Level of Actual Physical Fitness and its Perception among Students of Physiotherapy in Lahore

OBJECTIVE: To assess estimated and measured the physical fitness level of physiotherapy students.METHODOLOGY: This Cross sectional study carried out at Azra Naheed Medical College and School of Allied Health Sciences, Children Hospital Lahore, with Simple convenient sampling technique. The data was collected from 115 students including 42 male and 73 female, from 3rd year to final year. Self-perceived fitness questionnaire was used for estimation of perceived fitness and actual physical fitness level was measured by common clinical tests. Harvard step was used for fitness index measurement. SPSS version 21.0 was used for analysis and Pearson correlation for the correlation of perceived and measured physical fitness level. RESULTS: It was evident that physiotherapy students have good perception about their BMI. Results of perceived and measured body composition were correlated significantly .004 because they have good perception of body composition. Measured strength was low from the perceived, although some maleswere in average level. The results of strength show significant correlation for upper extremity that was 269 but for lower extremity non-significant. But measured flexibility results were good for lower extremities as compared to the shoulder flexibility for upper extremities, but both variables were differentfrom perceived fitness. Actual fitness index level was very low as compared to the self-estimated. CONCLUSION: Measured fitness was quite different from self-perceived. The students of physiotherapy were not physically fit as they perceived it. They need to improve their physical fitness level as their profession requires.