Relation between quality of life and body strength in healthy workers

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify relationship between Quality of Life (QoL) and Body Strength of healthy workers, measured with the Short-Form Health Survey SF36 and three muscle strength test for Chest, Back and Leg respectively. Sample was formed by 265 healthy workers 93 men (37,47 ± 8,27 years) and 172 female (38,10 ± 7,86 years). Men showed higher values of body strength than female in all test with significant differences (p<0.01). Likewise, men show higher scores than Female in all dimensions of SF36, but significant differences for men and female were presents only in Physical Functioning (p<0.01) and Role Physical (p<0.05) scales. We founded significant correlations between pectoral strength test and leg strength test with SF36 scales in Physical Functioning, Role Physical, Bodily Pain, Vitality and Mental Health; and the dorsal strength test in Physical Functioning, Bodily Pain, Vitality and Mental Health. Results showed that higher values on body strength are related to higher scores in SF36 scales; these suggest that the more values of body strength the more Qol perception.