Life Sciences Commons^™

Exploration Of Motion Capture System To Investigate Human Shoulder Kinematics, Ola Alsaadi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The glenohumeral joint (GH) is commonly conceptualized as a ball-and-socket joint [1], and its center of rotation (COR) is presumed to coincide with the geometric center of the medial-superior region of the humeral head [2]. Recent research has endorsed improvements in COR estimation through invasive and noninvasive techniques, including cadaver studies, stereophotogrammetry, and motion capture (MOCAP) systems. Despite increased interest in wearable technology within human movement analysis, the problem of COR estimation employing MOCAP systems and its validation against bi-planar fluoroscopy remains relatively unexplored.

This study employed a marker-based MOCAP system to compare the accuracy, error, and precision of three …

Kinematic Analysis Of Gait And Deep Knee Flexion For Pre- And Post-Operative Total Knee Arthroplasty, Samantha Collins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a form of arthritis that develops in the joint due to overuse and aging causing pain, discomfort, and disability. Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA) is a surgical procedure performed when OA symptoms are severe with an estimated 600,000 patients in the United States currently receiving TKA. Studies have reported dissatisfaction of the knee for 14-39% of patients. This study collected knee kinematics before and after surgery using stereo radiography for precise measurement of gait and deep knee flexion activities. Results showed healthy knee kinematics were not restored and no significant changes could be seen from OA kinematics in …

Living In The Digital World: Investigating Smartphone And Social Media Use Among Young Adults And Their Influence On Smartphone Addiction, Social Media Addiction, And Health And Wellness Outcomes, Paige Coyne

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Smartphones and social media have played an important role in changing, and expanding, how people communicate, connect, interact, and obtain information, especially amongst young adults. As with any new technology or innovation that garners rapid uptake and/or near universal adoption, it is imperative for researchers to gain an appreciation for, and understanding of, these technologies and their impacts on society. Thus, the dissertation sought to extend current understandings of smartphone and social media use amongst young adults by addressing several limitations identified in the existing literature. In Study 1, suboptimal, but commonly used, self-report measures of smartphone and social media …

The Impact Of The Menstrual Cycle Phase On The Exercise-Induced Immune Response., Vito Anthony Pipitone

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

High-intensity exercise increases inflammation and elicits leukocytosis but may also increase infection risk. Interestingly, females have higher cell-mediated immunity than males. Estrogen fluctuates across the menstrual cycle, and the luteal phase has been linked to a more pro-inflammatory environment than the follicular phase. This study aimed to identify whether white blood cell (WBC) count and differentiation (i.e., neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils and basophils), and inflammatory markers (i.e., GM-CSF, IFN-��, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-��, and TGF-��) differed across two menstrual cycle phases following an acute bout of exercise. Eight regularly menstruating female adults completed a ��O2peak test and two …

Sport Confidence As A Mediator Between Imagery Use And Psychological Resilience In Student Athletes, Samantha Anne D'Agostino

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An athlete’s ability to buffer against negative effects of stressors has been attributed to their level of psychological resilience. Protective factors, specifically confidence, influences the development of resilience qualities. Moreover, utilizing mental skills (i.e., imagery) is beneficial for developing confidence and increasing levels of resilience-related outcomes. With confidence relevant in both resilience and imagery concepts, the purpose of the present study is twofold: (a) to investigate relationships between imagery and psychological resilience in athletes and (b) determine if this relationship is mediated by sport confidence. A sample of 243 student athletes (Mage = 21.27) competing at the varsity or club …

University Of Windsor Varsity Athlete Sport Nutrition Knowledge: A Pilot Study, Brittany Van Hooft

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This pilot study evaluated sport nutrition knowledge among University of Windsor varsity athletes. A total of 57 athletes (from cross-county/track and field, football, hockey, soccer, and volleyball) completed the online Lancer Nutrition Survey from January and February, 2023. One-way ANOVAs and multiple linear regressions were utilized to analyze the associations of sport nutrition knowledge on participant demographics (gender, age, year of study, ethnicity, sport, and living situation) and specific food skills/behaviours (cooking skills, food preparation skills, meal skipping for weight loss, and fast-food frequency). Overall, sport nutrition knowledge was low (11 out of 20 points) yet was not different among …

Unhealthy Weight Control Behaviours Among University Of Windsor Lancer Men, Zach Staffell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the associations of unhealthy weight control behaviours in the context of the food environment and time management skills among Windsor Lancer men. Men from five varsity teams (n = 40) completed an anonymous survey via Qualtrics known as the Lancer Nutrition Survey containing questions regarding their demographics, food skills, food behaviours, disordered eating, and sport nutrition knowledge. Chi-square and one-way ANOVA tests were conducted to determine if significant associations existed between unhealthy weight control behaviours and the variables measured in the food environment and time management contexts as well as weight discrepancy …

Acute Responses To Combined Accentuated Eccentric Loading And Rest Redistribution, Sungwon Chae

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation was 2 parts of investigations of various acute responses to high-volume combined accentuated eccentric loading and rest redistribution (AEL + RR). Resistance-trained men (n = 12, 25.6 ± 4.4 years, 1.77 ± 0.06 m, 81.7 ± 11.4 kg) completed a back squat (BS) 1 repetition maximum (1RM) and weight releaser familiarization session. Three BS exercise conditions (sets × repetitions × eccentric/concentric loading) comprised AEL + RR 5: 3 × (5 × 2) × 110/60%, AEL + RR 2: 3 × (2 × 5) × 110/60%, and traditional sets (TS): 3 × (1 × 10) × 60/60% 1RM. The …

The Effect Of Post-Injury Exercise Training On Skeletal Muscle Mitochondria, Samuel Jacob Girard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Skeletal muscle exists on a continuum of pure and hybrid fibres (I ↔ I/IIa ↔ IIa ↔ IIa/IIx ↔ IIx ↔ IIx/IIb ↔IIb) which can change phenotypes via external stimuli such as chronic exercise training. The various fibre types differ across characteristics such as shortening velocity, fatigue resistance, and mitochondrial content that provide skeletal muscle the ability to meet different metabolic, physiological, and structural demands. Another feature of skeletal muscle is its innate ability to regenerate after injury, which is a period of fibre type malleability and when fibres may be more responsive to treatments that switch phenotypes. Mitochondrial content …

Perceived Physical Competence, Self-Esteem, And Leadership Among Young Girls: A Program Evaluation Of The Girls Organizing And Learning Sport (Goals) Program, Bailey Amy Csabai

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluated a leadership-based physical activity program, Girls Organizing and Learning Sport (GOALS) by assessing changes in physical activity, health behaviours, perceived physical competence, self-esteem, and leadership among the participants. Of the 224 participants who enrolled in the GOALS program, 79 (35.2%) completed a pre- and post-program survey containing questions concerning demographics, general physical activity, physical competence, self-esteem, and leadership. The GOALS program held 2-hour weekly sessions over 4 weeks (a total of 8 hours) at nine different locations across Windsor-Essex County. Paired-sample t-tests, chi-squares, and one-way ANOVA tests were utilized to analyze differences before and after the GOALS …

The Meaning Of Competitive Sport In The Lives Of Baby Boomers Navigating Retirement, Dale Ashley Bellaire

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

By the year 2030, all baby boomers will have turned 65 and will represent more than 20% of the Canadian population. Within Canada, this aging population is expected to increase healthcare costs by an estimated 50%. Many baby boomers have adopted a proactive approach to long-term health and aging which challenges historical concepts of retirement. Considered a critical time for influencing health-related behaviours, retirement may provide a window for the promotion of sport. Older adults are underrepresented in sport compared to other age groups, yet there is evidence to suggest that sport participation is increasing among the age 65+ group. …

Novel Approach For Non-Invasive Prediction Of Body Shape And Habitus, Emma Young

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While marker-based motion capture remains the gold standard in measuring human movement, accuracy is influenced by soft-tissue artifacts, particularly for subjects with high body mass index (BMI) where markers are not placed close to the underlying bone. Obesity influences joint loads and motion patterns, and BMI may not be sufficient to capture the distribution of a subject’s weight or to differentiate differences between subjects. Subjects in need of a joint replacement are more likely to have mobility issues or pain, which prevents exercise. Obesity also increases the likelihood of needing a total joint replacement. Accurate movement data for subjects with …

The Future Is Now In Twisted Coil Polymer Actuators (Tcpa), Ryan Ronquillo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis aimed to fabricate and test twisted coiled polymer actuators (TCPA) to understand the mechanical and thermal aspects of this artificial muscle fiber. The purpose of this thesis was to find a linear relationship using the LVDT sensor, fabricating TCPA fibers, and interpreting the data. The project tested whether nylon/polymer could be used as a better artificial muscle fiber.

This research accomplished three goals: (1) designing and fabricating a system capable of creating supercoiled muscle fibers consistently, (2) calibrating the Linear Variable Differential Transformer (LVDT) and Core, and (3) analyzing/interpreting the data of the Twisted Coiled Polymer Actuators (TCPA) …

Evaluating Blood Pressure And Hypertension Awareness In Municipal Workers In The Southeast Us, Kayden R. Mcalvin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to describe municipal workers’ blood pressure (BP) status and awareness; the secondary purpose was to examine the association between BP misconception and department. Municipal employees in a southeastern rural community (n=75) were asked to participate in a 15-minute survey, including the BASIS Hypertension Awareness survey, and blood pressure measurements to determine hypertension risk. Results show a significant difference in diastolic blood pressure (DBP) between police with a higher DBP of 87.64 ± 10.9 mm Hg and fire departments 78.98 ± 11.1 mm Hg (p=0.005), a significant difference in DBP between city hall/public works …

The Effect Of Weekly Training Load On Match Result In American Professional Soccer, Cameron M. Horsfall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: During a professional soccer season, training load (TL) will fluctuate due to the need to prepare for the next competition. Based on the technical staff’s daily and weekly evaluation, TL will be adjusted as they prepare the team and maximize individual performance and achieve a favorable result. Therefore, the programming of each match week (MW) TL may promote a favorable result. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine variation in daily GPS-derived TL variables based on match result using the Match Day Minus (MD-) system. This study provides descriptive TL data yet to be reported in …

The Effect Of Tempo On Prone Hamstring Exercise - An Exploration Of Unilateral Bias, Derick A. Anglin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hamstring injuries are common muscle-skeletal injuries with a high recurrence rate. While unmodifiable risk factors (e.g., previous injury) vary, recent evidence has questioned the utility of eccentric exercise in preventing hamstring strains. Furthermore, whether eccentric exercise can transfer to sprinting’s kinetic and kinematic requirements is of question. Therefore, this investigation examines exercise tempo (fast vs. slow eccentric phase), movement strategy (bilateral vs. unilateral), and external load characteristics (coupled vs. independent) bias concentric (CON) and eccentric (ECC) biceps femoris (BF) mean electromyography (mEMG). METHODS: Twenty college-aged students aged 18 – 33 (M = 23.4, SD = 3.12 years) with …

Effect Of Training Modality On Intention To Exercise Among Law Enforcement Cadets Post Academy, Nicholas Hunt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Police academies are typically the first formalized job-task-oriented exercise training for law enforcement officers (LEOs). Research has demonstrated that cadets are at higher risk of injury during the academy. Physical training (PT) is a critical component of LEO academy efforts to build occupational skills to meet job demands. Although research is beginning to investigate the efficacy of different training modalities, more research is needed to understand the impact of academy training load and modality on occupational readiness and interest in maintaining exercise behaviors post-academy. PURPOSE: to investigate the relationships between different physical training modalities and intention to continue physical training …

Effects Of Occupational Tasks And Personal Protective Equipment On Static And Functional Balance Among Career Firefighters, Petra Kis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal injuries are commonly incurred on the fireground among firefighters. Most injuries are attributable to overexertion, fall, jump, slip, and trip mechanisms. These injuries may be caused by many factors, including the independent and collective effects of wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and the fatigue induced by performing occupational tasks. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of PPE and fire suppression tasks on static and functional balance among firefighters. METHODS: 32 healthy male career structural firefighters (Age: 31.8±9.5 yr) volunteered for this study. Static and Functional Balance Tests (FBT) were performed in …

The Relationship Between Chronotypes And Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors Among Law Enforcement Officers, Alyssa N. Fail

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Much of the data associated with cardiovascular disease risk factors and circadian rhythms are done on shift workers; due to their line of work typically causing circadian disruption and sleep loss (Loef et al., 2019). Previous research incorporating chronotype and its influence on shift work has been explored; however, there is limited research focusing on law enforcement officers. Additionally, no known research has investigated the effect of chronotype on CVD risk factors among law enforcement officers. The aim of this study was to investigate the cardiovascular disease risk factors in law enforcement officers and their relationship with chronotypes. This cross-sectional …