System of Pedagogical Regulation of Motor Activity of Students of Special Medical Groups

Фотографии: 

ˑ: 

O.G. Rumba, professor, Dr.Hab.
St. Petersburg State Polytechnic University, St. Petersburg

Keywords: students of special medical groups, cardiorespiratory impairment, motor activity, physical culture.

Introduction. Currently, there remains very pressing the matter of motor activity (MA) deficiency among students due to which the vast majority of them do not fulfill the daily biologically driven rate of locomotions which is 14-19 thousand per 24 hours [3]. It is the MA deficiency that is one of the main reasons for a marked increase in the number of students with health conditions of varying severity that for this reason are either engaged in physical education activities in special medical groups (SMG) or are completely excused from attending practical classes on this subject. As a result, currently there is an almost equal ratio of students of regular and specialized departments of most of the physical education departments of universities of the Russian Federation. In addition, for students of SMG MA values are half as big as those of the students of the main medical group, and this, in its turn, provokes the inevitable aggravation of existing health conditions and emergence of new ones. The fact that MA is an indispensable component of a healthy lifestyle and the main means of promoting health denotes the particular acuteness of the matter of hypodynamia of students of special medical groups.  

We see the most promising way of solving the matter in the search for effective ways of improving MA of students providing the most beneficial use of study time and free time aiming at health promotion as well as contributing to instilling interest in active physical culture activity.  In this regard, we consider it expedient to introduce into the university educational space science-based methods of students’ MA regulation, including the use of modern means of health-improving physical culture of a targeted nosological orientation. It is obvious that all the introduced components should be combined in a system that ensures their controlled interaction and complementarity. Ordered interaction of different forms of physical education classes, their interrelated content and continuity of levels help manage the process of MA of students with poor health in accordance with the standard age parameters and nosological characteristics, in our opinion, is a system of pedagogical regulation of motor activity of students of SMG [7].

The purpose of the research was to provide a scientific substantiation of the pedagogical control of motor activity (MA) of students of special medical groups (SMG) with cardiorespiratory impairment.

Materials and methods. The research was conducted in 2007-2011 at the premises of Belgorod National Research University (NRU BelSU) using the following methods: theoretical analysis and compilation of professional literature; a survey in the form of a questionnaire and an interview; probing and piloting; timing; pulsometry; pacecounting; anthropometric and medical-biological testing; testing of physical fitness, mental capacity, well-being, activity, mood (WAM); laboratory and natural educational experiments; mathematical methods of statistics. A total of 1,539 students were involved in the experimental research.

The first phase of the research (January – September 2007) included the following: study of the matter referring to literature and in practice; study of health characteristics and some aspects of life of students of various medical groups with a focus on students with cardiorespiratory impairment.

The second phase of the research (September 2007 – June 2009) was devoted to determining the effectiveness of using various forms of physical education classes and types of MA in learning and daily activities of students of SMG with cardiorespiratory impairment.

The third phase of the research (June 2009 – June 2011) was devoted to the development of a system of pedagogical regulation of MA of the students of SMG with cardiorespiratory impairment and experimental verification of its effectiveness.

The fourth phase of the research (June - August 2011) included the following: analysis and generalization of the research results, drawing conclusions, preparation of practical recommendations for the implementation of the developed system of pedagogical regulation of MA of the students of SMG in the educational space of universities of the Russian Federation.  

Results and discussion. Theoretical studies showed the negative dynamics of the health status of students in the universities of Russia since the 90s of the XX century that by today resulted in the involvement of approximately 30-50% of students in physical education in SMG, including up to 15 % exempted from attending practical classes for health reasons. Among the most numerous nosological groups are those of students with cardiorespiratory impairment – up to 40-60 % of the number of SMG students.

During the exploratory research it was found that at student age cardiorespiratory impairment is manifested in physical working capacity decline, reduction of functioning efficiency of systemic vascular resistance (SVR), weakening of oxygen transportation capabilities of the body and its resistance to hypoxia, occurrence of hypotonic conditions and vegetative-vascular instability that entails regular deterioration of health on a number of subjective symptoms. Young females with cardiorespiratory impairment revealed a generally lower level of physical health compared not only with the females of the main group who have no expressed health conditions but also with the females of SMG who have conditions not related to cardiorespiratory impairment. On the whole similarity of physical condition characteristics of female students of SMG with cardiorespiratory impairment was ascertained, indicating a possibility of combining them in study groups for physical education classes for the purpose of out targeted nosological correction.

A study of some aspects of life and MA indices of female students revealed that female students with cardiorespiratory impairment more often suffer from cold, experience sleep and appetite problems, spend less time outdoors, and move less. For example, while the biological norm is 14-19 thousand locomotions per day, they perform on average 5.5-6.5 thousand locomotions per day, which is almost three times less than required. In addition, physical activity that is most typical for them causes an increase in heart rate (HR) up to 116 bpm on average, amounting to 58% of HR max instead of 75% recommended by experts. These figures look particularly alarming against the backdrop of the key role of MA in ensuring the efficient operation of the cardiorespiratory system and clearly indicate the need for systemic measures to improve MA of the students with cardiorespiratory impairment.

Analysis of professional literature and consultations with experts confirmed that it is MA that is considered to be the principal means of health correction of persons with cardiorespiratory impairment, and cyclic aerobic exercises (including walk, jogging, swimming) as well as acyclic moderate intensity exercises (including strength and breathing ones) are among the most effective types of it. It was also found that for the students of the studied nosological group recreational aerobics classes, action-oriented games, breathing exercises are most attractive and at the same time recommended; the vast majority of them received recommendations from their physicians to do dosed sessions of constitutional walk and jogging, recreational aerobics, therapeutic swimming.

Types of MA suggested by experts were studied by us in the context of various forms of physical education classes with the students of SMG (Table 1).

Table 1. Forms of physical education classes and types of motor activity studied in educational experiments with students of SMG (the second phase of the research)

Forms of physical education classes

Frequency of classes

Means employed

Training sessions on the subject “Physical Education” (TS)

2 times per week 90 minutes each

Dosed constitutional walk alternated with jogging, breathing exercises, recreational aerobics, action games and sports games elements

Small forms of physical education classes

Physical education breaks (PEB)

Daily during each lecture, 5-7 minutes long

Exercises for stretching muscular-ligamentous apparatus alternating tension and relaxation of muscles, exercises for brain vessels, for visual analyzer fatigue prevention, for correction of cardiorespiratory impairment

Motor exercises (ME)

On days when there are no TE, 3-4 times per week 15 minutes each

Major means: recreational aerobics and games; additional means: constitutional walk alternated with jogging and breathing exercises  

Independent physical training (IPT)

3-4 times per week 15-30 minutes each

Dosed constitutional walk alternated with jogging, breathing exercises, therapeutic swimming, strength exercises [3]

 

The research was conducted in cooperation with N.V. Balysheva, M.D. Bogoeva, V.V. Kovaleva, E.N. Kopeykina, and M.M. Pivneva who with our guidance prepared their master’s theses [1, 2, 4, 5, and 6]. The following conclusions were drawn as a result of a series of educational experiments:

– physical condition of students of SMG with cardiorespiratory impairment significantly improves as a result of the systematic application of all the studied types of MA and forms of physical education classes;

– all types of MA studied within the framework of planned TS positively affect well-being and mood of those involved, and walking/jogging, recreational aerobics and games also affect their activity;

– all the studied forms of additional physical education classes of the targeted nosological orientation positively affect mental peformance of students; walk alternated with jogging and breathing exercises is the most effective when applied within the framework of IPT;

– the value of MA of the students is positively affected by all its types studied within the framework of planned TS, with the most effective being walk alternated with jogging, recreational aerobics, games; however, the average weekly values of MA are most of all affected by additional physical education classes of the targeted nosological orientation – PEB, ME, IPT;

– MA value of the subjects did not reach the biologically determined standard parameters in any of the experimental groups; at the same time the values of students twice a week engaged in walk alternated with jogging and recreational aerobics within the framework of the planned TE were the closest ones to the daily rate.

Thus, the development of effective techniques of using dosed constitutional walk and jogging, breathing exercises, recreational aerobics, action games and sports games elements within the scope of the planned Physical Education TS as well as techniques of using small forms of physical education classes throughout the academic day and IPT did not solve the issue of the non-conformity of the MA value of the students to the biologically determined standard parameters (see above). In order to solve the issue we developed a system of pedagogical regulation of motor activity of students of special medical groups.

Following the theory of P.K. Anokhin, mechanisms of implementation of various forms of physical education classes were regarded as components of the system, each of which should complement the focus and effectiveness of the others; academic semesters, each of which should be based on the achievements of the previous one, were regarded as levels. With such an approach the value of motor activity of the students served as a systemically important factor, since the functioning of all the components of the system was aimed at providing the biologically determined daily minimum of their motor activity of 14-19 thousand locomotions per day.

The system of pedagogical regulation of motor activity of students of special medical groups with cardiorespiratory impairment being developed was grounded on the hypothesis of the expediency of including all previously studied forms of physical education classes and motor activity types into the regimen of academic and daily activities of the students. It seemed most reasonable to apply the developed forms of TS and PEB on the days of planned physical education classes (which together with the background motor activity of students was to ensure 13-14 thousand locomotions per day); on the days when there were no planned physical education classes MA deficiency was to be compensated by means of applying PEB, MA, IPT (which together with the background motor activity was to ensure 10-11 thousand locomotions per day). In this case, with a six-day academic week the average weekly value of motor activity was to reach 75-85 thousand locomotions per week (Figure 1).

Figure 1. The pilot version of regulation of motor activity of students of special medical groups with cardiorespiratory impairment

With a view to full implementation of the systemic approach the following conditions were formulated:

– ensuring the optimal value of motor activity of the students on a daily basis;

– single nosological orientation of all the components of the system;

– basic types of MA that are same for all the components of the system;  

– complementarity of MA types that are key for each of the components of the system at each level;

– continuity of the key types of MA in the transition to a new level of the system;

– recording the volume of locomotions in the academic and daily activities of the students;

– recording physical loads of the students during physical education classes.

The effectiveness of the system of pedagogical regulation of motor activity of students of special medical groups was assessed by means of a comparative educational experiment having been conducted in NRU BelSU for 2 years. Two hundred and sixteen female students aged 17-19 years old voluntarily participated in it. These female students were in SMG due to cardiorespiratory impairment. During the experiment data on the value of motor activity of the subjects were collected and analyzed as well as information about their functional state, physical development, physical fitness, physical health, mental performance, well-being, activity and mood. Integration of all the experimental data shows that the developed system of pedagogical regulation of motor activity of students of special medical groups contributes to a substantial increase in the volume of performed locomotions, improvement of mental and physical working capacity as well as improvement of well-being, activity, mood, increased interest in active physical culture activity, positive correction of the functional state of the cardiorespiratory system that causes raising of the overall health level. Together these trends suggest the feasibility of introducing the developed system into the academic and daily activities of students of special medical groups.

Conclusions. The findings resulted in the following conclusions:

- The matter of MA deficiency among students of SMG should be addressed by including in their learning and routine activities of various forms of physical education classes of focused nosological orientation, providing opportunities for daily pedagogical regulation of MA. In this case, the systemacy of physical effects on the body of the involved is provided by the interconnection, interdependence and collaboration of all forms of physical education classes and types of MA applied with their content and direction being continuously updated in view of the hierarchy of goals and successive solution of the objectives of restoring of students’ health.

- MA of 13-15 thousand locomotions in the days of scheduled physical education classes and 10-11 thousand locomotions in the days when there are no classes, providing the total average weekly rate corresponding to 75-85 thousand locomotions, is enough for the occurrence of significant positive changes in the somatic condition, physical working capacity and mental performance of students of SMG.

- Many different forms of MA, involving exercises of nosological orientation, should be present in the university educational space. All of them should be systemized to ensure their interaction and controlled collaboration. Ordered interaction of different forms of physical education classes, their interrelated content and continuity of levels help manage the process of MA of students with poor health in accordance with the standard age parameters and nosological characteristics. It is a system of pedagogical regulation of motor activity of students of SMG.

References

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Corresponding author: RumbaOlga@yandex.ru