Assessing Impact of Smoking on Skeletal Muscle Strength among Walter Sisulu University Students, Eastern Cape Province in South Africa

Document Type : Original Article

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Department of Human Physiology Laboratory, Faculty of Health Sciences, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha, South Africa

Abstract

Background: Cigarette smoking is a risk factor which causes death in the whole world. Previous studies have focused more attention on the deleterious effects of smoking for high mortality diseases such as cancer and diseases of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, with less research attention on other body systems such as the musculoskeletal system.
Aim of the study: Aim of this study was to investigate the effects of cigarette smoking on muscle strength among Walter Sisulu University students.
Methodology: Smoking and non-smoking male participants aged between 18 to 24 years were recruited, 30 smokers and 33 non-smokers in the study. Participants were asked to complete a questionnaire. Body composition was assessed using Omron BF 511 and muscle strength by hand Grip strength was measured using PowerLab 26T, connected to computer.
Results: Muscle strength as assessed by Endurance and dynamic time were significantly higher in non-smokers than smokers [28.4±9.3 vs 20.9±10.2; p=0.000963] and [26.8±9.5 vs 18.2±9.5, p=0.000301] respectively. Also, muscle percentage was significantly higher in non-smokers than smokers, [42.0[3.5] vs 37.5 [8.0]; p= 0.025].
Conclusion: muscle strength of the smokers group was lower than that of non-smokers among Walter Sisulu University students as assessed by hand grip dynamometer PowerLab 26T.

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