A CRITICAL STUDY ON THE ANALYSIS OF FITNESS COMPONENTS AMONG SMOKING AND NON SMOKING ATHLETES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

P. RAVI KUMAR Head, Department of Physical Education National Institute Of Technology, Warangal – 506004 (A.P.) India

 

 

INTRODUCTION

The major health risk related to cigarette smoking is lung cancer and the “keryberg group” tumors are common among cigarette smokers (Chan, 1977). Several studies in India, Phillippines and China have shown that cigarette smoking may be regarded as a significant risk factor for the development of ischemic heart disease (Gupta, 1980), myocardial infraction (Jayant, et. Al. 1983), ischemic and hemorrhagic cerebrovascular diseases, which accounted for approximately 150,000 (7%) of all deaths in the United States in 2002 (Surgeon General Report, 2002), an increase in blood pressure, heart rate, cardiac output, myocardial contractile force, and velocity of contraction with gradual return to baseline levels approximately 15 minutes after smoking (Rosenberg et. Al. 1983). The above literature indicate that smoking is hazardous to health and may also have effect on physical fitness of athletes. Among several physical fitness measures, the standard field tests like, 6 pound medicine ball put, Trunk Hip Flexibility Test, Bent Knee Sit Ups (1 min) test and 12 minutes Run/Walk Test (Cooper’s) were conducted among Non-smoking and smoking athletes which are indices of Muscle Strength, Flexibility, Muscular Endurance and Circulo-Respiratory Endurance.

 

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study is to measure the impact of cigarette smoking on sportsman with special reference to some physical fitness and related physiological components. The investigator has chosen athletes from colleges of Physical Education.

 

SIGNIFICANCE

The present investigation results might contribute a lot and might help athletes and concerned National bodies to take cognizance of the present work and it would be of great relevance to know whether an athlete’s peak performance is subtly undermined or marred by tobacco smoking.

 

 

HYPOTHESIS

Cigarette smoking on sportsmen with special reference to some physical fitness and related physiological components may or may not have any significant impact.

 

METHOD

Smoking and Non Smoking athletes

Healthy athletes who’s are non-alcoholics, non-drug addicts, who consistently oblige for conducting standard field tests were chosen after careful personal enquiry. The following groups were selected for studying the effect of smoking on athletes between the age groups 19-21, 22-24, 25-27, 28-30 years. Studies were conducted in S.K. University College, Anantapur, S.R.R. Govt. College of Physical Education, Gopenpalem, College of Physical Education, Inkollu; Zion College of Physical Education, Cuddapah; Rayalaseema College of Physical Education; Proddatur and Gnana Bharathi College of Physical Education, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.

The standard field tests like, 6 pound medicine ball put, Trunk Hip flexibility test, Bent knee sit ups (1 min) test and 12 minutes Run/test were conducted among Non-smokers and smoking athletes at 7 am.

One eight five non-smoking subjects and 122 smoking subjects were chosen for the study. The number of smoking athletes available were only 122 where as the non-smoking athletes available were one hundred and eight five. Due to elimination of non-obliging smokers, alcoholics and drug addicts the number chosen had to be limited to 122. The body weights of athletes of different age groups chosen represented approximately matching weights (+ or – 50 – 10 Kg) were taken into consideration Less weight and over weight sports were eliminated from testing.

Six pound medicine ball put, Trunk Hip Flexibility Test, Bent Knee sit ups (1 min) test and 12 minutes Run Test which are standard tests and are described by Clarke (1973), are indices of Arm Shoulder Girdle Strength, Flexibility, Muscular Endurance and Circulo – Respiratory Endurance.

Appropriate statistical treatment was administered. The statistical procedures includes, calculation of mean standard deviation, application of student T-test, and ANOVA (Graffin, 1982).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

The standard field test like 6 pound medicine ball put, trunk hip flexibility test, Bent Knee sit ups (1 min) test, 12 minutes Run/Walk test with respect to involvement of Physical Fitness components like strength, flexibility, muscular endurance, circulo respiratory endurance, has already been mentioned in the method section and may be referred. These tests were conducted among smoking and non-smoking athletes. Their age ranged from 19 to 30 years and were divided into 4 age groups. Namely 19-22, 22-24, 25-27 and 28-30 years. Thus performance scores values were compared among athletes who are non-smokers and smokers and also in relation to age. It should be noted that ageing also likely to effect the above said test scores.

The standard field test which are indices of Arm shoulder girdle strength, Trunk Hip-Flexibility, Muscular Endurance, Circulo – Respiratory Endurance, showed a significant decrease in their performance score values, among smoking athletes when compared to non-smoking athletes. The percentage decrease in the test score values ranged from 24-14% to 81.68%.

The details of percentage decrease in various Physical Fitness components from 19-30 years, in smoking athletes as compared to non-smoking athletes are: Arm and shoulder girdle strength – 24.14% to 29.10%, Flexibility – 51.55% to 81.65%, Muscular Endurance – 41% to 45.35%, Circulo Respiratory Endurance – 36.45% to 42.14%.

A slight decrease in Strength, Flexibility, Muscualr Endurance, Circulo Respiratory Endurance with an increase in age among athletes has been observed. However, the decrease in Strength, Flexibility, Muscular Endurance, Circulo Respiratoryj Endurance among smoking athletes when compared no Non-smoking athletes was very significant.

There are no significant difference with in the different age groups of smoking athletes in Strength, Flexibility, Muscular Endurance, Circulo-Respiratory Endurance.

In non-smoking athletes there are significant difference with in the different age groups in Strength, Flexibility, Muscualr Endurance, Circulo-Respiratory Endurance.

Further, among the non-smoking athletes between the age groups of 19-21 and 22-24 years in Flexibility, Muscular Endurance, Circulatory Endurance, the results showed in-significant value even at 0.05 level.

The above results revealed that smoking habit among athletes impairs significant the strength, flexibility, muscular endurance, circulo-respiratory endurance of athletes.

The following causes might be attributed for impairment in muscle strength and flexibility Circulo Respiratory Endurances, Muscular Endurance among smokers. Nicotine is know to cause damage to vascular endothelium, each cigarette contains nineteen different poisons which get into blood stream making heart’s action difficult, thus decreasing cardio efficiency (WHO report, 1979). Thus the cardiac insufficiency and respiratory system damage visualized above might be responsible for poor performance among smokers.

Nitocine induced peripheral vaso constriction, and consequent reduction in blood flow to the distal parts of the limbs might exaccelerate the effect of peripheral vascular diseases, which might be affecting the nerve and muscle system. (Gershon, et a. 1979). Nicotine also produces neuro muscular blockade by receptor desensitization (Goodman and Gilman, 1970) and the neuromuscular blockade causing decrement in muscle potential and tension (Nanda Kumar et. al. 1989, Pagala et. al. 1990) is also a well established fact. There is a possibility that the inhalation of carbon monoxide during smoking which has an affinity for hemoglobin 200 times greater than that of oxygen, might causing reduction of oxygen carrying capacity of the blood consequently effecting athletic performance.

CONCLUSIONS

1. The standard field tests like, 6 pound medicine ball put, Trunk Hip Flexibility test, Bent Knee sit ups (1 min) tests, and 12 minutes Run/Walk Test were conducted among non-smoking and smoking athletes.
2. Theses standard field tests which are indices of Arm Shoulder Girdle Strength, Flexibility, Muscular Endurance and Circulo-Respiratory Endurance showed a significant decrease in the performance score values among athletes who are smokers compared to non-smoking athletes.
3. The details of percentage decrease in various physical fitness components from 19-30 years, in smoking athletes as compared to non-smoking athletes are; Arm and shoulder girdle strength 24.14% to 29.10%, Flexibility 51.55% to 81.65%; Muscular Endurance 41% to 45.35%, Circulo Respiratory Endurance 36.45% to 42.14%.
4. A slight decrease in Strength Flexibility, Muscular Endurance, Circulo-Respiratory Endurance with an increase in age among athletes has been observed.
5. It is suggested that in the interest of Nation and World of athletes that smoking habit have to be desisted as smoke chemicals adversely affect the physical fitness of the athletes.

 

 

TABLE – 1

Variation of Mean, Standard Deviation and Percent Decrease

(Six Pound Medicine Ball Put: Arm and Shoulder Gridle Strength)

Sl. No.	Athletes Age	Non Smokers		Smokers		% Decrease over non-smoking athletes
		Mean	Standard Deviation	Mean	Standard Deviation
1	19-21 Yrs	10.93 (26)	0.69	7.97 (23)	0.55	27.10
2	22-24 Yrs	13.11 (91)	1.43	9.95 (46)	0.82	24.14
3	25-27 Yrs	12.71 (47)	0.47	9.09 (36)	0.59	28.48
4	28-30 Yrs	12.00 (21)	0.60	8.51 (17)	0.54	29.10

 

Note: Number of subjects is given in parentheses. Standard field tests performance score values as described by C.H. Harrison (1966)

 

 

 

 

 

TABLE – 2

Variation of Mean, Standard Deviation and Percent Decrease

(Trunk-Hip Flexibility Test: Flexibility)

Sl. No.	Athletes Age	Non Smokers		Smokers		% Decrease over non-smoking athletes
		Mean	Standard Deviation	Mean	Standard Deviation
1	19-21 Yrs	20.19 (26)	1.47	9.78 (23)	2.24	51.55
2	22-24 Yrs	18.27 (91)	1.69	6.11 (46)	2.29	66.57
3	25-27 Yrs	14.38 (47)	1.51	2.64 (36)	3.30	81.69
4	28-30 Yrs	13.09 (21)	1.69	2.71 (17)	3.36	79.34

 

Note: Number of subjects is given in parentheses. Standard field tests performance score values as described by C.H. Harrison (1966)

 

 

TABLE – 3

Variation of Mean, Standard Deviation and Percent Decrease

(Bent – Knee Sit – Ups (1 minute) Test: Muscular Endurance)

Sl. No.	Athletes Age	Non Smokers		Smokers		% Decrease over non-smoking athletes
		Mean	Standard Deviation	Mean	Standard Deviation
1	19-21 Yrs	46.65 (26)	1.62	27.48 (23)	1.25	41.10
2	22-24 Yrs	43.07 (91)	2.20	25.37 (46)	1.09	41.09
3	25-27 Yrs	39.83 (47)	1.43	23.44 (36)	1.14	41.14
4	28-30 Yrs	33.48 (21)	2.42	18.29 (17)	2.16	45.35

 

Note: Number of subjects is given in parentheses. Standard field tests performance score values as described by C.H. Harrison (1966)

 

 

TABLE – 4

Variation of Mean, Standard Deviation and Percent Decrease

(12 Minute Run Test: Circulo-Respiratory Endurance)

Sl. No.	Athletes Age	Non Smokers		Smokers		% Decrease over non-smoking athletes
		Mean	Standard Deviation	Mean	Standard Deviation
1	19-21 Yrs	2908.08 (26)	273.27	1711.30 (23)	200.46	41.15
2	22-24 Yrs	2652.31 (91)	287.77	1534.67 (46)	345.08	42.14
3	25-27 Yrs	2325.53 (47)	244.99	1429.44 (36)	231.26	38.53
4	28-30 Yrs	2075.53 (21)	207.88 (17)	1318.82	168.52	36.45

 

Note: Number of subjects is given in parentheses. Standard field tests performance score values as described by C.H. Harrison (1966)

 

 

TABLE – 5

 

Table showing F-Ratio and results of LSD at 0.05 and 0.01 levels for standard Field Tests Testifying Physical Fitness among Smoking Athletes belonging to different age groups.

Sl No.	Test Items	F-Ratio	19-21 & 22-24 Yrs	19-21 & 25-27 Yrs	19-21 & 28-30 Yrs	22-24 & 25-27 Yrs	22-24 & 28-30 Yrs	25-27 & 28-30 Yrs
1	Six Pound Medicine Ball Put Test (Arm and Shoulder Girdle Strength) (cm)	2.19	--	--	--	--	--	--
2	Trunk-Hip Flexibility test (Flexibility) (cm)	6.18	--	--	--	--	--	--
3	Benk-Knee Sit-Ups (1 Min) Test (Muscular Endurance) (No.)	4.18	--	--	--	--	--	--
4	12 Min. Run/Walk Test (Circulo – Respiratory Endurance) (mts)	1.93	--	--	--	--	--	--

 

* Significant at 0.05 Level

** Significant at 0.01 level

 

 

TABLE – 6

 

Table showing F-Ratio and results of LSD at 0.05 and 0.01 levels for standard Field Tests Testifying Physical Fitness among Non Smoking Athletes belonging to different age groups.

 

Sl No.	Test Items	F-Ratio	19-21 & 22-24 Yrs	19-21 & 25-27 Yrs	19-21 & 28-30 Yrs	22-24 & 25-27 Yrs	22-24 & 28-30 Yrs	25-27 & 28-30 Yrs
1	Six Pound Medicine Ball Put Test (Arm and Shoulder Girdle Strength) (cm)	28.49**	9.00**	6.64**	3.74**	2.12*	3.74**	2.00*
2	Trunk-Hip Flexibility test (Flexibility) (cm)	42.64**	1.85	7.75**	7.93**	5.89**	7.92**	1.82
3	Benk-Knee Sit-Ups (1 Min) Test (Muscular Endurance) (No.)	23.31*	1.47	3.82**	7.24**	3.38**	7.43**	4.54**
4	12 Min. Run/ Walk Test (Circulo–Respiratory Endurance) (mts)	17.77*	1.42	4.48**	5.77**	4.35**	5.69**	2.28*

 

* Significant at 0.05 Level

** Significant at 0.01 level

 

 

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