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A Biomechanical Analysis Of Male And Female Intermediate Hurdlers And Steeplechasers, Laurence R. Bollschweiler

Theses and Dissertations

In the sport of track and field, proper hurdling technique is a complicated combination of various running and jumping kinematics. With most research having been done on sprint hurdling, there is a growing need for research on hurdling events of different lengths. The intermediate hurdles (IH) and the steeplechase (SC) are two events where there are a number of differences in hurdling technique. This study compared the differences in hurdling technique between events (IH and SC) as well as the differences in technique between genders. Subjects for this study consisted of 20 elite intermediate hurdlers (10 male, 10 female) and …

Towards An Understanding Of Salient Neighborhood Boundaries: Adolescent Reports Of An Easy Walking Distance And Convenient Driving Distance, Natalie Colabianchi, Marsha Dowda, Karin A. Pfeiffer, Dwayne E. Porter, Maria João Ca Almeida, Russell R. Pate

Faculty Publications

Numerous studies have examined the association between the surrounding neighborhood environment and physical activity levels in adolescents. Many of these studies use a road network buffer or Euclidean distance buffer around an adolescent's home to represent the appropriate geographic area for study (i.e., neighborhood). However, little empirical research has examined the appropriate buffer size to use when defining this area and there is little consistency across published research as to the buffer size used. In this study, 909 12th grade adolescent girls of diverse racial and geographic backgrounds were asked to report their perceptions of an easy walking distance and …

Consistent Self-Monitoring Of Weight: A Key Component Of Successful Weight Loss Maintenance, Meghan L. Butryn, Suzanne Phelan, James O. Hill, Rena R. Wing

Kinesiology and Public Health

Objective: The objectives were to investigate the characteristics associated with frequent self-weighing and the relationship between self-weighing and weight loss maintenance.
Research Methods and Procedures: Participants (n = 3003) were members of the National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) who had lost ≥30 lbs, kept it off for ≥1 year, and had been administered the self-weighing frequency assessment used for this study at baseline (i.e., entry to the NWCR). Of these, 82% also completed the one-year follow-up assessment.
Results: At baseline, 36.2% of participants reported weighing themselves at least once per day, and more frequent weighing was associated with lower BMI …

Communicator, Dec. 2007, San Jose State University, Department Of Kinesiology

Communicator (Kinesiology)

Volume 20, Issue 2

Acl Deficiency Affects Stride-To-Stride Variability As Measured Using Nonlinear Methodology, Constantina O. Moraiti, Nikolaos Stergiou, Stavros Ristanis, Anastasios D. Georgoulis

Journal Articles

Previous studies suggested that the small fluctuations present in movement patterns from one stride to the next during walking can be useful in the investigation of various pathological conditions. Previous studies using nonlinear measures have resulted in the development of the “loss of complexity hypothesis” which states that disease can affect the variability and decrease the complexity of a system, rendering it less able to adjust to the ever changing environmental demands. The nonlinear measure of the Lyapunov Exponent (LyE) has already been used for the assessment of stride-to-stride variability in the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) deficient knee in comparison …

Low Back Pain Among College Athletes - A Survey Of Basketball Players, Swimmers, Track And Field Athletes And Nonathletic Controls, Nicholas Bacon

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Study Design. Cross-sectional survey among athletes competing at the collegiate level in basketball, swimming, and track and field, as well as a matched nonathletic control group. Objective. To compare the prevalence of low back pain between sports: basketball, swimming, and track and field, as well as nonathletic control group. Summary of Background Data. With conflicting reports, it is not clear whether athletes are at higher risk for low back pain when compared to nonathletic counterparts. Some literature has found that low back pain was less common in former elite athletes when compared to nonathletes; however, much of the literature supports …

Exercise Induced Hypervolemia: Role Of Exercise Mode, William Bradley Nelson

Theses and Dissertations

The supine posture has been shown to limit exercise-induced plasma volume expansion. Differences in hydrostatic pressure gradients between the standing and seated position indicate that treadmill exercise might promote a greater plasma volume expansion than cycle ergometer exercise. To test this hypothesis ten subjects performed intermittent high intensity exercise (4 min at 85% VO2max, 5 min at 40% VO2max repeated 8 times) on separate days on the treadmill and cycle ergometer. Changes in plasma volume expansion were calculated from changes in hematocrit and hemoglobin. Stroke volume (SV), trans-thoracic impedance (Z0), HR, and arterial blood pressure (non-invasive arm cuff, SBP & …

Comparison Of A Low Carbohydrate And Low Fat Diet For Weight Maintenance In Overweight Or Obese Adults Enrolled In A Clinical Weight Management Program, James D. Lecheminant, Cheryl A. Gibson, Debra K. Sullivan, Sandra Hall, Rik Washburn, Mary C. Vernon, Chelsea Curry, Elizabeth Stewart, Eric C. Westman, Joseph E. Donnelly

Faculty Publications

Background: Recent evidence suggests that a low carbohydrate (LC) diet may be equally or more effective for short-term weight loss than a traditional low fat (LF) diet; however, less is known about how they compare for weight maintenance. The purpose of this study was to compare body weight (BW) for participants in a clinical weight management program, consuming a LC or LF weight maintenance diet for 6 months following weight loss. Methods: Fifty-five (29 low carbohydrate diet; 26 low fat diet) overweight/obese middle-aged adults completed a 9 month weight management program that included instruction for behavior, physical activity (PA), and …

Why Do High School Seniors Drink? Implications For A Targeted Approach To Intervention, Donna L. Coffman, Megan E. Patrick, Lori Ann Palen, Brittany L. Rhoades, Alison K. Ventura

Kinesiology and Public Health

The transition from high school to college provides a potentially critical window to intervene and reduce risky behavior among adolescents. Understanding the motivations (e.g., social, coping, enhancement) behind high school seniors’ alcohol use could provide one important avenue to reducing risky drinking behaviors. In the present study, latent class analysis was used to examine the relationship between different patterns of drinking motivations and behaviors in a sample of 12th graders (N = 1,877) from the 2004 Monitoring the Future survey. Unlike previous variable-centered analyses, this person-centered approach identifies types of motivations that cluster together within individuals and relates membership …

Internal Disinhibition Predicts Weight Regain Following Weight Loss And Weight Loss Maintenance, Heather M. Niemeier, Suzanne Phelan, Joseph L. Fava, Rena R. Wing

Kinesiology and Public Health

Objective: The disinhibition scale of the Eating Inventory predicts weight loss outcome; however, it may include multiple factors. The purpose of this study was to examine the factor structure of the disinhibition scale and determine how its factors independently relate to long-term weight loss outcomes.
Research Methods and Procedures: Exploratory factor analysis of the disinhibition scale was conducted on 286 participants in a behavioral weight loss trial (TRIM), and confirmatory factor analysis was conducted on 3345 members of the National Weight Control Registry (NWCR), a registry of successful weight loss maintainers. Multivariate regressions were used to examine the relationships between …

Empirical Evaluation Of Physical Activity Recommendations For Weight Control In Women, Suzanne Phelan, Marta Roberts, Wei Lang, Rena R. Wing

Kinesiology and Public Health

Purpose:Recent recommendations advise 30-60 min of physical activity per day to prevent weight gain and 60-90 min to prevent weight regain. No studies have used objective measures of physical activity to verify these public health recommendations. The purpose of this study was to use objective measures to quantify the amount and intensity of physical activity in a weight-loss-maintainer group and an always-normal-weight group, and, thus, empirically evaluate the recommendations for prevention of weight gain versus regain.

Methods: The weight-loss-maintainer group (N= 135) lost ≥ 30.6 kg, maintained ≥ 10% weight loss for 14.2 yr, and had a BMI of …

Approximate Entropy Detects The Effect Of A Secondary Cognitive Task On Postural Control In Healthy Young Adults: A Methodological Report, James T. Cavanaugh, Vicki S. Mercer, Nikolaos Stergiou

Journal Articles

Background: Biomechanical measures of postural stability, while generally useful in neuroscience and physical rehabilitation research, may be limited in their ability to detect more subtle influences of attention on postural control. Approximate entropy (ApEn), a regularity statistic from nonlinear dynamics, recently has demonstrated relatively good measurement precision and shown promise for detecting subtle change in postural control after cerebral concussion. Our purpose was to further explore the responsiveness of ApEn by using it to evaluate the immediate, short-term effect of secondary cognitive task performance on postural control in healthy, young adults.

Methods: Thirty healthy, young adults performed a modified version …

Effects Of Placement, Attachment, And Weight Classification On Pedometer Accuracy, Susan V. Graser, William J. Vincent, Robert P. Pangrazi

Faculty Publications

The purpose was to determine if waist placement of the pedometer affected accuracy in normal, overweight, and obese children, when attaching the pedometer to the waistband or a belt. Methods: Seventy-seven children (ages 10-12 years) wore 5 pedometers on the waistband of their pants and a belt at the following placements: navel (NV), anterior midline of the right thigh (AMT), right side (RS), posterior midline of the right thigh (PMT), and middle of the back (MB). Participants walked 100 steps on a treadmill at 80 m · min–1. Results: The RS, PMT, and MB sites on the waistband and the …

Three-Year Weight Change In Successful Weight Losers Who Lost Weight On A Low-Carbohydrate Diet, Suzanne Phelan, Holly Wyatt, Shirine Nassery, Julia Dibello, Joseph L. Fava, James O. Hill, Rena R. Wing

Kinesiology and Public Health

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate long-term weight loss and eating and exercise behaviors of successful weight losers who lost weight using a low-carbohydrate diet.
Research Methods and Procedures: This study examined 3-year changes in weight, diet, and physical activity in 891 subjects (96 low-carbohydrate dieters and 795 others) who enrolled in the National Weight Control Registry between 1998 and 2001 and reported ≥ 30-lb weight loss and ≥ 1 year weight loss maintenance.
Results: Only 10.8% of participants reported losing weight after a low-carbohydrate diet. At entry into the study, low-carbohydrate diet users reported consuming more …

Impact Of Weight Loss On The Metabolic Syndrome, Suzanne Phelan, T. A. Wadden, R. I. Berkowitz, D. B. Sarwer, L. G. Womble, R. K. Cato, R. Rothman

Kinesiology and Public Health

Objective:
To evaluate the effects of weight loss on the risk of having metabolic syndrome after 1 year of treatment with lifestyle modification alone, pharmacotherapy alone (sibutramine) or the combination of the two.

Design:
Randomized, controlled, 1-year clinical trial.

Patients:
One hundred and eighty women and 44 men, 18–65 years of age, with a body mass index of 30–45 kg/m2, free of uncontrolled hypertension or type 1 or 2 diabetes.

Intervention:
Fifteen milligrams of sibutramine per day alone, lifestyle modification counseling alone, sibutramine plus lifestyle modification counseling or sibutramine plus brief lifestyle modification counseling.

Measurements:
The metabolic syndrome, as defined …

Communicator, Sept. 2007, San Jose State University, Department Of Kinesiology

Communicator (Kinesiology)

Volume 20, Issue 1

Effects Of Age And Gender On Physical Performance, Vanina Bongard, Ann Y. Mcdermott, Gerard E. Dallal, Ernst J. Schaefer

Kinesiology and Public Health

Our purpose was to examine the effects of age and gender on physical performance. We assessed a one-hour swimming performance and participation of 4,271 presumably healthy men and women, aged 19–91 years, from the 2001–2003 United States Masters Swimming long-distance (1 h) national competition. The decline in performance with increasing age was found to be quadratic rather than linear. The equation which best fit variation in 1 h swimming distance in meters (m) according to variations in age in years (y) in men was: distance (m) = 4058 + 2.18 age−0.29 age (http://www.acsmmsse.org/pt/re/msse/positionstandards.htm;jsessionid=DiRVACC7YS3mq27s5kV3vwpEVSokmmD1ZJLC7pdnol3KcfoSu0t!1096311956!-949856145!9001!-1), with the same equation for women except …

Peripheral Arterial Disease Affects Ground Reaction Forces During Walking, Melissa Scott-Pandorf, Nikolaos Stergiou, Jason Johanning, Leon Robinson, Thomas G. Lynch, Iraklis Pipinos

Journal Articles

Objective: Claudication is the most common manifestation of peripheral arterial disease (PAD), producing significant ambulatory compromise. The gait of claudicating patients has been evaluated using primarily temporal and spatial parameters. With the present study, we used advanced biomechanical measures to further delineate the ambulatory impairment of claudicating patients. We hypothesized that the claudicating legs of PAD patients have an altered kinetic gait pattern compared with normal legs from control subjects.

Methods: Ambulation kinetics (ground reaction forces) were evaluated in claudicating patients and compared with age-matched healthy controls. Forces were analyzed in the vertical, anterior–posterior, and medial–lateral directions. Time from heel …

Frontal Plane Knee Alignment: A Call For Standardized Measurement, T. Derek V. Cooke, Elizabeth A. Sled, R. Allan Scudamore

Allied Health Faculty Publications

Evaluations of knee alignment are useful in the diagnosis of arthritic conditions affecting the knee joint, serving also as a guide for conservative management and surgical planning. They are also fundamental to various aspects of musculo-skeletal research. Recently, there has been great interest in frontal plane alignment measures related to the pathogenesis of knee osteoarthritis (OA). Several approaches have been proposed over the years to describe and measure alignment, but the differences between them have made it difficult to compare or correlate the results of independent studies. Toward a standard approach to the measurement and reporting of alignment data that …

Plasma Volume And Albumin Mrna Expression In Exercise Trained Rats, Nathan Alex Bexfield

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction- Exercise-induced plasma volume (PV) expansion is typically associated with an increase in plasma albumin content. Increased hepatic albumin synthesis, a transcriptionally regulated process, is thought to contribute to the increase in albumin content. Objective- We tested the hypothesis that exercise training induces an increase in albumin gene expression in relationship to the increase in PV. Methods and Results- 40 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing between 245-350 grams were randomly assigned to one of four groups: cage control (CC); sham exercise 10 min/day at 48% VO2max (NE); continuous exercise training, 60 min /day at 72% VO2max (LI); and high intensity, …

Pparα L162v Underlies Variation In Serum Triglycerides And Subcutaneous Fat Volume In Young Males, Julieta Uthurralt, Heather Gordish-Dressman, Meg Bradbury, Carolina Tesi-Rocha, Joseph Devaney, Brennan Harmon, Erica K. Reeves, Cinzia Brandoli, Barbara C. Hansen, Richard L. Siep, Paul D. Thompson, Thomas B. Price, Theodore J. Angelopoulos, Priscilla M. Clarkson

Priscilla M. Clarkson

Background: Of the five sub-phenotypes defining metabolic syndrome, all are known to have strong genetic components (typically 50–80% of population variation). Studies defining genetic predispositions have typically focused on older populations with metabolic syndrome and/or type 2 diabetes. We hypothesized that the study of younger populations would mitigate many confounding variables, and allow us to better define genetic predisposition loci for metabolic syndrome. Methods: We studied 610 young adult volunteers (average age 24 yrs) for metabolic syndrome markers, and volumetric MRI of upper arm muscle, bone, and fat pre- and post-unilateral resistance training. Results: We found the PPARα L162V polymorphism …

The Effects Of Movement On Literacy., Kathy S. Luppe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to extend the knowledge of the relationship between movement and cognition by examining the impact of a sensory-motor program on the literacy skills of first grade learners from one elementary school in East Tennessee.

Literacy skills were evaluated using five subtests of the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) assessment.

A 2 x 2 x 2 mixed factorial MANOVA was used to analyze group, gender, and test time effects on multiple dependent variables. The analysis yielded a statistically significant result (p < .05) in gains for the movement group and a …

Do Horizontal Propulsive Forces Influence The Nonlinear Structure Of Locomotion?, Max J. Kurz, Nikolaos Stergiou

Journal Articles

Background: Several investigations have suggested that changes in the nonlinear gait dynamics are related to the neural control of locomotion. However, no investigations have provided insight on how neural control of the locomotive pattern may be directly reflected in changes in the nonlinear gait dynamics. Our simulations with a passive dynamic walking model predicted that toe-off impulses that assist the forward motion of the center of mass influence the nonlinear gait dynamics. Here we tested this prediction in humans as they walked on the treadmill while the forward progression of the center of mass was assisted by a custom built …

Two-State Model Of Acto-Myosin Attachment-Detachment Predicts C-Process Of Sinusoidal Analysis, Bradley M. Palmer, Takeki Suzuki, Yuan Wang, William D. Barnes, Mark S. Miller, David W. Maughan

Mark S. Miller

The force response of activated striated muscle to length perturbations includes the so-called C-process, which has been considered the frequency domain representation of the fast single-exponential force decay after a length step (phases 1 and 2). The underlying molecular mechanisms of this phenomenon, however, are still the subject of various hypotheses. In this study, we derived analytical expressions and created a corresponding computer model to describe the consequences of independent acto-myosin cross-bridges characterized solely by 1), intermittent periods of attachment (t(att)) and detachment (t(det)), whose values are stochastically governed by independent probability density functions; and 2), a finite Hookian stiffness …

Junior High Students' Perceptions Of The Fitnessgram Fitness Test, Emily Mcomber Welch

Theses and Dissertations

The Fitnessgram is a battery of fitness tests designed for children and adolescents. These tests include aerobic capacity, body composition, muscle strength and endurance, and flexibility. Students are not compared to each other, rather to health fitness standards, specific to age and gender, which indicate good health. The purpose of this study was to identify student perceptions of the Fitnessgram fitness test. This study used surveys (N=82), and follow-up focus-group interviews (N=16) to identify student perceptions of the Fitnessgram fitness test. Results using the constant comparative method revealed three major categories: (1) students' perceptions of the purpose of fitness testing, …

Muscle Activation In Coupled Scapulohumeral Motions In The High Performance Tennis Serve, William B. Kibler, T. Jeff Chandler, Robert Shapiro, Michael Conuel

Research, Publications & Creative Work

Objective: To evaluate muscle activation patterns in selected scapulohumeral muscles in the tennis serve. These patterns of muscle activation have not been evaluated in other studies of the tennis serve. Fine wire and surface EMG was used to calculate onset and offset timing of muscle activation.

Design: Controlled laboratory study.

Setting: Biomechanical laboratory.

Subjects: 16 tennis players (age 18–40) with rated skills (National Tennis Rating Program (NTRP) rating 4.5– 6.5; club tournament level or higher) were subjects.

Main outcomes measure: Dependent variables of muscle activation onset and offset as well as sequencing of the stabilising muscles of the scapula (upper …

The Influence Of Performance Level And Setting On Collegiate Athletes' Motivational Profiles, Shareen Brooke Smith

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if motivational profiles of individual collegiate team sport athletes differ across ability levels (High, Middle, and Low) and settings (Team Practice, Competition, and Personal Practice). The athletes task and ego disposition, autonomy, and contextual motivation, were assessed using the Perception of Success Questionnaire (POSQ), Sport Climate Questionnaire (SCQ), and Sport Motivational Scale (SMS), pre and postseason. Their anxiety levels and situational motivation were measured using the Sport Anxiety Scale (SAS) and the Situational Motivational Scale (SIMS) during the season. The General Causality Orientations Scale (GCOS) was used pre and postseason to assess …

Mechanical Power And Efficiency Of Level Walking With Different Stride Rates, Brian R. Umberger, Philip E. Martin

Philip E. Martin

Walking humans prefer to use the stride rate that results in the lowest rate of metabolic energy expenditure. Mechanical power requirements have been suggested to underlie the metabolic response, but mechanical power is consistently reported to be minimal at stride rates 20–30% lower than preferred. This may be due to limitations in how total mechanical power has been computed, as well as a failure to account for the efficiency with which muscular work is done. We investigated how mechanical power and efficiency depend on stride rate in walking, with both quantities computed from the work done by the hip, knee …

Tibial Rotation In Anterior Cruciate Ligament (Acl)-Deficient And Acl-Reconstructed Knees, Nikolaos Stergiou, Stavros Ristanis, Constantina O. Moraiti, Anastasios D. Georgoulis

Journal Articles

Excessive tibial rotation has been documented in ACL deficiency during walking. ACL reconstruction has been unable to correct this abnormality in activities that are more demanding than walking and involve both anterior and rotational loading of the knee. These findings persist regardless of graft selection for the ACL reconstruction [bone-patellar tendon-bone (BPTB) or semitendinosus-gracilis (ST/G)]. Based on this research work, we propose a theoretical perspective for the development of osteoarthritis in both the ACL deficient and the ACL reconstructed knee. We propose that excessive tibial rotation will lead to abnormal loading of the cartilage areas that are not commonly loaded …

Development And Analysis Of A Software Package To Quantify In Vivo Polyethylene Wear After Total Hip Arthroplasty, Allison Kinney, Catherine G. Ambrose

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Since the first total hip arthroplasty (THA) in 1938, THA evolved and developed into one of the major concentrations of orthopaedic research. The typical hip implant device used today incorporates a femoral and an acetabular component that serve to replicate the anatomical and mechanical functions of the natural hip joint. However, several problems exist that can effect the function of the implant device. Wear in the polyethylene liner of the acetabular component of the total hip replacement device is known as one of the major factors that affects the longevity of total hip replacement devices. Both manual and computer-aided techniques …