Cardiovascular Risk, Remote Ischemic Postconditioning, And Endothelial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury, Brian A. Hemenway

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Remote ischemic postconditioning (rIpost) is a potent vasculoprotective stimulus that is thought to reduce reperfusion injury associated with heart disease. However, certain animal models of cardiometabolic risk factors such as dyslipidemia, diabetes, and hypertension suggest the beneficial effects of rIpost to lessen reperfusion injury may be diminished. These findings have not been studied in clinically relevant humans. The aim of this study was to determine whether the protective effects of rIpost are reduced in the context of raised cardiometabolic risk in humans. Seven participants with raised cardiometabolic risk burden (age:57±7 years; BMI: 31±4kgm²participated in this 2X2 randomized cross-over …

Effects Of A Post-Activation Potentiation Warm-Up On Submaximal Parallel Back Squat Volume, Rating Of Perceived Exertion, Peak Velocity, And Peak Power, Carlton Wei

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Resistance training (RT) is effective for improving athletic performance, with specific training loads and volumes dictating the adaptations. A warm-up is necessary to safely and effectively engage in RT: typically with a low intensity aerobic activity, stretching, and movement specific potentiating exercises. Post-activation potentiation (PAP) acutely increases muscular power following a conditioning contraction, though limited research has assessed its use for RT. The purpose of this study was to assess how a PAP warm-up protocol affects volume, rating of perceived exertion (RPE), and peak velocity and power with 75%1RM in the barbell parallel back squat (PBS) exercise across 4 sets. …

The Effects Of A Concussion On Dynamic Stability And Cognitive Performance During Single And Dual Task Tandem Gait, Erin Lodwick

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

PURPOSE: It is estimated that between 1.6 and 3.8 million concussions occur in the United States every year during competitive sports. To limit the risk of returning an athlete to play too soon a sensitive and reliable assessment is needed. Static balance assessments that are used currently only detect very short term balance deficits (1-3 days). The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of a concussion on dynamic stability and more specifically if those effects are seen to a greater degree with the addition of a secondary cognitive task. METHODS: This study used 18 Humboldt State University …

The Effect Of Workload Reductions On Anaerobic Work During High Intensity Running, Taylor Keith Kennon

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Anaerobic capacity has implications in health and sport. Sprint interval training improves anaerobic capacity, aerobic factors, as well as performance. Optimal durations for taxing anaerobic capacity have been shown to be 60 seconds, and have been elicited using the Anaerobic Speed Test. In order to maintain this optimal duration for multiple sets, a decreasing workloads method must be used as fatigue increases following each set. These work-loading methods must be compared to determine which protocol allows for the maximum exercise volume to be achieved. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of three different workload protocols on …

The Effects Of Limb Dominance On Cross-Education In A Four Week Resistance Training Program, Caitlin Wend

Masters Theses

Cross-education is known as the phenomenon of strength transfer from the trained side of the body to the untrained side of the body by unilateral resistance training. Research has shown that limb dominance has an effect on the amount of strength that is gained on the untrained side. Studies have found that there is a greater cross over effect in strength from the dominant side of the body to the non-dominant side of the body than vice versa. The present study examined this effect by taking 12 college females and splitting them into three groups: dominant training, non-dominant training, and …

The Effect Of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness On Jumping Mechanics And Performance, Ryan J. Engels

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is an exercise-induced muscle soreness resulting from high-intensity eccentric muscular contractions. DOMS appears to be more prevalent in athletes at the beginning of an athletic season or when new movements or exercise are first introduced. The acute effect of DOMS on jumping mechanics is currently unknown. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of delayed onset muscle soreness on vertical jump performance and jumping mechanics. METHODS: Twenty college aged, recreationally active males participated in this study (age: 21.54 ± 2.61; height: 1.82 ± 0.067; mass: 81.36 ± 9.53). Participants were …

The Addition Of A Concurrent Bimanual Task Influences Postural Sway And Walking Speed Performance And Prioritization Across All Ages, Derek Matthew Liuzzo

Theses and Dissertations

As individuals age, there is an increase in attentional demands, a heavier reliance on vision, reduction in efficiency of both tasks, and longer processing intervals causing greater dual task interference on postural sway and walking speed. While cognitive-motor interference has been investigated, the impact of adding a functional, manual task while balancing or during gait is poorly understood across all ages. The overall purpose was to examine the relationship between age and task automaticity in dual-task conditions with a functional bimanual task, and describe how age influences attentional prioritization strategies. Older adults demonstrated differences in single and dual task performance …

The Effect Of Intrinsic And Extrinsic Motivations On Health Behavior In College Students: A Systematic Review, Kristen Melendez, Sharon Jalene

AANAPISI Poster Presentations

When measuring the weight of individuals to create healthy lifestyle plans with proper diet and exercise it is alarming how many people follow even the MINIMUM requirement to live a long healthy life. Research has proven that even people who are aware that they are overweight will likely only have a short-lived maintenance of healthy behaviors. Therefore, both intrinsic and extrinsic motivations were examined in order to better understand the difference between the population who maintains healthy lifestyles and those whose healthy habits are not sustained. Methods: A systematic review process was used to filter and screen for applicable studies …

National Franchise Members’ Perceptions Of The Exercise Psychosocial Environment, Ownership, & Satisfaction, E. Whitney G. Moore, Mary D. Fry

Kinesiology, Health and Sport Studies

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between: a) the motivational climate developed by a national exercise franchise and b) members’ sense of ownership in and enjoyment of exercise. Members of a national exercise franchise (N=5,329) were surveyed to learn their views on the motivational climate (autonomy supportive, caring, task- and ego-involving), exercise class ownership, and class enjoyment. Mean scale scores revealed this national exercise franchise succeeded in developing a high caring (M = 4.60 ± .68), task-involving (M = 4.04 ± .62), and autonomy supportive (M = 5.98 ± 1.00) climate, and low ego-involving (M = …

An Examination Of Spasticity Of The Lower Extremity Among Young People With Cerebral Palsy, Jordan Nourse

Honors College Theses

Background: Spasticity is the most common symptom among individuals with Cerebral Palsy (CP). Spasticity is often presented as stiff limbs often resulting in pain. Currently, clinicians are limited in diagnosing spasticity using observational tools. The purpose of this study was compare spasticity at various functional levels using dynamometry. Methods: Participants included nine adolescents (12-19) with CP and nine adolescents (age-matched) without CP. The participants participated in passive stretches delivered by the Biodex System 4 Pro Dynamometer at four different speeds (90, 120, 150, and 180 deg/s), Measurements of the quadriceps will be collected before and during passive knee extension stretches …

The Role Of Exercise Dose On Ghrelin Concentration In Postmenopausal Women, Kimberly Bowyer

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: As obesity continues to be a major public health concern, exercise is continually at the forefront of combating this epidemic. This thesis aims to examine how two different doses of exercise may affect the “hunger hormone”, ghrelin; in postmenopausal, non-obese women. Methods: 54 non-obese postmenopausal women were randomly assigned to either a higher dose (energy expenditure = 14 kilocalories/per kilogram of body weight/per week) or lower dose (energy expenditure = 8 kcal/kg/week) aerobic exercise training group for 16 weeks. Fasting blood samples were taken at baseline and at post intervention for analysis of ghrelin via multiplex immunoassay. Results: Only …

The Health, Fitness, And Anthropometric Characteristics Of Firefighters On The North Coast Of California, Gil Spitz

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

ABSTRACT

THE HEALTH, FITNESS AND ANTHROPOMETRIC CHARACTERISTICS OF FIREFIGHTERS ON THE NORTH COAST OF CALIFORNIA

Gil Spitz

Limited research has been conducted on the health-related physical fitness level of rural firefighters on the northern coast of California. The geographic isolation of rural firefighters creates unique challenges, including staffing shortages placing individual firefighters under unusual physiological stress.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the health-related physical fitness status of rural firefighters.

METHODS: 20 male firefighters (mean±sd, age = 32±7 yr, height = 180±5 cm, body mass = 96±16 kg, fire service = 9±7 yr) on the …

The Effect Of An Underwater Treadmill Aquatic Exercise Program On The Functional Ability Of K2, Trans-Tibial Unilateral Amputees, Jonathan D. Bailey

Summer Community of Scholars Posters (RCEU and HCR Combined Programs)

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of A Game Simulation On Muscle Activation And Knee Kinematics In Females, Geoffrey Collins

Theses and Dissertations

Intro: Female athletes experience non-contact ACL injuries at 5 times the rate of male athletes. These injuries occur more frequently at the end of halves and may be associated with exercise-induced fatigue causing knee instability. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the effect of strenuous exercise on lateral knee movement during the landing phase of a jump. Methods: Ten subjects completed both the exercise and the control trial consisting of two 25-min game simulations on a treadmill or on a separate day the equivalent rest. Before, at half time, and immediately following the interventions subjects performed sets …

The Association Of Changes In Cardiorespiratory Fitness With Changes In Cardiometabolic Risk Factors, Leanna Marie Ross

Theses and Dissertations

Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is well established as having a strong inverse association with numerous cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and mortality. As CVD remains the number one cause of death in America, the detrimental effects of low CRF present a substantial health threat. The studies presented in this dissertation syndicate both epidemiologic and clinical data that will enrich the knowledge base regarding the magnitude of change in CRF in relation to CVD risk factors.

Recently, the American Heart Association established a new construct termed ideal cardiovascular health (CVH), which is characterized by seven metrics known as Life’s Simple 7. The …

Heart Rate Recovery And Blood Pressure Recovery Influenced By A Slow-Breathing Protocol After Exercise In Moderately Trained Females, Emily Layne Zumbro

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) increases in order to meet metabolic demands as a result of exercise primarily through way of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). This study aimed to build on previous research in finding the best method to rapidly decrease HR and BP after exercise during the recovery period. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a breathing technique on HRR and BPR within a healthy female population during an exercise recovery period compared to active recovery and upright passive recovery. METHODS: Nine moderately trained female …

Vitamin D Status And Bone Mineral Density In Female Collegiate Dancers And Cheerleaders, Tara Sue Kenny, Damon Mccune, Laura J. Kruskall, James Navalta, John C. Young

Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences Faculty Research

Bone mineral density reflects an athlete’s cumulative history of energy availability, physical activity, and menstrual status, as well as nutritional and environmental factors. Although sports with high-impact loading are associated with higher bone mineral density than low-impact or non-impact sports, confounding variables are differences in the athletes’ body size and sport-specific training. The purpose of this study was to determine if bone mineral density (BMD) and vitamin D status are different between two groups of female collegiate athletes who have comparable body size/weight requirements, but who engage in qualitatively different training regimens. Full body, spine and dual femur BMD was …

Are Maximum Ground Forces And Leg Compression In Phase? A Test Of The Classical Spring Mass Model Of Running Gaits, Seth Donahue

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The mechanical understanding of human running has classically been described as a spring-mass system, with subsequent models predicting the movements of the body’s center of mass and the forces applied by the leg against the ground. A central requirement of any spring system is the phasic relationship between the length of the elastic elements and the forces applied to these structures. Specifically, elastic elements compress under load and extend as the load is released. We tested whether this model applies to individuals with specialization for extreme performance in human gait. Recent work from elite level sprint runners suggest that their …

The Influence Of Different Pre-Exercise Routines On Sprint Performance, Rok Mravljak

Masters Theses

Sprint performance can be enhanced by interventions for short-term (acute) purposes and/or long-term purposes. Acute neuromuscular responses are usually achieved by using different pre-exercise routines at the end of the warm-up period. Recently, there have been several studies examining the effects of various pre-exercise routines on sprint performance, yet there has not been a research study designed that compared the three most commonly used pre-exercise routines in professional and recreational sports (static stretching, dynamic stretching and foam-rolling). Therefore, this study investigated and compared the results of static stretching, dynamic stretching, self-myofascial release and the control group, in order to provide …

Exercise Is Medicine: The Exercise Habits And Attitudes Towards Exercise Counseling Of Medical Practitioners, Zoë Roberts

Masters Theses

The purpose of this research was to examine the exercise habits of practicing physicians, physician assistants (PA), and nurse practitioners (NP) in Illinois to better understand their attitudes towards counseling their patients on exercise, and to analyze the frequency that these health care providers incorporate exercise counseling into their practices. Current data has revealed the exercise habits of physicians and how it has influenced the physicians' exercise counseling behaviors. But PAs and NPs have not been included in research collectively as a medical team on the topic using exercise counseling and prescription for patient care and treatment. The research was …

The Effect Of Myosync™ Supplementation On Physical Performance In Division Ii College Football Players, Matthew Gage

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the acute effect of Myosync™ on physical performance in Division II football players. Methods: Fourteen male Division II football players (20.4 ± 1.0 years) participated in a randomized double blind crossover experiment. Subjects were either given Myosync™ or a placebo control 60 minutes prior to any physical testing measures. Testing consisted of, maximum vertical jumps, maximum voluntary isometric contractions (MVIC), maximal voluntary concentric contractions (MVCC), and fatiguing contractions for the knee extensor muscles. Recovery measures consisted of one MVIC and MVCCs 10 minutes after fatiguing task. Results: There was no …

Age Differences In Dynamic Fatigability And Variability Of Arm And Leg Muscles: Associations With Physical Function, Jonathon Senefeld, Tejin Yoon, Sandra K. Hunter

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Introduction

It is not known whether the age-related increase in fatigability of fast dynamic contractions in lower limb muscles also occurs in upper limb muscles. We compared age-related fatigability and variability of maximal-effort repeated dynamic contractions in the knee extensor and elbow flexor muscles; and determined associations between fatigability, variability of velocity between contractions and functional performance.

Methods

35 young (16 males; 21.0 ± 2.6 years) and 32 old (18 males; 71.3 ± 6.2 years) adults performed a dynamic fatiguing task involving 90 maximal-effort, fast, concentric, isotonic contractions (1 contraction/3 s) with a load equivalent to 20% maximal voluntary isometric …

British Services Dhaulagiri Medical Research Expedition: A Unique Military And Civilian Research Collaboration, Adrian Mellor, Josh Bakker-Dyos, Marc Howard, Christopher Boos, Mark Cooke, Emmanuel Vincent, Peter Scott, John O'Hara, Sarah B. Clarke, Matt Barlow, Jamie Matu, Kevin Deighton, Caroline Newman, Richard Cruttenden, David Holdsworth, David Woods

Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

Changes In Appetite, Energy Intake, Body Composition And Circulating Ghrelin Constituents During An Incremental Trekking Ascent To High Altitude, Jamie Matu, John O'Hara, Neil Hill, Sarah B. Clarke, Christopher Boos, Caroline Newman, David Holdsworth, Theocharis Ispoglou, Lauren Duckworth, David Woods, Adrian Mellor, Kevin Deighton

Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

Maternal Physical Activity And Cardiorespiratory Fitness During Pregnancy And Its Relation To Infant Size, Samantha M. Mcdonald

Theses and Dissertations

Recent evidence indicates that U.S.-born infants are larger today compared to 20 years ago. A strong determinant of neonatal size is maternal body mass, where larger mothers deliver larger infants. Consistent evidence indicates that higher levels of maternal physical activity (PA) during pregnancy reduce the risk of delivering a larger infant. However, this protective effect has only been demonstrated in normal weight pregnant women. Little is known about the relationship between maternal PA and neonatal size in overweight or obese pregnant women. Moreover, no studies have examined the association between maternal cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), an indicator of habitual PA, on …

Children’S Obesogenic Behaviors During Summer Versus School, Keith Brazendale

Theses and Dissertations

Emerging evidence shows children gain 3-5 times the amount of weight and lose cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) during summer compared to the 9-months of the school year. Notably, this trend is more pronounced in children who are already overweight or obese going into summer and/or from low-income ethnic minority households. There is little evidence to investigating the underlying mechanisms driving the pronounced occurrence of these negative health outcomes during summer.

The purpose of this dissertation as a whole was to investigate children’s obesogenic behaviors (physical activity, sedentary/ screen time, sleep, and diet) during summer versus school, and compare any differences in …

Identifying Associations Between Religious Commitment And Preventive Health Behaviors In A Southeastern Rural County, Nathan A. Peters

Theses and Dissertations

Health disparities within the United States (US) are continuing to impact ethnic minorities living in rural areas nationwide. In response, there is growing interest in using faith-based settings as vehicles to deliver much needed disease prevention interventions. However, few studies have identified the relationship between private and public religious commitment, individually, and the behaviors or risk factors associated with chronic disease. The purpose of this study was to observe the association between religious commitment, both private (i.e., time spent trying to grow in one’s religious understanding) and public (i.e., frequency of attendance, time spent in fellowship with others) individually, and …

The Effect Of Energy-Matched Exercise Intensity On Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor And Motor Learning, Jessica F. Baird

Theses and Dissertations

Brain plasticity is important to motor learning, and is a critical component of motor rehabilitation. Exercise prior to motor training may facilitate plasticity by increasing brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). However, many studies that have investigated exercise-enhanced plasticity have assessed motor skill performance on tasks involving single finger button presses or small movements of a joystick, results that may not relate to more complex, real-world movements. Additionally, while high-intensity exercise has been shown to benefit motor learning, the effects of low-intensity exercise have yet to be fully investigated. A bout of low-intensity exercise, when completed at an energy expenditure that is …

Patterns Of Participation And Performance In Youth Baseball Players, Amanda Arnold

Theses and Dissertations

Baseball is a popular sport to play in the United States, with approximately 13-17 million athletes participating across all levels of competition. Youth (9-12 years) and adolescent (13-18 years) players comprise the majority of this population playing at the club and high school levels, yet less than 10% of research studies include athletes <18 years old. Despite increased awareness of the risks surrounding sports participation, youth and adolescent baseball players continue to report overuse injuries at alarming rates.

The lack of high-quality research describing athletic performance and injury risk factors, such as sport specialization, in young athlete populations poses a significant knowledge gap in the literature. The current investigation sought to establish the incidence of upper extremity (UE) injuries while examining population-specific risk factors in …

The Nutrition Assistance Landscape In Afterschool Programs: Understanding The Gap Between Research, Policy, And Practice, Falon Elizabet Tilley

Theses and Dissertations

The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) aims to increase children’s access to healthful foods in out-of-home care. Approximately half of the 10.2 million children enrolled in afterschool programs (ASPs) are eligible for nutrition assistance through programs like CACFP. Despite awareness of its potential impact on the nutritional status of millions of children, CACFP is underutilized among ASPs and notably understudied in comparison to other federal nutrition assistance programs.

This dissertation addresses key gaps in CACFP research and provides a deeper understanding of the nutrition assistance landscape in afterschool programs by (1) assessing the type of afterschool snacks served …