Physical Fitness of School-Age Children after Cancer Treatment

Iwona Malicka, Joanna Mrowiec, Natalia Sajkiewicz, Katarzyna Siewierska, Maria Czajkowska and Marek Woźniewski
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Iwona Malicka: The Faculty of Physiotherapy, Wroclaw University School of Physical Education, 51-612 Wroclaw, Poland
Joanna Mrowiec: The Faculty of Physiotherapy, Wroclaw University School of Physical Education, 51-612 Wroclaw, Poland
Natalia Sajkiewicz: The Faculty of Physiotherapy, Wroclaw University School of Physical Education, 51-612 Wroclaw, Poland
Katarzyna Siewierska: The Faculty of Physiotherapy, Wroclaw University School of Physical Education, 51-612 Wroclaw, Poland
Maria Czajkowska: “Cape of Hope” Clinic of Bone Marrow Transplantation, Oncology and Hematology, Wroclaw University Clinical Hospital, 50-556 Wroclaw, Poland
Marek Woźniewski: The Faculty of Physiotherapy, Wroclaw University School of Physical Education, 51-612 Wroclaw, Poland

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 8, 1-11

Abstract: The aim of the study was to assess physical fitness of school-age children after cancer treatment. The study was comprised of one hundred and fifty six children—children after cancer treatment ( n = 71, mean age 11.22 ± 3.11 years) vs. healthy children previously untreated for cancer ( n = 85, mean age 10.71 ± 1.22 years). Physical fitness was assessed indirectly based on a ball throw (assessment of strength, coordination, and upper limb speed), long jump (assessment of jumping ability, speed, and coordination), and a 60 m run (assessment of speed). The analysis was performed based on the Student’s t-test for independent samples and the analysis of variance and the post-hoc least significant difference test (LSD test). Children from the study group threw the ball closer and had shorter long jump performance compared to the control group, i.e., 12.93 [m] vs. 19.79 [m], respectively ( p < 0.001) and 2.46 [m] vs. 2.70 [m], respectively ( p = 0.02). However, their mean running time was longer, i.e., 13.33 [s] vs. 11.73 [s], respectively ( p = 0.01). Division according to sex showed additionally significantly shorter ball throw distance in the study group in both girls ( p = 0.001) and boys ( p < 0.001), significantly shorter jump length in the group of girls ( p = 0.01), and significantly longer running time in the group of boys ( p = 0.04). Children treated for cancer are characterized by decreased physical fitness, and motor ability is sex-dependent. Both groups showed decreased strength, coordination, and upper limb speed. Additionally, worse jumping ability was found in girls whereas decreased speed was observed in boys.

Keywords: child health; cancer; physical activity; physical fitness (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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