Assessment of physical activity and academic success levels in physiotherapy and rehabilitation students

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the level of physical activity and academic success of all students who continued to Physiotherapy andRehabilitation department and investigate the relationships between them.Methods: While the level of physical activity of the students was evaluated with the International Physical ActivityQuestionnaire (IPAQ), the level of their academic success was obtained by their grade point average (GPA).Results: Four hundred and thirty-five students were included in the study. Significant difference was found when the GPAs ofthe second, third and forth classes were compared (p<0.05). Physically inactive students formed 24.4% of the first classstudents, 17.3% of second year students, 20.6% of third year students, and 21.9% of fourth year students. No significantrelationship was found between level of physical activity and success level as the results of analysis (p>0.05).Conclusion: It is considered that university lectures, which are more difficult than the previous education life, could lead tochange in the physical activity level of the students. The results will guide the educators of physiotherapy and rehabilitationdepartment and future studies conducted in this area.