PANDEMIC EFFECTS AT PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOSOCIAL LEVEL OF THE ATHLETES

Abstract

The pandemic COVID-19 has globally affected the physical activity behavior, forcing many people to isolate themselves for a long period of time. These actions caused and increased sedentary behaviors such as excessive sitting or using mobile devices. The lockdown and sedentary behavior have affected the health status and decreased the physical fitness, weakening one’s body and inducing a low immunological response. The aim of the study was to determine how elite handball players were affected at physical and mental during the restrictions imposed by the spreading of the SARS - CoV - 2 virus. A questionnaire-based survey was used to conduct the study. For the questionnaire design we used Likert style with three or five level items. The participants voluntarily consented to anonymously participate in our study before completing the questionnaire. The participants were informed that the data would be used only for scientific purpose. The results of our study suggest that pandemic negatively influenced the sport preparation of the handball players due the fact that subjects trained themselves for a period of over 2 months and that meant a reduction of the physical activity (influencing the physical fitness level) to half comparing to a collective preparation for competition. At mental level more than 2/3 felt an increased level of anxiety due to the pandemic, the way that their life was changed and worries concerning their personal and professional future. This period of incertitude had a negative impact at mental level confirming our hypothesis.