Effect of COVID-19 Quarantine on Physical Fitness of Students

Abstract

Background and Objective: Due to the spread of the new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the amount of physical activity and exercise in people’s lifestyles was greatly reduced to reduce interpersonal contact to control the infection. The current study aimed to investigate students’ physical fitness levels during the quarantine period of COVID-19, and the study examined its changes after four months of training at home. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was done on thirty-two students (16 males and 16 females) in Shahrekord University, Iran during 2019-21. Physical fitness (swimming, Sit-ups, jumping rope, and flexibility) was measured and compared three times before the start of the Coronavirus, one year after the beginning of the Coronavirus, and after four months of exercise at home. Results: COVID-19 leads to a decrease in the level of physical fitness in the post-exam phase compared to the pre-exam phase. Due to the restrictions related to the quarantine period, students’ physical fitness levels showed a significant reduction in the post-corona period compared to the pre-corona period. In addition, four months of training at home showed a significant effect on physical fitness indicators, compared to the time of quarantine, in such a way that the average of physical fitness factors increased significantly (P<0.05). Therefore, growing measures are needed to motivate and support students to maintain a conscious level of physical fitness to avoid any threat to the population’s health, especially in quarantine conditions. Conclusion: The quarantine period during the outbreak of COVID-19 caused a decrease in the physical fitness of the studied students, and performing four-month exercises at home increased their physical fitness.

Keywords

• covid-19
• quarantine
• physical fitness