Relationship between Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior, Spinal Curvatures, Endurance and Balance of the Trunk Muscles-Extended Physical Health Analysis in Young Adults

Verner Marijančić, Tanja Grubić Kezele (), Stanislav Peharec, Nataša Dragaš-Zubalj, Sandra Pavičić Žeželj and Gordana Starčević-Klasan
Additional contact information
Verner Marijančić: Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Studies, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
Tanja Grubić Kezele: Department of Physiology, Immunology and Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
Stanislav Peharec: Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Studies, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
Nataša Dragaš-Zubalj: Department of School and University Medicine, Teaching Institute of Public Health of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
Sandra Pavičić Žeželj: Department of Health Ecology, Teaching Institute of Public Health of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
Gordana Starčević-Klasan: Department of Basic Medical Science, Faculty of Health Studies, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 20, 1-24

Abstract: Background: Physical inactivity and sedentary behavior are associated with poor well-being in young people with adverse effects extending into adulthood. To date, there are many studies investigating the relationship between physical activity (PA) and posture, but there are no data on the relationship between the type and intensity of PA and sedentary behavior, their association with thoracic and lumbar spine angles, and with endurance and balance of the trunk muscles, especially in healthy young adults aged 18–25 years. Moreover, there are no data on the relationship between PA and sedentary behavior and musculoskeletal and cardiopulmonary health, as well as quality of life (QoL) and sleep that would provide a more comprehensive picture of physical health status. Aim: Therefore, the aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the extent to which PA and sedentary behavior are associated with each other and with changes in spinal curvatures, endurance and balance of trunk muscles in an extended analysis of physical health status in young adults aged 18–25 years by additionally including measures of body composition, cardiorespiratory capacity, and QoL and sleep. Methods: A total of 82 students (58% female, 42% male) aged 18–25 years completed all required tests. Primary outcome measures included the following: PA and sedentary behavior calculated from the long form of International PA Questionnaire (IPAQ-LF), spinal curvatures measured by a Spinal Mouse ® device, endurance and balance of the trunk muscles measured using trunk endurance tests and their ratio. Results: Overall, 50% of students were classified as minimally active and 50% as health-enhancing PA (HEPA) active. The angles of thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis showed no correlation with PA or time spent sitting. However, students with the lowest PA had significantly higher scores on the trunk extensor endurance test and trunk extensor/flexor endurance test ratio, indicating imbalanced trunk muscles. Moreover, these students spent the most their time sitting. Only PA of vigorous intensity and PA during recreation, leisure, and sports significantly correlated with QoL related to physical health. QoL related to physical and psychosocial health had significantly higher scores when students spent less time sitting. In addition, we found significantly better respiratory performance and SQ at higher PA values, i.e., PA during recreation, leisure, and sport. Conclusions: Our results suggest that students with low PA levels and more time spent sitting have imbalanced trunk muscles, worse respiratory function, and poorer QoL and sleep. Moreover, these findings in college students may reflect their lifestyle and suggest that more PA needs to be promoted to prevent the development of chronic diseases including musculoskeletal disorders.

Keywords: physical activity; physical fitness; posture; quality of life; sedentary lifestyle; sleep quality; spinal curvatures; trunk muscle endurance; young adults (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/20/6938/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/20/6938/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:20:p:6938-:d:1262434

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().