the Slovak Republic approved certain restrictions. One of them is the temporary closure of schools, including universities, and the change to distance learning. The aim of the study was to find out how distance learning affected body composition and the musculoskeletal system of students of the Faculty of Sports of the University of Prešov. Most of students do some sport activly, some of them do it professionally. On a sample of 142 first-year students of the Faculty of Sports, we performed a diagnosis of body constitution and spinal mobility - Healthy Back Test by Corbin and Lindsey (1994). The purpose of diagnosis was to determine the current state of spine mobility of students at the beginning of the summer semester 2019/20. Subsequently, to verify the influence of 2 semesters of distance learning on their musculoskeletal system, i.e. after the winter semester 2020/21. Through the questionnaire, we found out whether some of the functional disorders of the locomotor system, which are accompanied by back and joint pain, occurred in university students with a sports focus by switching to distance learning. Because students do not have the opportunity to complete practical lessons at school, work out in fitness centers and are absent from organized sports training, they spend more time exercising at home without the control of coaches. Based on the results, we state that the time devoted to physical activity has significantly decreased. We also noticed negative changes in body constitution, especially in the parameters of weight gain, BMI. The spine mobility was significantly reduced, which began to manifest itself in its pain, especially in the lumbar and cervical areas. The occurrence of functional disorders of the musculoskeletal system has led to an increased interest of students in education in this area and the implementation of exercises aimed at their correction, which they can perform at home. Research results point to the necessary correction and compensation of functional disorders of the musculoskeletal system of university students in an effort to provide students with theoretical knowledge that they will use in their future work as coaches and experts in the field of sports and health.

Acknowledgement:
The article is supported by projects VEGA 1/0376/19 Risk factors of health of university students in the context of physical activity.

Keywords:

Online learning, lifestyle, back pain, spinal mobility, correction.