Background. several studies reported lockdown-related adverse effects on physical activity levels and mental health conditions among professional athletes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Objectives. This study aimed to compare physical activity levels, BMI, and psychological Profile during the pre-COVID and post-COVID-19 pandemic period in Professional Iranian Female Swimmers.
Methods. Twenty-seven young female swimmers were evaluated pre-COVID (January 2020) and post-COVID (February 2022). For data collection, a questionnaire was used including sample demographic questions, DASS-21, UCLA LS3, Perceived physical fitness, and IPAQ-SF.
Results. Swimmers presented increased depression (pre-COVID = 9.48±3.14 vs. post-COVID= 14.81±4.55, p = 0.001, d = 1.69), anxiety (pre-COVID = 6.88±2.24 vs. post-COVID= 13.55±3.50, p = 0.024, d = 2.97), stress (pre-COVID = 10.55±4.03 vs. post-COVID= 25.18±3.60, p = 0.001, d = 3.63), UCLA-LS3 (pre-COVID = 24.33±2.44 vs. post-COVID= 40.14±9.22, p = 0.001, d = 6.47), and BMI (pre-COVID = 20.29±1.14 vs. post-COVID= 24.18±1.8, p = 0.001, d = 2.16) and significant decreases in IPAQ-SF (pre-COVID = 5475.74±903.22 vs. post-COVID= 3728.62±631.67, p = 0.023, d = 1.93), and PPFS (pre-COVID = 61.92±6.12 vs. post-COVID= 30.55±4.29, p = 0.001, d = 5.12).
Conclusion. Professional Iranian female swimmers presented increased psychological profile scores and BMI, decreased physical activity levels, and perceived physical fitness after 2 years of COVID-19 confinement compared to the pre-COVID period.
Keywords: COVID-19,
Anxiety,
Swimmers,
Stress,
Physical Fitness. This article is"Accepted Uncorrected Proofs"
Type of Study:
Original Article |
Subject:
Sport Physiology and its related branches Received: 2023/02/23 | Accepted: 2023/03/23
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