Life Sciences Commons^™

Seasonal Perceived Training Load In Ncaa Di Men’S Soccer: Is There A Dose-Response Relationship?, Andrew A. Pustina

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to determine if a there was a dose-response relationship across an NCAA Division I men’s soccer season. Specifically, this dissertation serves to: 1.) assess the validity of duration measurements that have previously been used to calculate session RPE during competitive matches, 2.) determine the degree and magnitude of change in intermittent endurance performance across a season and to observe how change in endurance relates with training load, 3.) determine the degree and magnitude of change in strength and explosiveness across a season, and to see how these strength changes relate to training load. 1.) …

Relationship Between Lower Body Strength, Countermovement Jump Height, And Optimal Drop Jump Drop Height, Cameron V. Griggs

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand the relationship between back squat one-repetition maximum relative to body mass (1RMrel), countermovement jump height (CMJH), and optimal drop height in drop jump (DHopt). Fifteen male participants with various sport backgrounds and training experience completed a one repetition maximum (1RM) back squat, maximum countermovement jump (CMJ), and drop jumps (DJ) from incrementally increasing drop heights to determine which drop height elicited the greatest jump height. The DHopt testing protocol was unique in that smaller increments were used to determine DHopt compared to what has been reported in literature previously. Pearson correlation coefficients …

Positional And Match Action Profiles Of Elite Women’S Field Hockey Players In Relationship To The 2015 Fih Rule Changes, Heather A. Abbott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this dissertation was to examine the action profiles of elite field hockey players in relationship to the 2015 FIH rule change. The following are major findings of the dissertation: The following are major findings of the dissertation: Study 1 – Relative action profiles before the rule change revealed that defenders work at a lower meter per minute (m/min) when compared with all other positions, and that forwards, midfielders, and screens perform similar m/min during a game. Examination of pre rule change difference from the 1st to the 2nd half play showed that elite level field hockey players …

The Relationship Between Strength, Power, And Sprint Acceleration In Division I Men’S Soccer Players, Christopher Bellon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this dissertation were three-fold. The first was to identify the approximate distances characterizing early-, mid-, and late-acceleration in a population of Division I men’s collegiate soccer players. The secondary purpose was to investigate the relationships between various strength-power variables and key sprint characteristics during early-, mid-, and late-acceleration in a population of Division I men’s soccer players. The final purpose of this dissertation was to compare the spatiotemporal characteristics of “strong” versus “weak” and “more powerful” versus “less powerful” Division I men’s soccer players during early-, mid-, and late- acceleration. The following are the major findings of …

Comparison Of Two Body Weight Screenings Of Self-Conscious Emotions And Coping, Rachel N. Nanez Ms.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Novel technologies are currently being utilized in fitness and clinical settings. However, there is not much research to examine the emotional responses to such screenings.

PURPOSE: To examine the group differences between the FIT3D and DXA protocol on emotional responses and the differences between weight classifications.

METHODS: The Body and Appearance-related Self-conscious Emotions Scale and WEIGHTCOPE were used to assess self-conscious emotions and intention to utilize 10 different weight-related coping strategies following the scans. Motivation was measured by a 10-point Likert scale measuring motivation pre and post scans.

RESULTS: There were no differences in motivation, affective response, or intention to …

Stop The Pricks: A Validation Study Of A Noninvasive Lactate Threshold Device, Rebecca M. Mcmorries

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Purpose: The aim of this study is to assess the validity of a noninvasive lactate threshold device (NID) to determine lactate threshold heart rate (LTHR) and aerobic threshold heart rate (AeTHR).

Methods: Twenty-one recreational athletes completed a personalized graded exercise test on a treadmill. All participants wore the noninvasive device and blood lactate samples were taken at the end of 3-minute stages. Lactate threshold heart rate and aerobic threshold heart rate were then calculated using four traditional methods and compared against the same heart rate values calculated by the device.

Results: No significant differences were found in lactate threshold …

A Qualitative Analysis Of Barriers To And Facilitators Of Successful Weight Loss, Alyson Drooger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Along with the United States obesity epidemic comes extensive weight loss attempts. One way people are attempting to lose weight is through meal replacement programs. Much work has been done to study strategies of structured weight loss programs and examine their success. Limited work has been done to study the specific barriers and facilitators of the real life participants who join weight loss programs. The purpose of this study is to identify, through qualitative research methods, the barriers to and facilitators of weight loss while participating in a meal replacement program.

Methods: Twenty-nine members of a meal replacement program …

Longitudinal Examination Of Perceived Stress And Depression Symptomology In Division I Student-Athletes, Bobby Daigle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

CONTEXT: Concussions are all too prevalent in amongst athletes. Concussions make up almost 5 percent of all collegiate athletic injuries. Concussions have been linked with many long lasting effects including depression and increased stress or anxiety.

OBJECTIVE: To longitudinally examine post-concussion depression and stress levels in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division 1 athletes.

DESIGN: Descriptive longitudinal study.

SETTING: National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I collegiate athletics.

PARTICIPANTS: Concussed and uninjured Division I collegiate athletes, ages 18-22, competing in football, women’s soccer, baseball, softball, and women’s track.

INTERVENTION(S): Participants completed the CES-D at baseline, 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months …

The Correlation Between Strength Levels Measured Through Dynamic Strength Exercises And The Incidence And Severity Of Injury Among Collegiate Athletes, Alex Jardine

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Injury to athletes in sport occurs as a result of extrinsic and intrinsic risk factors. Mounting evidence points toward decreased strength as a predictor of injury in athletes. By comparing strength levels in functional movement patterns to injury, the strength and conditioning professional will be able to design effective training programs to reduce the incidence of injury in sport better. The purpose of this study was to determine the correlation between strength measured through dynamic strength exercises (power clean, the squat, and the bench press) among collegiate athletes and the incidence and severity of injury. We hypothesized that greater incidence …

The Effect Of Pitching With Underweight And Overweight Balls On Pitch Velocity In Collegiate Baseball Pitchers., Hillary Ake

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: In an effort to improve overhand throw velocity in baseball pitchers, weighted implement training, which utilizes balls that are heavier or lighter than a competition ball, have been employed. Weighted ball programs have previously been used in baseball pitchers ranging from high school to professional with varying ball weights with mixed results (Straub, 1966; Brose and Hanson, 1967; DeRenne, 1985; DeRenne, 1990; van den Tillaar and Ettema, 2011). PURPOSE: To determine the effect of a commercially available weighted ball program on the throwing velocity of collegiate baseball pitchers over the course of an off-season. METHODS: This retrospective study examined …

Influence Of Cardiovascular Risk Factors On Remote Ischemic Preconditioning, Tiffany Trachte

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A powerful therapy against microvascular endothelial ischemia-reperfusion injury is remote ischemic preconditioning (rIPC), which triggers tissue protection by exposing a limb to small cycles of vascular occlusion. Animal models indicate that CVD risk factors reduce the protective benefits of ischemic conditioning. However, there are no human studies investigating how a burden of risk factors interferes with rIPC to prevent endothelial injury. The purpose of the present study was to determine the influence of risk factor burden on the capacity of rIPC to prevent endothelial reperfusion injury in humans. Twenty-two (age: 45±14 yr., BMI: 31±8 kg/m2) sedentary adults (12 lower burden: …

Successful Weight Management: Barriers And Facilitators To Maintaining Weight After Weight Loss Via A Meal Replacement Program, Hope D. Kleine

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: Meal replacement programs (MRPs) facilitate weight loss. Unfortunately, a large percentage of individuals that lose weight through MRP are not successful at maintaining their weight. Weight regain one year following weight loss via meal replacements has been as high as 40-50%, demonstrating a critical need to improve weight maintenance in MRP participants. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to identify barriers and facilitators of weight maintenance after reaching a goal weight in MRP participants.

Methods: Seven focus groups of ≤8 clients were conducted to discuss barriers and facilitators of weight maintenance prior to reaching a point of …

Icook 4-H: Report Of Accelerometer Derived Physical Activity In 9-10 Year Old Children From Baseline, Post, And Follow-Up, Chase Merfeld

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

To examine the relationship between baseline, post, and follow-up accelerometer derived physical activity (PA) in 9-10 year old children participating in iCook 4-H, a 16-week, 5- state, randomized control family centered childhood obesity prevention program. This family focus intervention was designed to promote PA through lifestyle modifications. Between group differences in minutes-per-day and intensity of PA were determined on accelerometer compliant participants. All subjects wore an accelerometer (Actigraph GT3X+) for 7 days at baseline, post, and follow-up intervention assessment. Mean daily minutes of accelerometer derived sedentary time (ST) and PA including light (LPA), moderate (MPA), vigorous (VPA) and moderate-to-vigorous (MVPA) …

Spine Lifting Biomechanics Between Varying Occupational Activity Levels And Recreational Physical Activity Levels, Caitlin Rose Francis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Moderate to vigorous physical activity as the optimum movement patterns for health have continued to be the dominant focus of health and fitness research. Yet, emerging evidence of deleterious, adverse health effects of prolonged inactivity, independent of regular physical activity, presents a new element to establishing the ideal model of movement patterns for health. The musculoskeletal trunk of the body becomes unbalanced as a result of prolonged inactivity, and a biomechanical analysis can help to identify high-risk loading behavior associated with these unbalances. Moreover, poor spine biomechanics can indicate a need for adjustment to present recommendations for optimum movement …

A Phenomenological Investigation Of Cheerleaders' Lived Experiences Of Mental Blocks, Erin M. Lawrence

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A mental block is a phenomenon in which an athlete’s mind no longer allows them to perform a physical skill that was previously well-learned and automatic. This phenomenon has received attention in gymnastics and trampoline but the literature is lacking an investigation of this phenomenon in all-star cheerleading. The purpose of this study was to examine the phenomenon of mental blocks by obtaining it from the first-person perspective of cheerleaders themselves. A purposeful sample of 8 all-star cheerleader participants was interviewed and transcriptions were analyzed utilizing qualitative analysis. Four main themes were found: 1) specific to backwards moving skills, 2) …

Assessment Of Anti-Saccades Within 24 To 48 Hours Post-Concussion, Nathan D'Amico

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

INTRODUCTION: Oculomotor control dysfunction is present in about 90% of concussed athletes, with anti-saccades being the most prominent. PURPOSE: To investigate anti-saccades, reflexive gaze deviations from a fixed point or area of interest, between NCAA Division I athletes 24 to 48 hours post-concussion (PC) and healthy, matched controls (MC). METHODS: 10 PC (4 female, 6 male; age: 18.9 ± 0.9 years) and 10 MC (4 female, 6 male; age: 18.3 ± 0.6 years) wore a monocular eye tracker (240Hz) while performing 2 trials of the 60-second WiiFit Soccer Heading game. During play, participants were instructed to not deviate their gaze …