The effects of gender on trunk muscle strength, pulmonary functions, and functional capacity in healthy children

ABSTRACTAtabay Ö, The Effects of Gender on Trunk Muscle Strength, Pulmonary Functions, and Functional Capacity in Healthy Children, Abant Izzet Baysal University, Institute of Health Science, Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Program, Master of Science Thesis, Bolu, 2008.This study was done in order to determine the effects of gender on trunk muscle strength, pulmonary functions, and functional capacity in healthy children. Totally 86 primary school 3rd grade students, 46 boys, 40 girls and whose average age was 7.93±0.40 years, participated to study.Each individual?s physical findings and vital findings were determined and chest diameters, pulmonary function tests, six minute walking tests, manual muscle strength tests, back and chest dynamometer measurements, muscle endurance and anaerobic power tests were done. In physical findings, vital findings, chest diameters and vertical jumping tests significant difference were not determined between genders (p>0.05). We found significant differences in pulmonary function test, muscle test, back and chest measurement with dynamometer and six minute walking test in favor of boys. (p<0.05).Free from gender the relation between body mass index (BMI) and back and chest strength, and pulmonary function tests were evaluated and in BMI, back and chest strength and FVC and FEV1 parameters we found positive significant relations (p<0.05).Our findings shows that trunk muscle strength among children aged 7-9 and skeleton muscle strength functionary in respiration are better among boys than girls and also related with muscle strength, respiration function and functional capacity are also better among boys than girls.Keywords: Gender, Pulmonary Function, Trunk Muscle Strength, Functional Capacity