Impact of Regular Karate Practice on the Quality of Life and Health Outcomes of Students

Impact of Regular Karate Practice on the Quality of Life and Health Outcomes of Students

A recent study reported that 52% of medical students had an anxiety disorder and 18% had a depressive syndrome. Following this publication, the Inspectorate General of Social Affairs commissioned a report on the quality of life of health students, making it a health priority.

One of the causes of the malaise felt by students could be the stress associated with exams and recent reforms. This malaise could also be due to a drop in self-esteem linked to the environment and atmosphere on certain placement sites. In fact, one of our recent studies suggested that the quality of life of doctors in the clerkship could influence the quality of life of students.

Since self-esteem is an important parameter in a student's understanding of his or her academic career, improving self-esteem could improve academic results and the quality of life of students.

Among the martial arts evaluated, karate has shown promising results in improving concentration and regulating the feelings of child victims of war in particular, as well as the elderly. Karate could therefore be a simple and effective solution for improving the mental health of healthy students, as well as their academic results. As it is a sport considered to be of moderate intensity, particularly through the practice of kat, it can be practised by anyone without contraindication apart from coronary artery disease.

Inclusion Criteria:

• 3rd or 4th year health students at the university of Angers

Exclusion Criteria:

• contraindication to the practice of karate
• students repeating a year or entering the third year after a transfer, insofar as the evolution of their grades in relation to the 2nd year class cannot be ascertained.
• Students who already practise karate regularly cannot be included.
• Students planning to transfer to another faculty during the year of study