Physical Readiness Level for Military Service of Young Men with Signs of Neuropsychic Instability

Background: Teenagers having signs of neuropsychic instability (NPI) are at a risk of dysadaptation disturbances during conscription to army service.

Aims: To evaluate physical training indices of young men at conscription age with signs of neuropsychic instability (NPI).

Methods: The experimental group (EG) consisted of 30 young men with signs of NPI and the control group (CG) consisted of 30 young men without such signs. Power abilities were measured using several assessments and general working capacity was evaluated with the Harvard step-test (HST).

Results: The number of trial subjects with low power abilities in the EG was reasonably higher than in the CG. The most difficult exercises were pull-ups, arm extension from lying support on the floor and body bend from a lying position with arms on the nape of the neck. The exercise performance of 33% of the trial subjects from the EG and 3% of the trial subjects from the CG was evaluated as unsatisfactory. The differences in HST indices were found unsatisfactory (33% vs 10%, respectively) and subaverage (27% vs 6%, respectively). These scores were recorded among the EG significantly more often than among the CG. In addition, among the EG, the number of subjects with average scores was lower than among the CG (12% vs 27%, respectively).

Conclusion. The results indicate the negative tendency in the physical state of young men with signs of neuropsychic instability. It is evident that such young men need special training for military service.