Health and Physical Education Commons^™

Racist Or Radical? The Strange Case Of Robert Moses And The Building Of New York City's Aquatics Infrastructure, Steven N. Waller Ph.D., James H. Bemiller J.D., Jason L. Scott Ph.D.

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Who was Robert Moses? In this article, we want to cast a bright light on Robert Moses as a visionary urban planner, which included the comprehensive planning of the outdoor and indoor aquatic infrastructure for New York City. Second, we want to highlight some of his administration's significant accomplishments and challenges in providing aquatics opportunities for diverse populations, including people of color. Finally, we aspire to illustrate what happens when officials with power and authority in local government are permitted to operate without scrutiny and are unbeholden to a meaningful series of checks and balances. Robert Moses’ tenure as a …

A Leisure Model: Barriers And Black Womxn Collegiate Swimmers, Tiffany Monique Quash

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

There remains a gap in the literature about the experiences of Black Womxn Collegiate Swimmers (hereafter referred to as BWCS) and the application of the leisure constraints model. Whether research has been conducted with Black Womxn Swimmers enrolled in a swimming course while using an autoethnographic lens (Norwood, 2010) or the representation of one Black Womxn Swimmer from a Predominantly White Institution (Quash, 2018), minimal knowledge is known about this specific demographic representative of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs) and the barriers they experience. Using a qualitative methodological approach to understand the leisure constraints …

Third Diversity In Aquatics Special Issue, Angela K. Beale-Tawfeeq, Steven N. Waller Ph.D., Tiffany M. Quash Phd

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Front matter - none available

“Pool: A Social History Of Segregation Exhibition” Exploring Social Justice Through The Lens Of Water Safety Awareness And Art-Based Education, Angela K. Beale-Tawfeeq Ph.D., Mph, Tiffany Monique Quash Ph.D., Knolan Rawlins Ph.D., Victoria Prizzia, Miriam Lynch Ph.D.

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Art exhibitions, with a focus on water safety and drowning prevention, are rarely seen as a medium to address social justice and public health, or water safety awareness and drowning prevention efforts in communities. Globally, data have shown drowning is considered a “neglected public health threat” (World Health Organization, 2021, CDC, 2023). Additionally, reports have shown that across the globe there are demographic groups of people impacted by drowning, historical traumas, and social determinants, also impacting some communities that are at greater risk (WHO 2021, CDC, 2023). Although there are national and international efforts to address the importance of water …

Blue-Mindfulness Training: A Story Of Restorative Justice Decolonizing And Re-Indigenizing Communal Relationships With Water, Thaddeus Gamory, Miriam Lynch Ph.D., A. Udaya Thomas, Angela K. Beale-Tawfeeq Ph.D., Mph

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

This article aims to introduce and describe the development of the concept of Blue-Mindfulness Training^TM, which was created and designed by Thaddeus Gamory and supported by research and the experience of other experts in the field. Drawing from the author’s and others' practical experience, the authors present a "Voice from the Field" perspective on creating and developing the Blue-Mindfulness^TM . This Instructional Framework, coined by Mr. Thaddeus Gamory Blue-Mindfulness^TM, addresses the impacts of historical racial discrimination and trauma in BIPOC communities, specifically on marginalized African American communities while promoting a communal and safe relationship with …

Self-Reported Water Competency Skills At A Historically Black College & University And The Potential Impact Of Additional Hbcu-Based Aquatic Programming, Knolan C. Rawlins Ph.D., Shaun M. Anderson Ed.D, Tiffany Monique Quash Ph.D.

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

This article provides an analysis of self-reported water competency skills at a Historically Black University (HBCU). A survey was administered to undergraduate students who lived on campus at one HBCU. Of the 254 respondents that reported the ability to swim, only 187 respondents self-reported the ability to swim and the ability to perform water competency skills. The biggest discrepancy occurred within individuals that identified as Black or African American. In this group, 142 out of 250 participants proclaimed the ability to swim. However, the number of Black or African Americans that could swim dropped to 84 when researchers operationally defined …

Acute Effects Of Three Different Stretching Techniques On Hamstring Flexibility In Professional Football Players, Erkan Erol, Ramazan Yıldız, Ayşe Yıldız, Fatih Emre Doğan, Bülent Elbasan

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Introduction: Hamstring injuries are common in physically active people and athletes. Lack of hamstring flexibility is the one of the most important characteristics of hamstring injuries in athletes. The aim of this study was to investigate effects of three different stretching techniques on hamstring flexibility in professional football players. Materials and Methods: Fifty-five male football players between the ages of 18–20 years old were involved in the study. The participants were divided into 3 groups: static stretching, neuromobilization and Mulligan traction straight leg raise (TSLR), respectively. Each participant’s dominant lower extremity was assessed with a straight leg raise test (SLR) …

Differences In Actn3, Ace, And Adbr3 Polymorphisms Between Croatian National Team And Non-National Team Elite Soccer Players, Lana Ružić, Ivan Radman, Branka R. Matković

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Introduction: This study investigated the differences in ACTN3, ACE and ADRB3 variants in top-level soccer players who entered the Croatian National Team and the ones who did not but played for two best Croatian teams. Material and Methods: The buccal swabs were collected from 56 soccer players playing for the Croatian National Team (N = 31) and/or for one of the two most prestigious Croatian soccer clubs (N = 25). Each participant’s genotype was determined by analyzing the single-nucleotide polymorphism. The ACTN3 gene (rs1815739) on chromosome 11 and the ACE (rs1799752) gene on chromosome 17 were determined. Results: No significant …

Action Distance As A Predictor Of Winning And Losing Matches At Fivb Volleyball Men’S World Championship, Dariusz Mroczek, Damian Pawlik

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Introduction: Technology determines the emergence of functional tools to monitor and control motor activity during the game. One of the solutions for monitoring the player in indoor sports are computer video analyses, which determine basic kinematic parameters. The study aims to compare team and player activity with the outcome of a given set and the effect of the game status on player activity during a championship-level match. Materials and Methods: The study analysed 140 volleyball players aged 19 to 40 years (27.05 ± 4.33 years, height: 197.15 ± 9.63 cm, body mass: 88.51 ± 9.23 kg) participating in the FIVB …

Primed For Sport Coaching: A Mixed-Methods Pilot Study Of A Six-Week Intervention, Pete S. Paciorek

Dissertations

This six-week pilot study was conducted using grounded theory from “What Works in Character Education” (Berkowitz & Bier, 2014) and specifically the “PRIMED for Character Education” framework (Berkowitz, 2021) applied to 11 high school sport coaches. The three key ideas of focus were on whether the PRIMED framework could increase the coach-participants’ commitment to character education, self-efficacy as character educators, and self-identification as Servant Leaders in an effort to “nurture the flourishing of human goodness” (Berkowitz, 2021) of our youth and, in this case, specifically, high school student-athletes.

With millions of youth involved in sport in North America and across …

Age-Related Physical And Performance Changes In Young Swimmers: The Comparison Of Predictive Models In 50-Meter Swimming Performance, Erkan Demirkan, Tugrul Özkadı, İsmet Alagöz, Esin Çağla Çağlar, Furkan Çamiçi

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Abstract: Introduction: The purpose of the study was to investigate the age-related anthropometric and motor performance changes over time and their contributions to swimming style-specific performance in young different chronological age swimmers. Material and Methods: The study was conducted on a total of forty swimmers who were divided into 2 groups. The Anthropometric meas-urements were executed from 12 body parts, and body composition analysis was determined by using the skinfold method. The motor performance tests were performed for the assessment of standing horizontal jump, handgrip strength, flexed-arm hang strength, sit-up, flexibility, aerobic endurance, speed, agility, and balance. Simple Linear Regression …

Genetic Variants And Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rupture – Elastin Proteins Gene And Fibromodulin Gene Polymorphisms, Ewelina Lulińska, Joanna Żelazny, Agnieszka Lulińska, Elżbieta Grzywacz, Aleksandra Stroińska-Pluta, Marek Sawczuk, Magdalena Stanulewicz

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Introduction: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are among the most common ligament injuries of the knee and often require reconstruction. The etiology of the molecular mechanisms of rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is poorly understood, and many external and internal factors have been associated with it, including genetics. This study aimed to investigate the association of sequence variants in the ELN and FMOD candidate genes with ACL ruptures based on the essential biological functions of these two proteoglycan-encoding genes in maintaining the structural integrity of tissues and regulating fibrillogenesis. Material and Methods: The partici-pants consisted of 229 (164 …

Predictors Of Meeting Physical Activity Recommendation Before And During Covid-19 Pandemic In Adults, Ayda Karaca, Sinem Hazir Aytar, Funda Akcan, Necip Demirci, Emine Caglar

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Introduction: This study aimed to determine the variables that predict whether WHO's global recommendation for physical activity (PA) before and during the COVID-19 pandemic can be met among adults. Material and Methods: A total of 921 adults voluntarily participated in this study. A demographic information form and the Physical Activity Assessment Questionnaire for Turkish people were administered by self-report. The participants were also asked whether they regularly do PA and if the duration of PA is over 150 minutes. Results: The number of adults doing regular PA at the level recommended by WHO significantly decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, and …

Physical Activity In Managing Stress Among Managers During The Covid-19 Pandemic – A Systematic Review, Anna Hryniewicz, Anna Gmiąt, Magdalena Jaroch-Lidzbarska, Mariusz Lipowski

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic managers experienced additional stress connected with taking responsibility for workers at the time of a worldwide crisis. Maintaining a high level of physical activity in this specific group possibly could have contributed to keeping both management skills and health condition at a high required standard. The purpose of this review is to verify the range of scientific interest on the subject of physical activity among managers as a stress coping strategy during the pandemic. Materials and Methods: For this systematic review six studies were chosen (two of them are qualitative descriptive, three are cross-sectional, one …

Effects Of Active Video Game Interventions On Physical Health And Development Among Healthy Preschool Children: A Systematic Review, Wanjiang Zhou, John Oginni, Juan Jose Palos Perez Sr., Kaitlyn Adams, Zan Gao

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Early physical activity (PA) interventions during preschool ages are necessary and critical to cultivate healthy movement behaviors for healthy growth and development. The increasing obesity rate among children is a major public health concern globally, which is largely due to poor adherence to participating in regular PA. Active video game (AVG) interventions have been increasingly used in promoting PA. The narrative review synthesized current literature regarding the effect of AVG interventions on physical health and development indicators among healthy preschoolers. A systematic review was performed in Academic Search Premier, CINAHL, ERIC, PubMed, SPORT Discus, and Web of Science, following the …

A Review On The Dose Response Effect Of Regular Physical Activity On Cognitive Function Among Children And Adolescents, Weidong Li, Ping Xiang

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Purpose: Positive effects of physical activity on cognitive function among children and adolescents have been observed in previous studies. However, little is known about whether there is a dose-response effect of physical activity on cognitive functioning. Especially, the curvilinear relationship between regular physical activity and cognitive functioning remained unexplored. The purpose of this paper was to review the literature on the dose response effect of physical activity on cognitive function among children and adolescents. Methods: A literature search on key words, title, and abstract with the phrases “physical activity and executive function”, “physical activity and cognition”, and “physical …

Experimental And Observational Research Of Children Physical Activity Intervention: A Synthesis Of The Recent Studies, Yuanlong Liu

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

No abstract provided.

Temporal Changes In Energy-Balance Behaviors And Home Factors In Adolescents With Normal Weight And Those With Overweight Or Obesity, Senlin Chen, Chelsea L. Kracht, Robbie A. Beyl, Amanda E. Staiano

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

This study aimed to examine the temporal changes in energy-balance behaviors and home factors in adolescents with normal weight and those with overweight or obesity (OWOB). Adolescents or parent proxies completed survey assessments two to four years before (T0; n = 82), ≤ six months before (T1; n = 68), and ≤ three months after the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak (T2; n = 82), to capture energy-balance behaviors (i.e., physical activity [PA], screen time, sleep) and home factors (i.e., food environment, food worry, parent support for PA). At T0 and T1 (before pandemic), participants visited our laboratory for anthropometric measurements. At …

A Review Of Health Wearable-Based Physical Activity Interventions Among Children And Adolescents, Suryeon Ryu, Pablo Rodriguez-Gonzalez, Zan Gao

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Health wearable technologies have become popular in recent decades to improve individual physical activity (PA) behavior. Thus, this paper aims to examine the health of wearable-based PA intervention among children and adolescents and provide narrative overviews. This paper retrieved articles based on the following inclusion criteria: (1) experimental design; (2) studies among healthy children and adolescents aged from 5 to 18 years; (3) studies using health wearables as a medium to enhance PA or reduce sedentary behavior; and (4) studies with PA assessments as an outcome. Relevant articles were searched based on recent preceding review papers published in 2021 and …

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 …

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.

Aquatics For Individuals With Disabilities: An Analysis Of Publication Trends, Susan J. Grosse

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

This study investigates the published literature in the field of aquatics with disabilities; more specifically, it examines literature published during the most recent two decades, 2000 through 2019. Considerations include the content focus of published articles relating to aquatics with disabilities, distribution of articles over the specified time period, publication opportunities for authors, barriers as well as enhancements to development of literature in the field, and summary recommendations.

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 …

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 …

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 …

The Halliwick Concept: Practical Applications, Susan J. Grosse

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

The Halliwick Concept has become a very popular method for use by professionals involved in instructional swimming and in therapeutic aquatics. Through a detailed look at the principles of Halliwick, this article expands on Halliwick theory by detailing applications of Halliwick to specific population groups. The practicality of implementing Halliwick methodology with and for individuals experiencing a variety of limiting challenges, both physical and cognitive/sensory, are discussed. Hints for success- oriented implementation are provided. For those unfamiliar with the Halliwick Method background resource material is included.

Physiotherapists’ Work In Public Perception, Andrzej Lewandowski, Jadwiga Sarwinska, Zuzanna Piekorz

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Introduction: The aim of the study is to determine basic physical traits of physiotherapists and indicators of their occupation according to social expectations. Material and Methods: 2121 people of different sex, age and education participated in the study. The preferences were categorized by sex and the education level. The test for equality of two percentage structures based on statistics ‘Z’ and the test for equality of proportions based on Fisher-Snedecor’s test were implemented. Results: The preferences for the physical traits are consistent with those commonly expected, and the high level of fitness is expected in the context of significant psychological …

Adaptation Of The Love–Hate Scale For Sports Fans Into Turkish: A Validity And Reliability Study, Sercan Kural, Oguz Ozbek, Bulent Gurbuz

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Introduction: This research has been conducted so it can help to understand the feelings of love and hatred towards the opposing team and their supporters of football club fans and to determine and control the fans’ aggression. Objective: This study aims to adapt the Love–Hate Scale for Sports Fans (LHSSF) to the Turkish context to evaluate the fanatic (love and hate) feelings of football fans. Methods: The study groups consisted of 205 football fans aged 18–58 years (mean age = 30.11). The original version of the scale consists of seven items and two sub-dimensions. To test the construct validity of …