THE EFFECT OF A CONDITIONING PROGRAM ON BACCALAUREATE NURSING STUDENTS' STRENGTH, FLEXIBILITY, BODY MECHANICS AND PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS.
Contributors: University of Texas at Austin.
Published: 1987
Number of pages: 104
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a conditioning program on baccalaureate nursing students' physical strength, flexibility, body mechanics and psychological perceived stress. It was hypothesized that students who participated in a 6 week conditioning program would be physically stronger, more flexible, have less psychological stress and would use different body mechanics when lifting a load.

Thirty-one students were randomly assigned to either an experimental or control group. Twenty-six students (13 in the experimental and 13 in the control group) completed the study. Subjects were pretested on strength by a 1 repetition maximum lift in the bench press and squat. Flexibility was measured using the sit and reach test. Psychological stress was measured using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Following a 6 week conditioning program of weight training, stretching and abdominal exercise both groups were tested on strength, sit and reach, PSS and were videotaped lifting a box to establish body mechanics measurements.

Data were evaluated using SPSS formats for descriptive statistics, Analysis of Variance and Analysis of Covariance. Findings revealed there was no effect on psychological perceived stress (p =.46), there was a significant difference between groups in strength (p =.001), there was a significant difference between groups in flexibility (p =.006), and there was no significant difference between groups on any of the body mechanic measures.

Findings of this study support the observations of other investigators that conditioning programs can improve the strength and flexibility of participants. This study did not show any effect on perceived psychological stress state as measured by the PSS. Psychological stress is a multidimensional concept that is difficult to control for in experimental subjects. This study also suggests that repeated motor conditioning for the experimental group did not appear to alter the experimental subjects style of lifting as measured by body mechanics measurements. Post-hoc analysis of data also indicated that men lifted loads with their feet further apart. This difference did not appear to be related to a difference in height.

On the basis of the findings in this study, it is recommended that future investigation include establishing the effect of culture, sex and education on the biomechanical manner in which awkward and non-awkward loads are lifted. In addition, research is needed into ways to safely move loads, and establish reliable ways to measure body mechanics.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 48-05, Section: B, page: 1300.

Thesis (PH.D.)--THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, 1987.

School code: 0227.