Analyzing Postural Parameters in Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Students

Examining The Effect of Physical Workload on Postural Parameters in Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Students

In our study, with the voluntary participation of Term 3 and Term 4 students from the Hacettepe University Faculty of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, we examined the effect of physical workload on postural parameters based on students' standing and sitting times. Additionally, through surveys, we assessed the students' physical activity levels, quality of life, sleep, and burnout levels. The aim was to investigate the relationship between these components and postural alignment by measuring their levels. By identifying the factors that may affect students' postural alignment, the study aims to determine potential risks and provide valuable information for physiotherapists, physiotherapy students, and educators.

Volunteer individuals among Term 4 (senior year) intern physiotherapist students and Term 3 students studying at Hacettepe University Faculty of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation will be included in the study. Individuals who will be included in the study will be informed face to face about the purpose of the research, the evaluation methods to be used in the research, and the results we foresee, as well as what benefits we will provide to the individuals at the end of the study. Participants will be reached via posters/brochures. Individuals participating in the study will be informed about the surveys and the parameters to be evaluated at the first meeting. Postural evaluations of individuals will be carried out 4 times, on Mondays and Fridays, in the morning and in the evening, for 1 week. Questionnaires will be asked to be answered after the first and last posture evaluation. The number of individuals to be included in our study was calculated using the G*Power 3.1 program, taking the effect size as 0.74, alpha type error rate as 0.05 and the power of the test as 0.80, and the sample size for the period 4 and period 3 research groups was determined as 37/37. Taking into account situations such as inability to continue working, a total of 74 individuals were planned to be included in the study, with an excess of 10%.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Individuals who volunteer to participate in the study,
• Individuals who did not have pain according to the NORDIC Extended Musculoskeletal System questionnaire at the time of the evaluations,

Exclusion Criteria:

• Being diagnosed with scoliosis by a physician,
• Having spinal cord or extremity pain diagnosed by a physician in the last 3 months,
• Being diagnosed with any developmental disorder (Scheuermann's/Calve Disorder etc.),
• Having limb inequality, spine and pelvis etc. having serious deformities,
• Getting diagnosed with Infection (Spinal Tuberculosis etc.), Tumor (Multiple Myeloma),
• Having had spine surgery,
• Having a systemic inflammatory disease,
• Being diagnosed with a neurological and/or cognitive disease that may affect cognitive functions,
• Epilepsy, Antidepressant / Attention enhancing drug use,
• Being diagnosed with Cardiorespiratory Disease,
• Having menstrual irregularity,