PhD, Associate Professor I.A. Varentsova¹
Dr.Biol., Professor V.N. Pushkina²
PhD, Associate Professor A.V. Kochnev¹
T.V. Anoshina^1
1Northern (Arctic) Federal University n.a. M.V. Lomonosov, Arkhangelsk
²Peoples' Friendship University of Russia, Moscow

 

Keywords: female student, special health group, external respiratory system, breathing exercises.

 

Introduction. A great deal of research articles, dedicated to students’ health, state that the number of students attributed to a special health group for health reasons is constantly increasing. The studies conducted in the northern region showed that, out of 520 first-year students, 182 were qualified for the special health group (35%), 83 – for the treatment group (15.96%). Most often, the first-year students are diagnosed with the pathologies of the organs of vision (52.5%) and musculoskeletal system (32.88%) [4]. Similar situation is observed in other educational institutions. Health assessment can be carried out by various procedures, including the external respiratory function rating. The most commonly used indicator here is vital capacity (VC), reflecting the functional state of the body. Nevertheless, the body functionality test rates do not always provide full information in terms of this indicator, since negative changes in the internal structures of the respiratory system do not always immediately affect the functional capacity of the entire system. The external respiratory system is of great importance for man’s health, as it provides the body with oxygen, maintains the stability of the acid-base balance, and contributes to heat production. So, to maintain good health, including the high level of the respiratory system functionality, it is necessary to perform physical loads: body conditioning exercises, exercises to develop the diaphragm mobility, correct the chest, increase the chest expansibility, etc. This is particularly relevant for the students attributed to the special health group for health reasons, since it is recommended that this category of student be trained in a partial load motor mode. This mode does not imply any intense physical loads, however, there is still training load on the respiratory system which is crucial.

Objective of the study was to conduct a comparative analysis of the external respiratory rates in the first-year female students attributed to the special health group versus the standardized age-specific values.

Methods and structure of the study. Sampled for the study were 25 female students attributed to the special health group (mean age 17.85±0.09 years, body length - 167.93±0.82 cm, body weight - 61.37±0.37 kg). We applied an automatic "Spiro C-100" spirometer to rate the female students’ external respiratory parameters: vital capacity - VC (ml); inspiratory reserve volume - RVinsp (ml); expiratory reserve volume - RVexp (ml); forced expiratory volume - FEV1 (ml); forced vital capacity - FVC (ml); maximum expiratory flow - MEF (l/s) - MEF25 - expiratory flow rate in the large bronchi, MEF50 - expiratory flow rate in the mid-bronchi, and MEF75 - expiratory flow rate in the small bronchi; average expiratory flow - AEF25-75 (l/s); peak expiratory flow - PEF (l/s); Gensler’s index - calculated as FEV1/FVC (GI), (%); maximum breathing capacity - MBC (l/min); maximum respiratory rate - RRMBC (times/min); maximum tidal volume - TVMBC (l).

Results and discussion. The analysis of the data obtained revealed that the VC rates in the girls of the special health group were lower than the due age-specific values - ​​by 22%, RVexp – by 19% against the background of the increased TV and RVinsp values - by 12% and 29%, respectfully (Fig. 1). The decrease in the VC rates by 20% compared with the normalized values ​​is considered unsatisfactory [3]. The fractional analysis revealed an increase in the RVinsp rates and a decrease in the RVexp ones. It is known that RVexp, involved in the formation of the functional residual capacity of the lungs, is more important for stabilization of the respiratory rhythm, than RVinsp. The increase in the functional residual lung capacity testifies to the activation of the reserve structures of the lungs and their inclusion in the ventilation process. This peculiarity is associated with a hypoxic stimulus that increases pulmonary circulation by opening reserve capillaries, which is provided by a reflex increase in the pulmonary artery pressure. Consequently, the decrease in RVexp, registered in the female students diagnosed with scoliosis, may further contribute to the formation of chronic pulmonary pathologies [2]. The increase in RVinsp and TV at rest is, probably, a manifestation of the compensatory-adaptive reaction of the respiratory system, associated with increased energy consumption [5].

The efficiency of the specific function of gas exchange is determined by the airway adequacy. The forced vital capacity rating test not merely provides information on the state of the airway conductance, but also characterizes the mechanical properties of the respiratory system.

 

Fig. 1. Statistical data on pulmonary volumes and capacities in female students attributed to special health group for health reasons.

 

Note. hereinafter: due values are taken as 100%. Differences are statistically significant relative to due values: * - p<0.05; ** - p<0.05; *** - p<0.05.

 

The studies showed that almost all indicators, characterizing the female students’ bronchial airway conductance were decreased, except for MEF75 (Fig. 2):

Fig. 2. Forced respiratory rates in female students attributed to special health group for health reasons.

 the VC values ​​versus the normalized ones were lower by 29%, which may indicate weak respiratory muscles. This assumption is confirmed by the low FEV1 values ​​(by 15%), which also depend on the force of exhalation and stiffness of the large bronchi. The female students were found to have the reduced MEF25, MEF50, AEF25-75, PEF rates, indicating the decrease in the bronchial airway conductance in the large and middle bronchi. In the small bronchi, no changes were detected, since the MEF75 values ​​corresponded to the due age-specific ones. Increased energy costs of the respiratory system functioning, as well as decreased bronchial conductance, are negative markers indicating tension of the external respiration system. Such functional stress adversely affects the respiratory system reserves.

The MBC rate in the girls, reflecting the limiting capacities of their respiratory system, was reduced by 30%. While the due values equal 105.38±1.55 l/min, the values obtained were equal to 76.15±5.01 l/min (p<0.001), which indicated weak respiratory muscles, limited lung and chest expansibility, increased airflow resistance.

Conclusion. The external respiratory function rating in the sporting female students of the special health group showed some statistically significant negative changes in their respiratory system. In particular they were diagnosed with bronchial system deficiency in the large and middle bronchi; weak respiratory muscles and limited lung expansibility. Due efforts need to be taken to mitigate or reverse the health deterioration trends by new physical education models customizable to the progress needs of this health group with a special priority to the sets of expansion and relaxation respiratory practices geared to strengthen the intercostals, abdomen and diaphragm muscles and the cardio-respiratory system on the whole; improve the metabolic processes; and scale down the nervous tension, with a special emphasis on the reasonable physical activity highly important for this health group.

 

References

1. Bogoyeva M.D., Rumba O.G., Gorelov A.A. Postroenie protsessa fizicheskogo vospitaniya studentok s ogranichennymi vozmozhnostyami serdechno-sosudistoy sistemy [Physical education process design for students with cardiovascular disorders]. Belgorod: POLITERRA publ., 2011, 172 p.

2. Gudkov A.B., Popova O.N. Vneshnee dykhanie cheloveka na Evropeyskom Severe [External breathing of man in the North of Europe]. Arkhangelsk: Northern State Medical University publ., 2012, 252 p.

3. Makarova G.A. Sportivnaya meditsina [Sports medicine]. Moscow: Sovetskiy sport publ., 2008, 490 p.

4. Pushkin V.N., Kalgin V.V., Gernet I.N., et al. Otsenka zdorovya studencheskoy molodezhi na nachalnom etape obucheniya v vuze [Student's health evaluation at initial stage of university studies]. Mat. 11 Mezhdunar. nauch-prakt. konf. molodykh uchenykh i studentov 'Valeopedagogicheskie problemy zdoroveformirovaniya detey, podrostkov, molodezhi, naseleniya' [Proc. 11th Intern. res.-pract. conf. young scientists and students 'Valedagogical problems of health formation in children, adolescents, youth, population']. December 4, 2015. Yekaterinburg: RSPPU publ., 2015, pp. 224-225.

5. Chernozemov V.G., Abramova M.A. Funktsionalnye vozmozhnosti sistemy vneshnego dykhaniya pri skolioticheskoy bolezni u shkolnikov [Functional possibilities of external respiration system under scoliotic disease in schoolchildren]. Fundamentalnye issledovaniya, 2012, no. 2, pp. 159–162.

 

Corresponding author: korela2010@yandex.ru

 

Abstract

The study was designed to apply an automatic Spiro C-100 spirometer to rate health of female students attributed to the special health group based on the external respiratory function rating data. Sampled for the study were the female students attributed to the special health group and diagnosed with bronchial system deficiency in the large and middle bronchi; weak respiratory muscles and limited lung expansibility. These health conditions are naturally associated with the deficient general adaptation reserves as verified by the low vital capacities and external ventilation system disorders manifested, among other things, in the low vital capacities. Due efforts need to be taken to mitigate or reverse the health deterioration trends by new physical education models customizable to the progress needs of this health group with a special priority to the sets of expansion and relaxation respiratory practices geared to strengthen the intercostals, abdomen and diaphragm muscles and the cardio-respiratory system on the whole; improve the metabolic processes; and scale down the nervous tension, with a special emphasis on the reasonable physical activity highly important for this health group.