Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Level of Perceived Stress in Exercising and Non-Exercising Physical Therapy Students: A Single-Centered Survey
Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Level of Percieved Stress
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55735/hjprs.v3i3.133Keywords:
cardiorespiratory fitness, modified Harvard step test, perceived stress scaleAbstract
Background: Cardiorespiratory fitness is one of the basic components of physical fitness. It is considered a direct measure of the physiological status of the individual and it is a chief benchmark of physical well-being. There is a close association between physical fitness and the health outcomes of individuals. Objective: To assess cardiorespiratory fitness and perceived stress level and to measure the correlation between them in exercising and non-exercising physical therapy students. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Lahore Medical and Dental College for a duration of almost six months from April to October 2019. A total of 240 students from 1st to final year students were enrolled in the study using non-probability convenient sampling. The participants were categorized into two groups based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed by using the modified Harvard step test and the level of perceived stress was measured by the perceived stress scale questionnaire. Data analyses were carried out using SPSS 22 ad results were presented in the form of mean and standard deviation. Results: A significantly higher degree of cardiorespiratory fitness was found in Group A (exercising) compared to Group B (non-exercising) and a significantly lower level of perceived stress was found in Group A as compared to Group B (p-value≤0.05). Bivariate analysis indicates a moderate, negative connection between physical fitness index and perceived stress (p<0.001; r=-0.65). Conclusion: The current study concluded that the exercising group showed better cardiorespiratory fitness and lower perceived stress as compared to the non-exercising group. Cardiorespiratory fitness and perceived stress showed a highly significant correlation which is moderate in strength and inversely proportional. This means that as cardiorespiratory fitness increases, the level of perceived stress decreases.
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