Kinesiology Commons^™

The Effect Of Postural Perturbations On Cardiovascular And Skeletal Muscle Function In Healthy Adults, Patrick Siedlecki

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Maintenance of standing balance is vital to daily living. Traditionally, perspectives on maintaining balance are achieved through the study of visual, vestibular and somatosensory inputs on motor outputs. While evidence suggests cardiovascular regulation also functions to assist postural control during orthostatic stress, how the cardiovascular system responds to postural perturbations is not well established. This dissertation includes four studies that investigated the effects of postural perturbations on the cardiovascular system and skeletal muscle responses in healthy adults. All of the studies involved exposing standing participants to surface-translation perturbations at different velocities, with known or unknown timing, and occurred while spontaneously …

Psychological Determinants Of Physical Activity And The Prediction Of Physical Activity Levels In African American Men, Alvin L. Morton Iii

Doctoral Dissertations

African American (AA) men experience disproportionally higher rates of non-communicable, chronic diseases (e.g., cardiovascular, type 2 diabetes, and renal failure) than White men. Physical activity (PA) is known to reduce the progression of CVD, type 2 diabetes, and renal failure. National statistics illustrate that AA men are less likely to get sufficient levels of PA to obtain health benefits. Although many factors (e.g., biomedical, socio-cultural) influence participation in PA, the psychological factors at the individual level are essential to beginning and maintaining activity. Therefore, understanding the psychological determinants of PA in AA men and their associations with meeting national guidelines …

Effects Of Eccentric Cycling On Blood Flow Patterns And Vascular Reactivity, Manuel Gomez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Decrease of blood flow to tissues, due to atherosclerotic plaque formation, produces mortality and morbidity outcomes. Vascular homeostasis depends in the direct interaction between blood flow and endothelial cells, known as endothelial sheer stress (ESS). In addition, turbulent flow, which can be measured by Reynolds number (Re), has been associated with decrease ESS. Eccentric exercise (ECC) has gained attention as a novel exercise modality that increases muscle performance without increasing metabolic demands; however, little is known about ESS during ECC. PURPOSE: To determine the effects of ECC cycling in blood flow patterns and vascular reactivity in young, healthy individuals. METHODS: …

A Comparison Of Spatial-Temporal Gait Variability In Over-Ground And Treadmill Walking In Children With Autism, René Ubaldo Sanchez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) experience an increased sedentary lifestylewhich results in elevated risk for being overweight and obese. A low-cost and viable solution to increase physical activity while accommodating for social-behavioral barriers such as stereotypy, aggressive, or non-verbal characteristics, may be treadmill-related interventions. Gait variability during treadmill ambulation has not been extensively researched in the ASD population, therefore the aim of this study was to quantify the acute effects of treadmill usage on spatial-temporal gait parameter variability when compared to overground walking. Three-dimensional kinematic data were obtained through motion analysis where 5 children with ASD were outfitted with …

The Effects Of Mental Training On Acute Psychophysiological Stress Responses In Endurance Athletes, Shelanda Antonia Maria Kujala

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: In sports, pre-competition stress responses can influence performance. Mental skills training is a strategy used to successfully mitigate stress responses and positively impact performance. Psychological (e.g., anxiety) and physiological (e.g., cortisol) stress responses are not often measured in a single study, providing an incomplete picture of athlete experiences. When researchers have measured these constructs together, studies have excluded endurance athletes and ways to effectively buffer stress responses. Purpose: The current study had two aims. 1. How will athlete’s perceptions of stress and physiological markers of stress be related to each other? 2. How will athlete’s perceptions of stress and …

Tibial Compression During Activities Of Daily Living In Young And Older Adults, Elijah Miles Walker

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Stress fracture, particularly in the tibia, is a growing concern among older adults (greater than 65 years). Older adults may have inherent stress fracture risk from ageing-related changes to their musculoskeletal system. Specifically, older adults reduced ankle neuromuscular function may impair their ability to attenuate repetitive compressive forces experienced during daily locomotor tasks and increase the likelihood of suffering bone damage from decreased bone tissue elasticity. Yet, it is currently unknown if older adults exhibit greater tibial compression than their younger counterparts during locomotor tasks. Purpose: This study sought to quantify tibial compression for older and younger adults when …

Effects Of Home-Based High-Intensity Interval Training Versus Continuous Walking On Cognition In Overweight And Obese Women, Kelsey C. Bourbeau

Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences ETDs

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to determine whether six weeks of home-based high-intensity interval training versus six weeks of moderate-intensity walking improves cognition, depression, and anxiety in women that are overweight or obese. Design: A randomized control trial design. Subjects: Twelve sedentary women characterized as overweight or obese were randomized into either a six-week home-based high-intensity interval training (HIIT, n = 6, 26.6 ± 8.9 years, 37.4 ± 4.9% body fat) group or a six-week moderate-intensity walking (Walk, n = 6, 22.5 ± 3.7 years, 40.2 ± 4.1% body fat) group. Main Measures: Pre- and post-intervention, participants …

Confidence And Anxiety When Returning To Play Post-Injury, Gianna Sciarappa

Honors Senior Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Relationships Between Vertical Ground Reaction Forces And Clubhead Velocity In Ncaa Division I Female Golfers, Jared Bush

Honors Theses

Golf biomechanics research has focused on clubhead velocity (CHV) for over a decade with the intent of discovering the physical attributes that contribute the most to CHV. Previous research has displayed the significant correlations of strength and power attributes to CHV, giving evidence for practitioners to integrate training to improve these attributes. Recent studies have referenced vertical ground reaction forces (vGRF) and how they affect CHV. In this study, vGRFs are tested for their correlations to CHV in NCAA Division I female golfers. Clubs of various lengths were used to determine correlations between each club and vGRFs. Correlations between CHV …

Evaluating How Physical Activity Affects The Perception Of Resilience In Box Butte County, Nebraska, Eric Pulver

Capstone Experience

Physical activity is one of the modern hallmarks for good health in individuals and the public, in general. Resiliency is a growing concentration in all levels of disaster preparedness where the focus is on how to deal with the growing number of disasters stemming from global climate change. This research project’s aim is to look at the possible relationships between physical activity and resiliency in a rural Nebraska population. This was done with the use of a cross-sectional study utilizing a fifteen-question survey to gather demographics, assess the amount of physical activity, and then apply a perception of resilience tool …

Metabolic Foundations Of Exercise-Induced Cardiac Growth., Kyle Fulghum

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Regular aerobic exercise promotes physiological cardiac growth, which is an adaptive response thought to enable the heart to meet higher physical demands. Cardiac growth involves coordination of catabolic and anabolic activities to support ATP generation, macromolecule biosynthesis, and myocyte hypertrophy. Although previous studies suggest that exercise-induced reductions in cardiac glycolysis are critical for physiological myocyte hypertrophy, it remains unclear how exercise influences the many interlinked pathways of metabolism that support adaptive remodeling of the heart. In this thesis project, we tested the general hypothesis that aerobic exercise promotes physiological cardiac growth by coordinating myocardial metabolism to promote glucose-supported anabolic pathway …

Temporal Effects Of Acute Moderate Intensity Physical Activity On Working Memory Performance In Young Adults, Kimberly Loy Seibold

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

An ample amount of research suggests that increases in physical activity in young adults could help improve memory and cognitive functions which may aid in academic success (Johnson & Loprinzi, 2019; Perini et al., 2016). A sufficient working memory is critical to learning because it allows us to temporarily store and compare multiple informational items at one time to form a new concept or solve a problem (Cowan, 2013). The purpose of this study was to examine the temporal effects of acute moderate intensity physical activity on working memory in young adults. This study utilized a within-groups (repeated measures) cross-over …

A Biomechanical Analysis Of Back Squats: Motion Capture, Electromyography, And Musculoskeletal Modeling, Eva Maria Urdiales Maddox

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Previous literature evaluating maximal back squats have failed to identify key components of the study decisions and procedures that would allow for duplication. Firstly, the existence of a sticking region in maximally weighted resistance exercises is frequently discussed and has been described as a force-reduced transition phase between an acceleration phase and a strength phase of a lift. However, the etiology has yet to be agreed upon. Second, Electromyography (EMG) is frequently used to assess muscle activations. However, no best practice for EMG normalization has been proposed. Two methods are commonly implemented for normalizing EMG: a maximum voluntary isometric contraction …

Postexercise Executive Function Benefits And Cerebral Blood Flow: In The Lab And At Home, Benjamin Tari

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

A single bout of aerobic exercise improves executive function; however, the mechanism, or mechanisms, supporting this improvement remain unclear. One candidate mechanism is an exercise-mediated increase in cerebral blood flow (CBF) that enhances the efficiency of executive-related frontoparietal networks. To evaluate the link between exercise, CBF and executive function, three separate experiments were conducted. In the first study, separate 10-min sessions of moderate-to-heavy-intensity aerobic exercise, and a hypercapnic environment (i.e., 5% CO₂) were implemented. The hypercapnic condition was included because it increases CBF independent of the metabolic demands of exercise. The second study investigated whether exercise intensity-specific changes …

Incorporating Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption Into Accelerometer Energy Expenditure Estimation Algorithms, Nicholas Remillard

Masters Theses

Accelerometers are objective monitors of physical activity (PA) that can be used to estimate energy expenditure (EE). Most accelerometer EE estimation equations are based on steady-state data and do not consider excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) after exercise. PURPOSE: To quantify the error in accelerometer EE estimates due to EPOC after varying durations of high-intensity treadmill running. METHODS: Nine young, healthy, recreationally active males participated in three study visits. Visit 1 included a treadmill VO₂ peak test to determine the treadmill speed correlating to 80% VO₂ peak for visits 2 and 3. Visit 2 included a seated 20-min …

Controlling Myosin’S Function Via Interactions Between The Substrate And The Active Site, Mike K. Woodward

Doctoral Dissertations

Molecular motors, such as myosin, have evolved to transduce chemical energy from ATP into mechanical work to drive essential cellular processes, from muscle contraction to vesicular transport. Dysfunction in these motors is a root cause of many pathologies necessitating the application of intrinsic control over molecular motor function. We hypothesized that altering the myosin’s energy substrate via minor positional changes to the triphosphate portion of the molecule will allow us to control the protein and affect its in vitro function. We utilized positional isomers of a synthetic non-nucleoside triphosphate, azobenzene triphosphate, and assessed whether myosin’s force- and motion-generating capacity could …

An Evaluation Of A Mobile Health-Health Action Process Approach Intervention To Reduce Sedentary Behaviour And Stress In Adult Office Workers - Randomized Controlled Trial, Brett Carter

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Sedentary behaviour (SB) has been linked with a variety of negative health consequences which can be diminished by increasing frequency of breaks. The Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) is an effective behaviour change model for reducing SB in adult office workers. The objective of this study was to evaluate a mobile health HAPA-based sedentary behaviour intervention in office workers. Fifty-three participants (Mean age 40.62, 79.2% women) were randomized into a treatment group or a no-contact control group in a four-week, two-arm parallel randomized controlled trial. All SB outcomes were assessed from Baseline to Week 4, perceived stress was measured at …

Advancing The Assessment And Treatment Of Signs And Symptoms Of Parkinson Disease, David Scott May

WUSM Theses and Dissertations – All Programs

People with PD often report signs and symptoms that negatively impact quality of life. Among these are balance difficulties, impaired gait, and FOG. New treatment and assessment strategies for these signs and symptoms are needed, as current techniques are limited. While new treatment and assessment strategies continue to emerge, gaps in knowledge persist. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has been utilized in many people with PD throughout the 21st century, but it is unknown specifically how subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) affects balance. Alternative treatment strategies, such as a dental mouthpiece, have also been proposed. While dental mouthpieces have shown …

Modeling, Analysis, And Simulation To Reveal The Mechanisms Of Ciliary Beating, Louis Woodhams

McKelvey School of Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Cilia are microscopic cellular appendages that help us breathe by clearing our airways, maintain the health of our central nervous system by circulating cerebrospinal fluid, and allow us to reproduce by transporting eggs and propelling sperm cells. Cilia even determine the asymmetry of our internal organs during embryonic development. However, the mechanisms underlying ciliary beating are not fully understood. Questions remain as to how arrays of the motor protein dynein generate the propulsive waveforms observed in cilia and how structural elements within the cilium and its connection to the cell deform during beating. In the current work, mathematical modeling, analysis, …

The Role Of Ot In Adapted Crossfit, Emily Adams

Student Capstone Papers

Background: A quarter of adults are diagnosed with a disability in the United States, with almost half considered being inactive (CDC, 2020). The population of persons with disabilities (PWD) are at higher risk for secondary health concerns due to a sedentary lifestyle (Diaz et al., 2019). CrossFit recently implemented their first adaptive division in 2021 (CrossFit, LLC, 2022), however there continue to be barriers preventing PWD from participating in CrossFit.

Problem/Purpose: PWD may experience limited access to CrossFit due to structural and social barriers to access equipment and participating in movements. The purpose of this project was to …

A Biomechanical Approach To Prevent Falls In Ergonomic Settings, Sachini Kodithuwakku Arachchige

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Fall-related injuries are exceptionally prevalent in occupational settings. While endangering the workers’ health, falls cause poor productivity and increased economic burden in the workplace. Hence, identifying these threats and training workers to achieve proper postural control is crucial. Purpose: Study 1: To investigate the ankle joint kinematics in unexpected and expected trip responses during single-tasking (ST), dual-tasking (DT), and triple-tasking (TT), before and after a physically fatiguing exercise. Study 2: To investigate the impact of virtual heights, DT, and training on static postural stability and cognitive processing. Methods: Study 1: Twenty collegiate volunteers (10 males and females, one left …

“Sometimes The People Giving The Care Get A Little Overlooked”: Athletic Trainers’ Personal Use Of Psychosocial Strategies And Interactions With Mental Performance Consultants, Alexander Bianco

Doctoral Dissertations

In National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I (NCAA DI) athletic departments, athletic trainers (ATs) must navigate an array of stressors in the workplace, and are effectively performers themselves (Estock & Simon, 2018, Mazerolle et al., 2013). While ample research has been conducted on the stressors that ATs experience (see Oglesby et al., 2020) there has been limited work surrounding how ATs can best navigate this environment. Therefore, the purpose of the current investigation was to explore NCAA DI ATs’ perceptions of and experiences with the personal use of psychosocial strategies and sport psychology services to manage their stress, improve their …

Contributions Of Vision To The Neuromotor Control And Biomechanics Of Depth Jumping, Kenneth Harrison

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

PURPOSE: To investigate the role of vision during depth jump movements and further explore effects of stroboscopic goggles on the motor control of landing. METHODS: Ground reaction force (GRF), rate of force development (RFD), and lower limb surface electromyography measurements were collected on 20 participants (11 male 9 female) across 6 trials of depth jumping (0.51 m) in each of two visual conditions (full vision vs stroboscopic vision). Root-mean-square was estimated from EMG signals that were reduced to specific time-bins (150ms pre touchdown, 30-60ms, 60-85 ms, and 85-120 ms post touchdown). Main effects of and interactions between visual condition and …

Validation Of Non-Invasive Co2 Tolerance Field Test, Joshua T. Murphey

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

INTRODUCTION: Breathwork, or the specific act of controlling breathing to elicit a desired outcome, is not only a potential way to improve one’s mental well-being but also to alter adaptative responses through gas exchange at the capillary level. Increasing tolerance to carbon dioxide (CO₂) has been positively correlated with improvement in athletic performance and reduction of stress and anxiety. However, there does not exist a validated non-invasive test to accurately measure one’s tolerance to CO₂. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to validate the only currently known CO₂ tolerance (CO₂T) field test …

Effects Of Aging On Patellofemoral Joint Stress During Stair Negotiation On Challenging Surfaces, Nicholas Lynn Hunt

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Patellofemoral pain is an incessant lower limb musculoskeletal disorder that may be underreported in older adults. During common locomotor activities, such as when negotiating stairs, older adults (over the age of 65 years) adopt knee biomechanics reported to increase patellofemoral pain. Negotiating stairs with a challenging surface, such as uneven or slick, may place greater demand on the knee and further exacerbate joint biomechanics related to PFJ stress. Yet, it is unknown if older adults exhibit increases in patellofemoral joint (PFJ) stress when negotiating stairs with challenging surfaces. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect …

The Effects Of Cheerleading Surfaces On Landing Characteristics During Vertical And Flip Landings, Anthony Vu Nguyen

Theses and Dissertations

Lateral ankle sprains are common injuries in cheerleading and typically occurring during tumbling. The landing surface can impact injury risk by modulating loading parameters and risky joint positions. Most surface-landing studies have used vertical landing tasks to study acrobatic populations, and few studies have compared vertical and flipping tasks. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the effects of two cheerleading surfaces between vertical drop landing and flip landing tasks. Doing so explained surface characteristic influences on landing and the validity of using vertical landing tasks to represent acrobatic sports. Twelve collegiate cheerleaders (7 females, 5 males; age: …

An Examination Of Sex-Differences In Quadriceps Fatigability During High- And Low-Intensity Contractions, Katie G. Kennedy

<strong> Theses and Dissertations </strong>

The purpose of the current study was to compare sex-differences in quadriceps fatigability following both high- and low-intensity repeated, isometric contractions. Twenty-four (12 males, 12 females) participants completed two experimental visits consisting of repeated, isometric contractions of the knee extensors at 30% (LT) and 70% (HT) of maximal voluntary force (MVIC) until failure. Prior to, and immediately following the fatiguing contractions, strength, voluntary activation (VA), and peak twitch torque (PTT) were assessed while measuring surface electromyographic amplitude of the vastus lateralis (VLAMP) and vastus medialis (VMAMP ). Fatiguing bouts were assessed via mean torque (TQMEAN), total repetitions completed, torque coefficient …

Sex Differences In Cancer Cachexia And A Novel Mitochondrial Target For Cancer-Induced Muscle Wasting, Seongkyun Lim

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cancer cachexia (CC) is a devastating wasting syndrome characterized by marked weight loss including skeletal muscle atrophy that affects approximately 80% of cancer patients. Current therapeutic treatments including pharmacological and nutritional intervention are insufficient to prevent or reverse it. Prior studies demonstrated lower muscle mass, impaired muscle function, and mitochondrial health in the development of CC. Specifically, mitochondrial fusion protein, Optic atrophy 1 (OPA1) which plays a significant role in skeletal muscle health, is suppressed in the development of CC. Furthermore, most pre-clinical CC studies were mainly focused on males although there are distinct phenotypical differences in skeletal muscle between …

The Effects Of Exogenous Virilizing Testosterone On Strength Training And Self-Compassion In Transgender Nonbinary Individuals, Nadine Sikora

All NMU Master's Theses

Previous exercise science research has excluded transgender nonbinary individuals from their studies. Exercise has been shown to improve symptoms of depression and anxiety as well as improve body composition. Purpose: Identify the impacts of exogenous testosterone on relative strength and levels of self-compassion in transgender nonbinary individuals. Methods: Eighteen untrained individuals (6 transgender nonbinary, 6 ciswomen, and 6 cismen, mean age of 23.7 ± 3.5 years) were recruited and randomly assigned to an 8-week resistance training group or a non-exercise control group. Participants completed a 12-question survey of self-compassion followed by, assessment of strength for chest and leg …

Body Composition, Muscular Strength, Arterial Stiffness, And Hemodynamics Responses To Various Training Protocols In Young Males, Jorge Bejar

Theses and Dissertations

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of 8 weeks performing various resistance training protocols with and without blood flow restriction (BFR) on muscular strength, body composition, arterial elasticity, and hemodynamics responses in young males.

RESULTS: Significant time*condition interactions occurred in HR period (p <0.05), HDI SBP (p <0.05), HDI MAP (p <0.05), and SV (p <0.05). Trends for time*condition interactions were found in HDI DBP (p=0.054), HDI HR (p=0.051), and HDI SVR (p=0.085). Significant time main effects occurred in all strength measures (p <0.05). Significant condition main effects occurred in Aortic DBP (p <0.05), Brachial DBP (p <0.05), and LAE (p <0.05). Total lean mass significantly increased from baseline the HI condition only (p<0.05).

CONCLUSION: Significant improvements in lean mass were seen following the HI and BFR protocols. However, decreases in LAE were found following the HI protocol only. It appears that performing aerobic exercise after resistance training can negatively affect muscle growth. However, only 15 min of moderate-intensity aerobic training can improve hemodynamics in young, …