ABSTRACT
Objective of the study: The present study was carried out to assess muscular fitness in healthy Indian school children between 9 to 12 years of age (older pediatric age-group) using Kraus-Weber Tests. The aim was to compare the results of this study with similar studies that have been carried out in India, Europe and America previously. Methods: Kraus-Weber Tests don’t require sophisticated equipment and are much easier to administer than traditional tools for analyzing muscular fitness like Electromyogram (EMG). Earlier studies have proven these tests to be excellent screening devices not only for physical but also psychosocial incompetence. They can actually be used as indicators of overall health in this older pediatric age-group. Results: The present study found more number of fitness and flexibility failures as compared to the last such study in India. In stark contradistinction to previous studies, girls have fared poorly than boys on the fitness front.Conclusion: These findings could be attributed to increased stress in school children especially in female students. A sharp dip has been observed in muscular fitness just prior to puberty (most probably due to hormonal causes).
ABSTRACT
The present study was carried out to correlate muscular fitness (as measured by Kraus-Weber Tests) in Indian school children with their intelligence quotient (as measured by Porteus Maze Test). These tools have been tried and tested successfully in previous studies, don't require sophisticated equipment and are easier to administer than traditional tests like EMG (for muscular fitness) and Wechsler Tests (for intelligence quotient). The present study found a significant positive correlation between intelligence quotient and muscular fitness. Failures in Kraus-Weber Tests tend to have a lower Intelligence Quotient and vice versa.