Assessment of inclusive and safe physical education under war conditions for posture prevention in 11–12-year-old schoolchildren

Abstract

Background and Study Aim. The prevention of postural disorders in schoolchildren is a component of maintaining health and functional development. Increased static, sensory, and informational loads during growth contribute to the formation of stable musculoskeletal deviations that affect health and quality of life. Despite the use of various exercise-based approaches, their effectiveness under constrained and safety-limited conditions remains of practical interest. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of specially selected exercises on posture indicators and physical fitness in 11–12-year-old schoolchildren under war conditions.

Materials and Methods. Thirty-two 5th grade students aged 11–12 years (20 boys and 12 girls) participated in the study. A four-month pedagogical experiment was conducted in Kharkiv, Ukraine, under mixed learning conditions in a war-affected environment with safety-related restrictions and limited space. The physical education program was supplemented with specially selected strength and flexibility exercises implemented as part of an inclusive safe physical activity protocol and performed for 5–7 minutes three times per week. The exercises were adapted for confined spaces, absence of equipment, and different levels of physical and psycho-emotional readiness. Physical fitness was assessed using flexibility, strength, and balance tests. Posture deviations were evaluated using Mashkov’s rhombus method. A questionnaire survey was conducted among students and their parents to assess physical activity patterns and parental involvement. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and Student’s t-test.

Results. Results. The survey results indicated low levels of extracurricular physical activity, with 23 out of 32 students demonstrating minimal activity and predominantly sedentary behavior. Moderate correlations were identified between posture deviations and flexibility and strength indicators (r = –0.54 to –0.62), while balance indicators showed no significant relationships. After the intervention, flexibility and strength indicators improved in both boys and girls. The number of students without posture deviations increased from 19 to 22.

Conclusions. The integration of short strength and flexibility exercise complexes into physical education lessons within an inclusive safe physical activity protocol represents a feasible approach to organizing physical activity under conditions of limited space, safety restrictions, and increased psycho-emotional stress. In this context, inclusion is achieved through the adaptation of exercises to different levels of physical and psycho-emotional readiness, as well as by maintaining continuity of participation in unstable and potentially hazardous environments. Such exercise formats can be implemented in constrained educational settings as a means of maintaining functional capacity and supporting engagement in physical activity.