Physiology (medical), Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation
10
Scopus Publications
Scopus Publications
Exploring Indian Secondary School Students’ Views of Physical Education for Meaningful Curriculum Reformation Awadhesh Kumar Shirotriya, Chetan Chouhan, Rakesh Vishwakarma, Parveen Kumar International Journal of Educational Reform, 2026 The Republic of India has continuously brought major changes in the education and sports sectors, which signifies the value of physical education (PE). Despite these changes, students’ voices are rarely included in shaping the PE curriculum. This study explores the perspectives of secondary school students to inform meaningful and student-centered curriculum transformation. Drawing on an interpretivist paradigm, a mixed-methods design was employed using the validated PE Attitude Scale for Indian Students alongside semi-structured interviews. Quantitative data from 626 students (270 females and 356 males) revealed significant associations between students’ PE experiences and variables such as age, gender, and class level. Reflective thematic analysis of qualitative interviews from 18 students generated two key themes: “Unclear pathways with limited choices” and “Innovative curriculum delivery.” Findings reveal that while students acknowledge the potential of PE to enhance career readiness and promote lifelong physical activity, they feel hindered by a confusing curriculum for career prospects that offers limited choices, relies on a one-size-fits-all pedagogy, and lacks clear integration with viable career pathways. Students advocate for skill-oriented, interest-driven, and sport-based learning approaches aligned with national policies like the National Education Policy and the National Sports Policy. The study underscores the need for student-informed, broad curriculum reform to elevate the relevance and status of PE within Indian schools.
Quantifying Muscle Recovery: A Scoping Review of Existing Markers and Measurement Approaches Parveen Kumar, Rohit Rathee, Kuldeep Nara, Awadhesh Kumar Sirotariya, Naveen Sangwan Polish Journal of Sport and Tourism, 2025 Introduction. Muscle recovery is a critical factor in optimizing athletic performance, as well as in clinical and rehabilitation settings. A range of biochemical markers, functional, and perceptual measures are used to assess both exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) and delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). This scoping review aims to evaluate the applicability of these assessment methods by examining their cost, complexity, accessibility, accuracy, and degree of innovation. Material and Methods. A total of 1,324 articles were identified using relevant keywords during an initial search in Web of Science (n = 616) and Scopus (n = 698) databases. No strict quality assessment protocol was applied as the present study focused on emerging EIMD markers, sample size adequacy, relevance, and methodological clarity. After removing duplicates and applying strict inclusion and exclusion criteria, 34 articles were selected for detailed analysis. Results. While subjective measures are simple and non-invasive, their lack of accuracy limits their effectiveness. Biochemical markers such as creatine kinase, C-reactive protein, and cytokines provide precision but are costly and often impractical in low-resource settings. Imaging and molecular techniques deliver high accuracy but involve complex, laboratory-based procedures. Functional tests like counter movement jumps, limb circumference measurements, and pain pressure threshold offer a balance between cost and applicability. Conclusions. The review indicates that the subjective measures such as visual analogue scale and functional test like counter movement jump, limb circumferences and pain pressure threshold are ideal methods for EIMD assessment with some limitations. The review also emphasizes the need for innovative approaches to EIMD quantification.
Vitamin D supplementation attenuates exercise induced muscle damage: A meta-analysis of randomized control trials Journal of Physical Education and Sport, 2025 Purpose: This meta-analysis evaluated the effectiveness of vitamin D (Vit D) supplementation in reducing muscle damage, inflammation, and perceived muscle soreness.Methods: A structured literature search was performed Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases to identify relevant randomized controlled trials.Six studies comprising 209 participants (155 males, 54 females) met the inclusion criteria.Outcome measures included creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), serum cytokines, and visual analog scale (VAS) for muscle soreness.Post-exercise muscle damage was assessed by comparing the Vit D supplementation and placebo groups using participant numbers, mean differences, and standard deviations.Cohen's d was used to compute the standardized mean differences (SMDs) for each study group.These values were then weighted based on the inverse of their variance to give more importance to studies with more precise results.A random effects model was selected to estimate the total effect size along with a 95% CI.Results: The analysis revealed a moderate effect of Vit D supplementation on muscle damage markers (CK = -0.46,95% CI: -0.94, 0.02, LDH: -0.28, 95% CI: -0.87, -0.30) and inflammatory markers (Serum Cytokines: -0.50, 95% CI: -0.90, -0.11).Strongest impact was observed on perceived muscle soreness (Visual Analogue Scale: -1.34, 95% CI: -1.91, -0.77).Notable improvements were highlighted in Vit D dosage and intervention duration but lacked consistency among the outcomes which contributing further variation in findings.Conclusion: Vit D demonstrated a moderate effect on muscle damage and inflammatory processes, its strongest impact was observed on perceived muscle soreness.However, inconsistencies in dosage, intervention duration, and study protocols limit the ability to draw robust conclusions.Future research should emphasis on standardized protocols, larger sample sizes, and consideration of factors such as skin biosynthesis of Vit D, climatic conditions, and controlled muscle damage models to enhance the reliability of findings.
Benefits of Yogic Practice on Body Fat Composition in Obese Adults Parveen Kumar, Kuldeep Nara, Mastram . International Journal of Experimental Research and Review, 2024 Obesity is a worldwide concern and is increasing rapidly across the continents. Yoga can be used as a preventive method for obesity. Therefore, current research investigates the effects of a yoga intervention on body composition among male and female participants. A total of 39 obese adults (Female = 21) were randomly assigned to the 12-week yoga intervention. The study utilized paired sample t-tests and repeated measures ANOVA to assess changes over time and explore potential gender differences. Results revealed significant main effects of time across all measured variables, including subcutaneous fat, visceral fat, Body Mass Index (BMI), and Muscle Mass (MM), indicating notable changes in body composition over the intervention period. In males, the effect size (ES) of Fat (subcutaneous) was -0.55 [t = 5.225, (17), p < 0.05], showing moderate degree of effect, while significant but small degree of effects were observed in Fat (visceral) ES = -0.17 [t = 4.016 (17), p < 0.05], and BMI ES was -0.15 [t = 2.592, (17), P < 0.05]. Muscle mass revealed a higher degree of ES 0.95 [t = -5.006, (17), p < 0.05]. In females, yogic intervention showed a significant but small degree of effects noticed in Fat (subcutaneous) ES = -0.39 [ t = 4.464, (20), p < 0.05] and Fat (Visceral) ES = -0.24 [ t = 3.039 (20), p < 0.05] respectively. Training had No significant impact on BMI and muscle mass in female participants. While some gender differences were observed in the main effects, particularly in Muscle Mass, the interaction between time and gender was not statistically significant, suggesting that the intervention's effects were consistent across genders. The study concluded that yoga is an effective means of promoting positive changes in body composition for male participants. However, the results were statistically significant in females, but the degree of effects was small. Further research could explore additional factors influencing these changes and investigate long-term impacts beyond the intervention period.
Aging, personality, and teaching aptitude in school grade physical education teachers Bijender, Kuldeep Nara, Parveen Kumar Pedagogy of Physical Culture and Sports, 2023 Background and Study Aim. The primary objectives of the research were to examine the impact of aging on teaching aptitude, explore the association between personality traits and teaching effectiveness, and identify potential interactions between age, personality, and teaching aptitude. Material and Methods. Data were collected through standardized measures assessing teaching aptitude, personality traits, and demographic information. An intentional sampling with a survey group size of 283 physical education teachers (28.6% Female) including Trained Graduate Teachers (26.5%) and Post Graduate Teachers (73.5%) respectively. One-way analysis of variance, Pearson correlation coefficient, Hierarchical Regression, and mediation methods were used to analyze the obtained data. Results. Teaching aptitude was negatively related to chronological age (male, r = -.296, female, r = -.43), teaching experience (male, r = -.343, Female, r = -.326), and neuroticism (male, r = -.408, female, r = -.399). Extraversion, Openness, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness were positively related to teaching aptitude. Hierarchical Regression shows that gender has not explained significant variation among teaching aptitude after controlling the effects of personality traits and age (R2 square changes = .004). However, personality has partial mediating effects on the direct relationship between age and teaching aptitude. Conclusions. Teaching aptitude decreases with age in both genders. The decreasing teaching aptitude with age has significant implications on the education system. However, the personality traits of the teachers also changed with age. Teachers gained more neuroticism as aged. It is essential to identify the factors contributing to this phenomenon and develop strategies to mitigate its effects.
Normative reference values of grip strength, the prevalence of low grip strength, and factors affecting grip strength values in Indian adolescents Journal of Physical Education and Sport, 2023 Problem statement: Grip strength is important in clinical and research settings to identify individuals who may be at risk for poor health outcomes and to monitor the effectiveness of interventions aimed at improving grip strength.Purpose: To develop age-and sex-specific hand grip strength reference standards and to explore the potential factors causing poor grip strength for Indian adolescents.Methods: A total of 1000 students (50% girls) aged 12 -16 years were selected from the schools situated in different geographic divisions of North India using a probabilistic random cluster sampling.'Peak Isometric grip strength' was measured following a standardized procedure using a standard adjustable-handle Jamar dynamometer.Percentile curves for age and sex were calculated.Pearson coefficient correlation was used to find out the existing relationship between quantitative variables.Bivariate logistic regression (odd ratio) was calculated to explore the potential factors affecting hand grip strength.Age and sex-related standardized effect sizes for identified factors causing poor grip strength were expressed in graphical form.Results: The study revealed that the hand grip strength performance improved with age along with the analyzed percentiles and Boys had higher values compared to Girls.Body mass and body stature were positively correlated to hand grip strength.underweight (BMI<18.5)and low economic status were recognized as potential factors responsible for poor grip strength in Indian adolescents.Conclusions: Norms for hand grip strength were provided for adolescents aged 12 -16 years.The obtained findings will enable physicians and therapists to take grip strength as an index of health status in normal children and adolescents for identifying the clinical application of the study.
Determining the optimal duration of plyometric training for enhancing vertical jump performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis Deepak Kumar, Sandeep Dhull, Kuldeep Nara, Parveen Kumar Health Sport Rehabilitation, 2023 Introduction. Plyometric training is done in many ways, but countermovement jumps and squat jumps are easy and safe methods involving minimal use of equipment to increase lower body muscular power. There is enough evidence in the literature to support the notion that plyometric training increases vertical jump height. But the combination of countermovement jumps and squat jumps and its impact on vertical jump height is still unclear.Purpose. Therefore, to examine the importance of various plyometric training techniques, this meta-analytical evaluation was created. Materials and Methods: PubMed, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar databases were searched through August 2022. Empirical studies are expressed in the English language and issued within the last twenty-eight years. Included squat jump and countermovement jump interventions for improving vertical jump height. The studies used a training duration of a minimum of four weeks or above involving a control group included. As an approach to plyometric training that raises vertical jump height, the effects of countermovement jump and squat jump training were evaluated. To assess the level of heterogeneity, the I2 statistics were utilized. The value of I2 above 75% indicates significant heterogeneity and leads to the subgroup analysis method. Summary effects were calculated using standardized mean difference. With the help of the Cochrane tool, the risk of bias was assessed.Results: The 22 study results all met the enclosure criteria. The meta-analysis indicated that the total impact of squat jumps training had high effects on vertical jump height [Effect Size = 0.96, (95% CI,0.57 to 1.35)]. A moderate degree [Effect Size = 0.91, (95 % CI,0.46 to 1.37)] of effects of countermovement jumps training on vertical jump height was reported by included interventions. Lesser than 10 weeks of plyometric training intervention duration they probably had a small effect on countermovement jumps [Effect Size = 0.79, (95 % CI, 0.30 to 1.29)].Conclusion: Squat jumps and countermovement jumps are an efficient kind of training to increase the vertical jump height of male and female athletes, according to our study on plyometric training. Higher posttests mean differences were found in the studies including male subjects. The length of intervention has proportional effects on vertical jump height the recommended length of training should lie between 8 to 12 weeks. The effect size ranged between small to large degrees was observed in overall and subgroup analysis.
Grip strength performance as a determinant of body composition, muscular strength and cardiovascular endurance Kuldeep Nara, Parveen Kumar, Rohit Rathee, Sanjeev Kumar, Ravinder Pal Ahlawat, et al. Journal of Physical Education and Sport, 2022 Problem statement: Numerous fitness tests are usually administered to determine either muscular strength or cardiovascular endurance.Even though an ample number of tests exist to measure upper body muscular endurance and lower body maximal muscular strength, a single test that assesses both could be beneficial in some circumstances.Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine if a hand-grip strength test is a valid predictor of both muscular strength and cardiovascular endurance.Methods: Participants included 180 college students including both gender (male = 90, female = 90) (male, age 20.88 ± 2.85 yrs., height 170.14 ± 5.76 cm, weight 62.86 ± 10.06 kg), (female, age 20.41 ± 2.74 yrs, height 158.52 ± 5.91 cm, weight 54.97 ± 8.24 kg).Subjects performed the following tests of muscular strength and cardiovascular endurance: basketball throw for shoulder strength (B-Th), one-minute bent knee sit-ups for abdominal strength (SU), standing broad jump for leg strength (SBJ), and 600-meter run for cardiovascular endurance assessment.Subjects performed 3 trials of the dominant hand grip strength (HGS) test, after which the maximum value was recorded.Pearson bivariate correlation analyses were used to determine relationships between measures.Simple linear regression with enter method was performed to predict variation in hand grip strength performance through body composition, muscular strength, and cardiovascular endurance parameters.Results: In male participants, significant correlations were found between HGS and BMI (r = .532,p = .000),HGS and B-Th (r = .467,P < 0.05), HGS and SU (r = .505,P < 0.05), HGS and SBJ (r = .425,P < 0.05).A simple linear regression was calculated to predict BMI based on HGS.The regression was found statistically significant (R 2 = .532,F (1, 88) = 34.69,P < 0.05).Some similar outcomes were found in female participants.Statistically significant relationship was found between HGS and BMI (r = .559,P < 0.05), HGS and B-Th (r = .703,P < 0.05), HGS and SBJ (r = .438,P < 0.05).Conclusions: The hand grip dynamometer test was a predictor of muscular strength.No significant relationship was found between cardiovascular endurance and HGS of both genders.The correlations calculated implicate its usefulness as a method to predict muscular strength simply.
The compatibility of running-based anaerobic sprint test and Wingate anaerobic test: a systematic review and meta-analysis Kuldeep Nara, Parveen Kumar, Rohit Rathee, Jitender Kumar Pedagogy of Physical Culture and Sports, 2022 Background and Study Aim. The objective of the study was to perform a systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis to determine the validity of running-based sprint test in relation to 30 second Wingate anaerobic test.Material and Methods. A search of the relevant literature was done using the key words, ‘running-based anaerobic sprint test’, ‘RAST’, ‘Validity’ ‘repeated sprint’ and ‘Wingate’. Twelve studies including 368 participants were finalized to systematic review and meta-analysis. The mean ± standard deviation of the number of participants was 30.66 ± 16.17 years.Results. The summary of effects size were calculated to established the validity of running based sprint test (RAST) with 30 seconds Wingate test as a criterion measure. All studies indicate that effect size of Peak Power (PP) shows higher summary effects 0.58 (95%CI – 0.37, 0.79), similar outputs were observed for Mean Power (MP) 0.67 (95%CI – 0.45, 0.90). Therefore, the average outcomes were significantly different from zero.Conclusions. Running-based anaerobic sprint test is a valid alternative method of 30 seconds Wingate test to measure anaerobic power outputs of healthy individual belongs to various sports disciplines. Although, anaerobic capacity or power output is a determinant factor in power dominating sports. Therefore, RAST is compatible to laboratory-based Wingate 30 second anaerobic test (WAnT) in field-based settings.
