Health and Physical Education Commons^™

Attitudes And Self-Efficacy Of Swimming Coaches Towards The Inclusion Of Swimmers With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Eleftheria Kasagianni, Dimitrios Kokaridas, Panagiotis Varsamis, Vasilis Tsimaras

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

The purpose of this study was to investigate the attitudes and self-efficacy of swimming coaches regarding the inclusion of swimmers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The sample consisted of 150 Greek swimming coaches with an average age of 29.58 years. Each participant completed the Swimming Coaches Attitudes towards Inclusion Questionnaire for perceptions assessment and the Biddle and Goudas (1997) self-efficacy questionnaire. The statistical analysis used SPSS 27 to calculate Cronbach’s alpha, Pearson product-moment correlations, independent t-tests, and ANOVA. The findings of the study showed that the swimming coaches expressed positive attitudes and a high percentage of perceived self-efficacy towards the …

‘You Have To Respect The Water’: Participant Experiences Of Appreciating And Managing The Risks Associated With Open Water Swimming – A Rapid Ethnographic Study, Mark A. Christie, David Elliott

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Open water swimming (OWS) has rapidly grown in popularity, driven by the purported health benefits of cold-water immersion. A paucity of research remains specifically considering the notable risks inherent in OWS participation, and a lack of qualitative research on freshwater swimming experiences, and safety-related issues therein. This rapid ethnographic study, based at a dedicated OWS lake in the UK, conducted semi-structured interviews with OWS participants (n=17; female=11, male=6). Two core themes emerged: environmental issues impacting OWS experiences and behaviours; and knowledge and education of OWS which highlighted safe/unsafe practices, levels of education for managing risks, personal preparedness, swimming solo/with others, …

Barriers: Location, Functionality, And Method Of Access In Childhood Pool/Spa Submersion Incidents, United States, 2000-2017, Alison Miller, Kristina R. Anderson, William D. Ramos

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Drowning is a leading cause of fatality among children in the United States, and residential pools/spas currently account for as much as 80% of these submersion incidents. This study reviewed narrative case reports obtained from the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to understand barrier location, type, and functionality as methods of pool/spa access for childhood submersion incidents. Retroactive analysis of 1,523 fatal and non-fatal submersion incidents among children aged 13 years old and younger was conducted using the CPSC in depth investigation dataset from 2000-2017. Narrative descriptions were coded according to the attributes of barrier location, functionality, and …

Lay Rescuer Equipment Preferences And Efficacy During A Simulated Drowning Event, Alison M. Miller, William D. Ramos, Kristina R. Anderson, Jill Cuvala

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

During a drowning incident where a lifeguard is not present, a bystander – referred to as a lay rescuer - may put themselves in danger by attempting a rescue. When lay rescuers can avoid entering the water by using rescue equipment to help a drowning victim, it serves to not only help the person actively drowning, but also provides a layer of protection to a lay rescuer. This study sought to examine the following questions: (a) which pieces of rescue equipment were preferred by lay rescuers at pre-determined short and long distances, (b) do lay rescuers select appropriate rescue equipment …

A Research Framework To Improve Evidence-Based Practice Surrounding The Resuscitation Response To Drowning In Surf Lifesaving, Elissa Hooper, Aaron T. Scanlan, Shayne D. Baker, Samantha Fien

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Surf lifesaving members are essential first responders who patrol public waterways, performing rescues and resuscitation to individuals in the community when needed. In this way, surf lifesaving members experience arduous physical requirements alongside extensive psychological stress during resuscitation. Surf Life Saving Queensland (SLSQ) represents the predominant, frontline lifesaving service in Queensland, Australia; however, little research has explored key aspects of drowning resuscitations involving this organisation, as well as in the broader lifesaving industry, limiting our current understanding on this vital topic. We sought to explore key aspects of drowning resuscitations within SLSQ and create a framework to generate evidence-based practice. …

Perceived And Real Water Competency And Drowning Risk Among Adults, Teresa Stanley, Kevin Moran, Dawn Garbett, Alan Ovens

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Traditionally, public understanding of drowning survival has focused on swimming capacity, often measured by how far a person can swim. With respect to the high incidence of adult drowning in high-income countries, using the more inclusive concept of water competency may yield a more comprehensive explanatory framework for understanding the reasons behind these drownings. Any competency base required to survive a drowning situation is dynamic, complex, and multi-faceted. Furthermore, perceptions of risk and capacity to cope with that risk are likely to be pivotal to the avoidance of drowning. Adults’ perceived water competence was measured against their actual water competence …

Innovative Virtual Wellness Interventions At An Academic Medical Center: A Pilot Feasibility Study, Ritika Baweja, Michael Hayes, Aditya Joshi, Raman Baweja

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: There is generally a concerning likelihood of burnout in healthcare workers. Given the impact of COVID-19 on healthcare workers, our institution identified the need for wellness interventions to foster adaptive functioning and mitigate burnout. The purpose of this pilot project was to assess the feasibility of virtual holistic interventions like meditation, art, laughter therapy and dance and their impact on overall well-being of physicians and advanced practice providers (APPs).

Methods: A series of 12 virtual sessions (art therapy, dance therapy, mindfulness-based practices/meditation and laughter therapy) were offered to providers over a 6-month period. Participants completed an online survey reporting …

Effects Of Aging On Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption: A Preliminary Study, Steven Klepacz

Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences ETDs

Aging and excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) is something that has not been adequately studied. Studies looking at EPOC mostly are compiled of young college age individuals. Aging in humans is a topic of much research with still more to be learned. The study in this paper attempts to answer the question of whether age affects EPOC when performing a certain exercise. Preliminary findings based on general age-related research suggest the possibility. This thesis will explore the current research related to age and EPOC, analyze the findings, and discuss additional avenues for future research.

In This Issue (14:1), Stephen J. Langendorfer Ph.D.

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

In This Issue 14:1 introduces and overviews the research and education articles and position statement associated with the first issue of the fourteenth volume of the International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education.

Meeting, Moving, Mastering - A Text Analysis Of The Aesthetic Attractions Of 'Wild Swimming', Dagmar Dahl, Åsa I. Bäckström

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Why are people fascinated by swimming in nature? This article addresses the aesthetic experiences of wild swimming as expressed by five wild swimming authors in their books. Drawing from aesthetic philosophy, we analyze the ways in which the appeal of wild swimming is described on three levels: the allure of water in the environment, the sensory encounter between water and the body, and the experience of moving in water. Furthermore, with reference to Seel’s concept of nature aesthetics (1996), the experience of wild swimming is analyzed in terms of contemplation, correspondence, and imagination. We can conclude that the special intensity …

Which Stroke Next? All Strokes Next! Part Two: Strokes For Intermediate And Advanced Swimmers, Robert Keig Stallman, Ebbe L. Horneman, Nils O. Vikander, Alexander Mwaipasi, Bente W. H. Laakso, Haakon - Paavo L. Nysted, Toni Ongala

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

The primary goal of this two-part project is to answer the rhetorical question of which strokes should be taught first, and which later (Langendorfer, 2013, Stallman, 2014a). As you have seen in Part One, we emphasize (as have many others) the need for a firm foundation before any stroke is introduced. When the learner is ready for propulsive motor competencies, there is no stroke which suits all as their first. In Part One we explored the “beginning strokes” all of which are candidates for any given learner’s first stroke. We also argued that after mastering their very first stroke the …

Towards A Globalised Vision Of Aquatic Competence, Rita F. Pinto, Juan Antonio Moreno Murcia

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Human interaction with the aquatic environment has always taken different forms to meet the needs of pleasure, survival, therapy or performance. The diversity of existing aquatic spaces presents itself as a challenge, due to their variety, dynamism, unpredictability and unrepeatable conditions. These factors potentiate an infinite number of possibilities for human response in interaction with the aquatic environment, with aquatic competence being the one that will be able to sustain all types of interaction. Thus, the aim of the proposal has been to present a new approach to the contextualisation of aquatic competence. After a literature review on the concept …

Revisiting The Metaphorical Concept Of “No Strokes First - All Strokes First”: Part One - Beginning Strokes, Robert Keig Stallman Ph.D., Alex Mwaipasi, Ebbe Laakso Horneman, Nils Olof Vikander, Bente Wäinösdatter Horneman Laakso, Haakon-Paavo Laakso Nysted, Toni Ongala

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

The aim of this article is to address the familiar question “Which swimming stroke should be taught first?” The discussion is usually focused on breaststroke versus crawl. Provoked by these naïve discussions of which stroke should be taught first (as if stroking equals swimming, which it emphatically does NOT), the question was answered metaphorically in an earlier article “No Stroke First – All Strokes First” (Stallman, 2008a). Here in Part I we identify and describe six strokes, all of which might be a candidate for any learners ‘very first’ stroke. We describe them as beginning strokes. Having identified and learned …

Wellness Review 2022, Part 2, Martin Huecker, Brian A. Ferguson, Jacob Shreffler

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Similar to prior reviews, the Journal of Wellness editors searched the literature from the second half of 2022 for an interesting and impactful selection of publications on wellness in healthcare professionals.

Methods: Editors conducted a standard keyword search in Pubmed, focusing chiefly on large journals, interventional trials, and other prospective research. We included papers published between July 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022.

Literature in Review: Finding several hundred publications, we excluded editorials, reviews, and some smaller, less generalizable papers. A final 25 significant studies focusing on wellness in medical professionals were sorted into the following categories: logistics, creativity …

An Exploratory Study Of The Effects Of Aquatic Walking On Function And Muscle Activity In Knee Osteoarthritis: Part 2, John M. Coons, Brandon Grubbs, Conor Theiss, Vaughn W. Barry, Sandra Stevens

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

This paper presents Part 2 of a study that investigated the effects of an 8-week (3x/week) underwater treadmill (UT) walking intervention on knee osteoarthritis (KOA) outcomes in 6 adults with KOA (62.7 ± 14.2 years). The Knee Outcome Survey (KOS) for activities of daily living and muscle activity during a 10-m walk and a 20 cm step down were measured before and after the intervention. The following KOS measures improved after the UT walking program (p < 0.05; g > 0.8): stiffness, swelling, weakness, walking, going up stairs, going downstairs, kneeling on the front of the knee, squatting, and sitting with the …

An Exploratory Study Of Aquatic Walking On Symptoms And Functional Limitations In Persons With Knee Osteoarthritis: Part 1, John M. Coons, Brandon Grubbs, Vaughn W. Barry, Ryan T. Conners, Sandra Stevens

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

This paper represents Part 1 of a study that explored the effects of an underwater treadmill (UT) walking program on pain and function in adults with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). The Western Ontario & McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), numerical rating scale (NRS), timed up-and-go (TUG), and 10-m walk were assessed in 6 adults (62.7 ±14.2 years) who participated in an 8-week (3x/wk) UT walking intervention based on the Arthritis Foundation’s Walk With Ease (WWE) program. Walking pace was self-selected, and walking duration of each session was increased from 10 to 45 minutes throughout the study. Knee pain and function were …

The Real-Time Classification Of Competency Swimming Activity Through Machine Learning, Larry Powell, Seth Polsley, Drew Casey, Tracy Hammond

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Every year, an average of 3,536 people die from drowning in America. The significant factors that cause unintentional drowning are people’s lack of water safety awareness and swimming proficiency. Current industry and research trends regarding swimming activity recognition and commercial motion sensors focus more on lap swimming utilized by expert swimmers and do not account for freeform activities. Enhancing swimming education through wearable technology can aid people in learning efficient and effective swimming techniques and water safety. We developed a novel wearable system capable of storing and processing sensor data to categorize competitive and survival swimming activities on a mobile …

Sit Less, Move More: A National Study Of Physical-Activity Behavior And Cancer, Stella O. Nwogugu

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Background: Physical activity is associated with lower risks of cancer, the second leading cause of death among Americans. Yet, sedentary behavior is the prevailing lifestyle for about 80% of American adults. Additionally, cancer survivors remain significantly inactive, even though physical activity has been shown to decrease risk of cancer and cancer recurrence, improve tolerance of cancer therapy, and reduce mortality. This research explores the relative impact of personal agency, social support, and key demographic variables on physical-activity behavior for a national sample of adults as well as how these relationships differ for cancer survivors and their counterparts.

Methods: Using the …

Enhancing The Quality Of Life For Senior Citizens: A Facilitator’S Guidebook For Mindful Music And Movement, Shannon Sexton

Mindfulness Studies Theses

Music appreciation and enjoyment enhance well-being throughout the lifespan. The challenges and constraints that people experience as they age can lead to lack of access to music, decreased physical activity, and fewer avenues for creative expression. Group music and movement interventions created for older populations offer opportunities for social connection and improved quality of life. Mindful practices add further benefit when combined with these interventions. Current available programs are scarce and most often do not encompass mixed modalities. In addition, the benefits of these programs do not show long-term sustainability. The purpose of this thesis is to explore the effects …

Wellness Review 2022, Part 1, Martin Huecker, Brian A. Ferguson, Jacob Shreffler

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: This article represents the first of a two-part assessment of 2022 literature addressing wellness in healthcare professionals published from January 1, 2022 to June 30, 2022.

Methods: Three editors conducted a similar keyword search in Pubmed, also adding manually curated articles. Focusing chiefly on clinical trials and other prospective research, we settled on a final 25 significant papers focusing on wellness in medical professionals to include in this review.

Literature Review: Recent literature into HCW wellness continues to describe burnout factors and COVID-19 impact, but includes more resilience-targeting interventions and systematic reviews of trials seeking bolstering of well-being. Subsections …

Wellness Review 2021, Part 2, Brian A. Ferguson, Martin Huecker

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: This article presents Part 2 of the biannual JWellness Review of literature from 2021 (July – December). We emphasize new science and resilience initiatives published outside of JWellness that seek understanding of burnout and thriving among healthcare professionals (HCPs).

Methods: For the interval of July 1 to December 30, 2021, PubMed was queried for empirical and observational research studies, review articles, guideline summaries, letters, and editorials. Of 93 results, we reviewed methods and salient points to arrive at a final list of 48 articles for inclusion.

Literature in Review: Common themes that emerged included teamwork, EMR optimization, group decompression, …

Determine Speed Performance Of Young Football Players Via Correlation Analyze, Shokhrukh Erkinov, Ildar Kushbakhtiev, Orif Erdonov, Vokhidjon Makhmudov

Karakalpak Scientific Journal

Problem Statement: Study the optimal relationship between the general and special speed performance of 14-17-year-old football players, taking into account their age characteristics and determining correlation relationship of the general and special speed performance.

Approach: As the object of the research, was chosen to study the development of general and special speed performance of 48 of football players of the SSOR (State school of the Olympic reserve, Tashkent city, Republic of Uzbekistan) aged 14 to 17 years, 12 football players in each group (total n=48).

Purpose: The research studies of the correlation relationship of general and special physical performance by …

In This Issue (13:4), Stephen J. Langendorfer Ph.D.

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Greetings, IJARE readers and welcome to the fourth issue of Volume 13. I admit being quite excited about this issue. It is jam-packed with outstanding papers from six different countries that deserve your readership and attention.

Lifeguard Performance Skills: A Systematic Review, Paulo Santiago, Filipe Maia, Sandra Santiago, Daniel Duarte, Pedro Teques

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Drowning is one of the leading causes of death worldwide and lifeguards’ action can be regarded as a significant contribution to change that reality. In this regard, the purpose of this systematic review was to identify factors associated with lifeguards’ performance. After extensive research on PsycArticles, PsicBooks, PsycInfo, SportDiscus, Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus and SportDiscus databases, containing the keywords “lifeguard” AND “performance”, “lifeguard” AND “skills” and “lifeguard” AND “drowning”, we obtained 429 research articles. After eliminating duplicates, excluding those that had no relevance to the study, and screening against set criteria, a total of five articles were fully reviewed. …

Effects Of A Demand-Valve Scuba Regulator On Cardiorespiratory Response During Submaximal Exercise Under Normobaric Conditions: A Preliminary Investigation, Christopher R. Kovacs Ph.D., Camille Dhom B.S.

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

SCUBA diving fatalities are often related to cardiac events triggered by stress linked to equipment. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effects of a SCUBA regulator on cardiorespiratory exercise at a submaximal workload. Ten participants (mean = 21.5 yrs; s.d. = 1.16) completed two submaximal exercise tests at 1 ATA; one while breathing normally and a second while breathing directly from a demand valve SCUBA regulator. Total time to test completion (TOT), heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), rating of perceived exertion (RPE), and arterial oxygen levels were all assessed. No significant differences between conditions were found …

Effect Of Water Depth On Heart Rate And Core Temperature During Underwater Treadmill Walking, Carrie E. Bajenski, Brianna R. Brandon, Cailey A. Curry, Leslie Fajardo, Ryan T. Conners

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Exercising using an underwater treadmill (UTM) has become a popular modality; however, few studies have focused on the physiological demands of UTM walking at varying water depths. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate changes in heart rate (HR) and core temperature (CT) values in college-aged males and females while exercising at different water immersion depths using an UTM. Twenty participants (age = 21.50 ± 2.19 years; height = 169.04 ± 10.85cm; weight = 75.56 ± 22.28kg) walked at water depths of 10cm below the xiphoid process and at the level of the superior iliac crest (I.C.). Each …

Student Pharmacists’ Emotional Responses And Coping During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Hannah E. Johnson, Deaundre Bumpass, Aric Schadler, Jeffrey Cain

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Health professions students, including student pharmacists, have been impacted by the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19 pandemic) as schools have transitioned to remote learning and cancelled milestone events. During times of crises, media consumption and hobby participation also impact well-being. The adverse emotional responses and coping strategies of student pharmacists amidst the COVID-19 pandemic have not been evaluated, nor have factors that may contribute to emotional responses. The purpose of this study is to determine Doctor of Pharmacy students’ emotional responses and coping precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the influence of media use, working status, and participation in hobbies. …

Body Composition Assessment In Masters Level Swimmers, Megan E. Larson, Amy Morgan, Jessica Kiss, Mary-Jon Ludy

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Body composition of collegiate swimmers has been extensively studied; however, there are limited reports of body composition among Masters swimmers. This study compared the accuracy of air displacement plethysmography (ADP) and bioelectrical impedance (BIA) to the gold standard method of underwater weighing (UWW) in Masters level swimmers. The relationship between percent body fat (%BF) and body mass index (BMI) was also assessed. Recruitment (n = 6 females, 11 males) occurred at two Masters swim clubs. Pearson correlation coefficients revealed no significant differences between ADP, BIA, and UWW (p > 0.05). For both female and male Masters swimmers, the mean %BF …

Do Water Safety Lessons Improve Water Safety Knowledge?, Michael J. Tipton, Joseph Muller, Cristian Abelairas Gomez, Jo Corbett

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

A person, usually a child or young adult, dies by drowning every 90 seconds around the planet. Most drowning prevention initiatives do not assess the efficacy of the intervention. In this study, thirteen- to fourteen-year-olds had their level of water safety knowledge (covering cold shock, rips and tides) assessed before, just after, and 3-6 months after one, 25-minute water safety lesson on these topics. We evaluated the knowledge gained and retained on water safety “awareness” (i.e., knowledge of risks) and “confidence” in terms of knowing what to do in an emergency. The results demonstrated that the lesson significantly increased water …

Post Pandemic Aquatics: Professionals On Deck, Susan J. Grosse

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

As aquatic programs re-open and/or expand as COVID restrictions lift, avoiding virus transmission is a top health and safety concern. This article presents options for safe social distancing for professionals and participants during teaching of swim lessons, coaching sessions, and aquatic exercise classes. Emphasis is on practical, session-to-session issues. Suggestions are applicable to all ages of participants in aquatic programs. Focus is on information for aquatic professionals providing direct participant service. Guidelines for program management are also included.