Abstract:
Flexibility is an important aspect of health related fitness. Lumbar and lower limb flexibility (LLLF) in young children is important as it may increase their range of motion during running activities and may reduce injuries in sports.
PURPOSE: To compare cardiovascular fitness (CF) with LLLF, body fat percentage (BF%) and body mass index (BMI) of adolescents in Singapore schools.
METHODS: 1561 adolescents (males n=841 and females n=720, age: 13.5±1.2 years, height: 159.8±9cm, weight: 51.8±12.8kg, BMI: 20.1±4kg·m-2 and BF%: 21.4±10%) from Singapore schools participated in this study. The OMRON Body Composition Scale was used to measure adolescents’ BF%. The participants were accessed for LLLF with a one-legged sit-and-reach test (SRT). Each limb was tested thrice and the best score for each limb was selected and averaged. CF was measured with a 15m PACER test.
RESULTS: The total cohort results were: SRT: 54.1±10.1cm, BF%: 21.4±10%, BMI: 20.1±4kg·m-2 and PACER: 40.9±23.9 stages. Total cohort LLLF had a low significant correlation with PACER (r=0.17, p=0). The males were significantly different than females in SRT (males: 53±52.3cm, females: 55.4±9.9cm), BMI (males: 20.4±4.3kg·m-2, females: 19.8±3.6kg·m-2), BF% (males: 17.6±10.3%, females: 25.8±7.4%) and PACER (males: 50.6±26.5 stages, females: 29.3±12.7 stages) (p<0.05). Significant low correlations were found for LLLF and BF% (r=0.09) with CF for males and females (male SRT with PACER: r=0.33, p=0, female SRT with PACER: r=0.09, p=0.02) and BF% (male BF% with SRT: r=0.01, p=0.71, female BF% with SRT: r=0.11, p=0).
CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate that males have higher CF as compared to females. Females have higher LLLF than males but have a higher BF% that may hinder their performance in CF. If males with lower body fat increase their LLLF, it may assist in higher aerobic fitness due to greater range of motion and improved running economy. However, too much LLLF may also hinder aerobic fitness as it may interfere with repeated muscle contraction. In conclusion, LLLF, BF% and CF are interrelated and may improve or hinder adolescents in their CF which warrants further investigation.
“This work was carried out with the aid of a research grant (NIHA-2011-1-007) from the NUS Initiative to Improve Health in Asia (NIHA) coordinated by the Global Asia Institute of the National University of Singapore and supported by the Glaxo Smith Kline-Economic Development Board (Singapore) Trust Fund”
© 2015 American College of Sports Medicine
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