A.S. Egorov¹
Dr. Hab., Professor V.G. Shilko^1
1National Research Tomsk State University, Tomsk

Keywords: weight trainings, postural disorders, training system, university students.

Background. The valid academic Physical Education and Sports and Elective Physical Education and Sports curricula offer no special physical training services to prevent and correct postural disorders, whilst the traditional physical education systems, tools and technologies have proved virtually ineffective for these purposes. The academic physical education research and health communities recommend special postural disorders prevention and correction practices to strengthen the dorsal, cervical, abdominal and shoulder muscle groups to develop harmonious muscular corsets for good static/ dynamic postural controls in whatever studies-specific activities. Many experts in the national academic physical education community, however, are still skeptical about the actual benefits of different weight training systems for the postural disorders prevention and correction purposes, notwithstanding the fact that proponents of a few special weight training systems refer to a few study reports demonstrating such benefits [1-3].

Objective of the study was to analyze benefits of a new postural control weight training model for university students with postural disorders.

Methods and structure of the study. We sampled for the new postural control weight training model piloting and testing experiment the National Research Tomsk State University students (n=12) diagnosed with expressed postural disorders and split them up into a Stooped group (SG) and Lordotic group (LG) of 6 people each. The pre-experimental tests found no significant intergroup differences in the physical fitness and functionality test rates (p>0.05). We also used the O.A. Aksenova shoulder indexing test and the cervical/ lumbar lordosis tests [4] for the purposes of the study. The experiment included preparatory and main stages of 4 mesocycles each, with every 4-week mesocycle including 4 weekly microcycles. The postural control weight training model offered two 90-minute trainings a week, with 2-3-day rest breaks, with every training session including the traditional warm-up, core training and cool-down phases.

Results and discussion. Postural disorders are known to be caused by muscular imbalances due to disharmonic stresses in the spine flexors and extensors that trigger mostly the sagittal postural disorders; whilst the frontal postural disorders are generally caused by the developmental asymmetries/ disharmonies of the side muscles in the muscular corset. Such disorders cannot be easily corrected since the correction/ rehabilitation efforts have to solve, in addition to the posture correction issues, multiple issues in the spine therapy and health recovery services.

The pre-experimental tests were designed to rate the group postural disorders and physical fitness. Then the groups were subject to introductory/ preparatory trainings for the postural control weight training model with sanitary/ hygienic instructions (on keeping clean the work stations, daily routines, health sleeping, diets, healthy physical activity etc.), with the mental control and post-training rehabilitation basics.

The experimental postural control weight training phase included 4 main microcycles with the following different weight training practices: warm-up weight training making up 50-60% of the individual maximums; step weight training at 60-70% of the maximum; shock weight training at 70-80% of the maximum; and cool-down/ rehabilitation weight training making up  40-50% of the maximum. The postural control weight training practices were designed on the commonly accepted concepts (gradualness, adequacy, etc.) using the classical strength building methods including the moderate weight training tools with the weights kept at 50-70% of the individual maximums. The core part of every training session was designed to build up strength of the underdeveloped muscle groups to correct the spinal disorders, straighten out the pathological muscular conditions, with the weight training systems individualized for the diagnoses, personal health conditions and physical fitness test rates using varied weights and equipment (barbells, dumbbells, rubber bands, resistance bands, etc.) plus a few trainer machines to strengthen the trunk muscles.

With the individual progresses and adaptations in the training process, the training system was customized to step up the weight training timeframes and intensity so as to effectively develop the key muscle groups critical for the posture correction and static/ dynamic postural control. Strength and muscle mass building components were dominated by the harmonized moderate-intensity training exercises in the overcoming, yielding and mixed formats performed till the first signs of fatigue. The trainings were finalized by the cool-down relaxation exercises focused on the key muscle groups worked out in the trainings. Given in Table 1 hereunder is the sample postural control weight training session design.

Table 1. Sample postural control weight training session design

The pre- versus post-experimental tests of the Stooped group found the cervical lordosis falling by 23 mm and the lumbar lordosis growing by 13 mm on average. This means that the group was tested to go back to the norm (as provided by O.A. Aksenova) from the pre-experimental pre-pathologic condition. It should be noted that the thoracic kyphosis in the SG was tested to improve by 13% of average, with the Aksenova shoulder index tested to exceed 90%, i.e. come back to the normal range. The pre- versus post-experimental tests of the Lordotic group found the cervical and lumbar lordosis falling by 15 mm and 13 mm on average, respectively. It should be noted that the pre-experimental tests rated the thoracic kyphosis within the pre-pathologic range – versus the post-experimental tests that found the shoulder index coming back to norm (90-100%).

Conclusion. The new postural control weight training model testing experiment found the model being beneficial for the postural disorder correction and prevention purposes. The pre- versus post-experimental test data give good grounds to recommend the new postural control weight training model for application in the university health improvement, rehabilitation and physical therapeutic physical education and sports systems.

References

1. Babydov E.A. Exercises with weights and stretching to correct kifolordotic posture in young people. Obrazovanie. Nauka. Nauchnye kadry. 2015. No. 1. pp. 174-176.
2. Gorelov A.A., Belikova Zh.A., Kondakov V.L. Yoga to correct posture disorders of female special health group students. Kultura fizicheskaya i zdorovye. 2010. No.1. pp. 61-64.
3. Zagrevskaya A.I. Kinesiological competency to show integrative effect of physical education and sports activity on student's personality development. Omskiy nauchny vestnik. Ser.: «Obshchestvo. Istoriya. Sovremennost». 2017. No. 2. pp. 63-66.
4. Kashuba V.A. Posture biomechanics. Kiev, 2003. 279 p.

Corresponding author: vshilko@mail.ru

Abstract

Objective of the study was to analyze benefits of a new postural control weight training model for university students with postural disorders.

Methods and structure of the study. We sampled for the new postural control weight training model piloting and testing experiment the National Research Tomsk State University students (n=12) diagnosed with expressed postural disorders and split them up into a Stooped group (SG) and Lordotic group (LG) of 6 people each. The pre-experimental tests found no significant intergroup differences in the physical fitness and functionality test rates (p>0.05). We also used the O.A. Aksenova shoulder indexing test and the cervical/ lumbar lordosis tests [4] for the purposes of the study. The experiment included preparatory and main stages of 4 mesocycles each, with every 4-week mesocycle including 4 weekly microcycles. The postural control weight training model offered two 90-minute trainings a week, with 2-3-day rest breaks, with every training session including the traditional warm-up, core training and cool-down phases.

Results and discussion. It is shown that the main cause of postural disorders in the sagittal plane is the muscular imbalance arising from the uneven development of force between the flexor muscles and spine extensors, while postural disorders in the frontal plane are due to the asymmetric development of the muscles of the right and left sides of the core. It should be noted that the pre-experimental tests rated the thoracic kyphosis within the pre-pathologic range – versus the post-experimental tests that found the shoulder index coming back to norm (90-100%).