INFLUENCE OF PROGRAMMED FITNESS EXERCISE ON SCOLIOTIC BAD POSTURE

Abstract

This research included the sample of 79 pre-school boys of 6 and 7 years old, with 40 of them in experimental group and 39 in control group. The experimental group, in addition to regular program activities within the children's sports school (3 times a week), was involved in 48 additional (2 times a week) training sessions in sports (fitness) clubs. In order to determine the effects of six months fitness exercise on scoliotic poor posture of preschool children, the following variables have been used by application of the "Spinal Mouse" instrument: the grade of the curvature in thoracic spine, grade of the curvature in the lumbar spine and inclination of the spine. Although small to moderate effects were obtained by the examinations of two-way mixed analysis of variance (pη2 from .009 to .076), the results show the experimental group achievements as significantly higher advancement then with control group. Unlike control group, differences between initial and final measurements in experimental group was statistically significant at general (Wilks` Lambda .724, F=9.663, p= .000) and partial level (F= 13.891, p= .000 for curvature in thoracic spine, F= 6.181, p= .015 for curvature in lumbal spine and F= 13.551, p= .000 for inclination). As well, with individual eta coefficient findings in comparison with each group measurements it is visible that value of obtained effects is different between groups to the benefit of the experimental group (pη2 from .073 to .151 in experimental group and pη2 from .006 to .018 in control group). Based on the analyzed parameters, we concluded that the constant application of the proposed program can significantly improve postural status, as well as to prevent poor body posture, which in the future can result with appearance of a deformity