Kinesiology Commons^™

Prevalence Of Sensory Impairments In Home Care And Long-Term Care Using Interrai Data From Across Canada, Dawn M. Guthrie, Nicole Williams, Atul Jaiswal, Paul Mick, Hannah M. O'Rourke, M. Kathleen Pichora-Fuller, Walter Wittich, Rinku Sutradhar

Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Background

In the general population, sensory impairments increase markedly with age in adults over 60 years of age. We estimated the prevalence of hearing loss only (HL), vision loss only (VL), and a combined impairment (i.e., dual sensory loss or DSL) in Canadians receiving home care (HC) or long-term care (LTC).

Methods

Annual cross-sectional analyses were conducted using data collected with one of two interRAI assessments, one used for the HC setting (n = 2,667,199), and one for LTC (n = 1,538,691). Items in the assessments were used to measure three mutually exclusive outcomes: prevalence of VL only, …

Young Adult And Adolescent Balance Control Strategies During A Dual-Task Stone-Stepping Paradigm, Emily Ford

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Stone-stepping demands greater attention and visuomotor integration, as it requires precise foot placement. The amount of attention required during locomotion is typically assessed with a secondary task, by analyzing the dual-task cost. Adolescents are suggested to have a greater dual-task cost than young adults and demonstrate balance control impairments while dual-tasking walking. The purpose of the current study was to explore the balance control differences between adolescents and young adults during a stone-stepping paradigm. We hypothesized that adolescents would experience greater balance control deficits while performing the secondary task compared to the young adults, especially while on the uneven terrain. …

Cross-Sectional Nutrition Profile Of Palliative Home Care Clients In Ontario And Performance Of The Interrai Palliative Care Nutrition Clinical Assessment Protocol, Tara Stevens, Heather Keller, Nicole Williams, James Downar, Dawn M. Guthrie

Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: The nutrition profile of palliative home care clients is unknown. This study describes this group and their nutrition issues and evaluates the performance of the interRAI nutrition Clinical Assessment Protocol (CAP).

Methods: This was a cross-sectional secondary analysis using Ontario interRAI Palliative Care (interRAI PC) Assessment data. The sample represents 74,963 unique Ontario home care clients assessed between 2011 and 2018. Frequencies and standardized differences (stdiffs) of nutrition characteristics were presented for cancer (n = 62,394) and noncancer (n = 12,569) diagnostic subgroups. Rates of triggering the nutrition CAP were presented by nutrition issue to evaluate its performance.

Results: …

Exploring The Relationship Between Dog Ownership, Physical Activity, And Mental Health, Stephanie Ho, Jennifer Robertson-Wilson, Mark Eys

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The physical and mental health benefits of regular physical activity have been well-documented (e.g., Reiner et al., 2013; White et al., 2017). Additionally, owning a dog is associated with positive health outcomes as owners are encouraged to walk. Dogs are also a source of comfort during stressful times for those in their presence (e.g., Brown & Rhodes, 2006; Westgarth et al., 2017). The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between dog ownership, physical activity, and mental health among the university student population. Over 500 university students completed questionnaires assessing their demographic information, mental health, dog ownership status, …

The Impact Of Combined Flexion And Compression On The Mechanical Integrity Of The Annulus Fibrosus, Keaton Briar

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Introduction: Intervertebral disc (IVD) herniation is characterized by an expulsion of nucleus pulposus (NP) material through the annulus fibrosus (AF). The AF contains two major adhesive structures, the intralamellar matrix and the interlamellar matrix, which act to maintain the strength of the AF and prevent NP material migration. As a herniation occurs, clefts form within the intralamellar matrix, pushing the NP between adjacent collagen fibres; meanwhile, delamination of the interlamellar matrix causes the NP to pool between layers of the AF. Further, herniation more readily occurs in a combined loading scenario of both compression and flexion. Flexion, and in particular …

Sensory Conflict Alters Visual Perception Of Action Capabilities During Crossing Of A Closing Gap In Virtual Reality, Natalie A. Snyder, Michael E. Cinelli

Kinesiology and Physical Education Faculty Publications

The somatosensory, vestibular, and visual systems contribute to multisensory integration, which facilitates locomotion around obstacles in the environment. The joystick-controlled virtual reality (VR) locomotion interface does not preserve congruent sensory input like real-walking, yet is commonly used in human behaviour research. Our purpose was to determine if collision avoidance behaviours were affected during an aperture crossing task when somatosensory and vestibular input were incongruent, and only vision was accurate. Participants included 36 young adults who completed a closing-gap aperture crossing task in VR using real-walking and joystick-controlled locomotion. Participants successfully completed the task using both interfaces. Switch point between passable …

Spinal Motor Neuron Excitability And Balance Control Changes Following Downslope Walking, Nikki Aitcheson-Huehn

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Downslope walking (DSW) has been proposed as a rehabilitation tool for people with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS) although there are mixed findings in young adults (YA) regarding the balance control changes, despite both populations experiencing depressed spinal motor neuron (MN) pool excitability. Our aim was to determine whether YAs could demonstrate improved balance control in conjunction with SOL H reflex depression (estimate of spinal MN excitability) following DSW. We also aimed to determine whether reciprocal inhibition was a potential mechanism for H reflex depression via conditioned SOL H reflexes. Thirty young adults (23±1.4y, 6 males) were assigned to 30-minutes of DSW …

The Nature Of Informal Roles In Interdependent Sport Teams, Jeemin Kim

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The degree to which athletes understand and execute their formal role responsibilities (i.e., prescribed by coaches) is important for individual and group functioning (Eys, Schinke, Surya, & Benson, 2014). Recent literature suggested that informal roles can emerge within sport teams more naturally without coaches’ explicit assignments (e.g., team comedians, distracters), and have significant influences on team functioning (Cope, Eys, Beauchamp, Schinke, & Bosselut, 2011). This doctoral dissertation examined the nature of informal roles within interdependent sport teams, focusing on their antecedents and outcomes. Three separate projects were conducted. Project One examined athletes’ personality in the big five dimensions (McCrae & …

“This Is My Little World…”: Navigating The Group Exercise Experience Of Stay-Fit Members, Olivia Jones

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Objective

Cancer is the leading cause of death in Canada, with one in two Canadians expected to develop cancer over their lifetime (Canadian Cancer Society, 2019). Exercise is reportedly a safe therapy to help ease the common side effects of cancer and its treatments (Schmitz et al., 2010). Past research has shown the benefits of group exercise while in treatment for cancer, but there is a dearth of research regarding the impact of long-term group exercise programming for cancer survivors. This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of group exercise participation for individuals who previously had cancer and were enrolled …

Examining The Effect Of Exercise Intensity On Post-Exercise Hypotension In Middle-Aged Adults, Seth F. Mccarthy

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Acute bouts of exercise have a transient lowering effect on systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in the hours after termed post-exercise hypotension (PEH). While moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) is effective in reducing BP acutely, little is known regarding the effects of higher intensity exercise. This study examined the effects of different exercise intensities on PEH. Six participants (females: 4; age: 48±9 y, Mean arterial pressure: 84±8 mmHg) had their BP measured before and both immediately post- (<2 h) and for 24 h following 4 experimental sessions: 1) 30 min MICT (65% V̇O_2max); 2) 20 min high-intensity interval training (HIIT; 10 x 1 min @ 90% HR_max with 1 …

Examining Disability In The Region Of Waterloo: Physical Activity Programming And Caregiving, Nicole J. Reinders Luymes

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Physical activity (PA) is a necessary component of wellbeing for individuals with and without disabilities. Disabled young people experience many barriers to PA, resulting in inactive lifestyles that compound health issues and hinder their full participation in schools and communities. The following dissertation includes a literature review regarding the effects of PA for young people with a variety of developmental disabilities, in addition to three research studies examining community-based PA programming, and one study exploring the lived experiences of caregivers, all within the Region of Waterloo.

The first study was a needs assessment to examine PA perceptions, practices, barriers, and …

Exploring Upper Limb Sequence Behaviours In Egocentric And Allocentric Reference Frames, Robyn Brooke Grunberg

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Voluntary behaviours, such as reaching, are essential for manipulating and exploring our environment. The current body of literature, however, has predominantly investigated reach behaviours through tasks such as peg-moving, tapping, dotting, and circle drawing. The objective of this study was to investigate the order and direction of reaching behaviours in a sequential tapping task in both an egocentric and an allocentric reference frame. Gaze behaviours were observed to explore intent to reach in the sequential task. Implementing reference frames in an upper limb motor control task might be of clinical importance when exploring rehabilitation techniques post-traumatic brain injury. It was …

Toll-Like Receptor 4 Inhibition Differentially Impacts Intervertebral Disc Axial Mechanics In Wild Type And Sparc-Null Mice, Mitch Whittal

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Study Design. In vivo examination of the influence of TAK-242 (resatorvid) treatment on the mechanical properties of the intervertebral disc (IVD) in secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) gene knockout (SPARC-null) mice.

Objectives. To examine if chronic TAK-242 treatment mitigates mechanical degradation associated with IVD degeneration in SPARC-null mice.

Summary of Background data. IVD degeneration is associated with low back pain (LBP) and is accompanied by mechanical changes to the spine. SPARC is a protein that contributes to the functioning and maintenance of the extracellular matrix (ECM), with SPARC-null mice displaying accelerated IVD degeneration. TAK-242 is a toll-like …

Effects Of An Acute Session Of High- Vs Low-Load Resistance Training Exercise On Energy Balance, Daniel Grisebach, Derek Pd Bornath, Abigail A. Broad, Seth F. Mccarthy, Tom J. Hazell

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This study examined the effect of an acute session of low-load high-volume resistance training versus a more traditional high-load low-volume session on energy balance (EB). Five recreationally active males (age: 24±3 y; BMI: 25.8±1.5 kgm^-2) completed three different sessions: 1) high-load (90% 1RM); 2) low-load (30% 1RM); and 3) CTRL (no exercise). Gas exchange (V̇O₂), blood lactate, and subjective appetite perceptions were measured before each session, as well as at 0, 1, and 2 h post-exercise. Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) in the quadriceps, pectorals, hamstrings, deltoids, and latissimus dorsi was measured at 24 and 48 …

A Qualitative Investigation Into The Influence Of A Mental Health Physical Activity Intervention On University Students, Heather M. Tunks

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Objective

Among the university student population, mental illnesses are highly prevalent. Adults aged 20-30 years have the highest rates of mood and anxiety disorders than any other age group, with approximately 12.0% diagnosed with an anxiety disorder and 7.0 to 9.0% experiencing clinical depression (Nunes et al., 2014; Pedrelli, Nyer, Yeung, Zulauf, & Wilens, 2015). Reducing or preventing the effects of mental illness among this population may have lifelong implications including improvements in coping and management of mental illness throughout the lifespan(Jaworska, DeSomma, Fonseka, Heck, & MacQueen, 2016). This research examines the lived experiences of volunteers and participants in a …

Fall Reading Week: Exploring The Effects On Student Well-Being, Roobina Medhizadah

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Mental health is a concerning issue in post-secondary institutions across Ontario. Post-secondary students are challenged with many stressors such as time management and living independently for the first time (Wagner & Rhee, 2013). In an attempt to help students, maintain or improve their mental health, universities across Ontario have implemented fall reading week, a mid-semester break (Poole et al., 2017). Previous studies (Cramer & Pschibul, 2017; Poole et al., 2017) provided mixed results in whether fall reading week positively influences student mental health and well-being. To date, few studies have explored the influence of fall reading week on student health …

Potential Quality Indicators For Seriously Ill Home Care Clients: A Cross-Sectional Analysis Using Resident Assessment Instrument For Home Care (Rai-Hc) Data For Ontario, Lisa E. Harman, Dawn M. Guthrie, Joachim Cohen, Anja Declercq, Kathryn Fisher, Donna Goodridge, John P. Hirdes, Hsien Seow

Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Background

Currently, there are no formalized measures for the quality of home based palliative care in Ontario. This study developed a set of potential quality indicators for seriously ill home care clients using a standardized assessment.

Methods

Secondary analysis of Resident Assessment Instrument for Home Care data for Ontario completed between 2006 and 2013 was used to develop quality indicators (QIs) thought to be relevant to the needs of older (65+) seriously ill clients. QIs were developed through a review of the literature and consultation with subject matter experts in palliative care. Serious illness was defined as a prognosis of …

Exploring Psychological Readiness To Return To Sport After Injury, Scott Donald

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Athletes are often cleared to return to sport with little emphasis on psychological readiness in relation to physical readiness. This is important because athletes who are not psychologically ready to return to sport (RTS), despite being physically cleared, may lack motivation to compete and lack confidence in their abilities (Podlog, Banham, Wadey, & Hannon, 2015), drop out of sport, fear re-injury (Ardern et al., 2014), worry about future performance (Podlog & Eklund, 2006), experience anxiety and feel depressed (Tracey, 2003) or incur further injury (McCullough et al., 2012). Remarkably, there is no definition of psychological readiness consistently used in the …

Spinal Motor Neuron Excitability During Fatigue, Nathalie Cecire

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Fatigue during sustained or repeated muscular contractions can be from contractile failure within the muscle or reduced excitability in the supraspinal and spinal motor neurons. However, spinal motor neurons can also compensate for fatigue. We speculate that one way the spinal motor neuron compensates for fatigue is through an increase in excitability via the activation of persistent inward currents (PIC). In other conditions where there is a reduction in descending drive, such as during spinal cord injury and aging, there are adaptions of the spinal motor neurons to have elevated PIC amplitudes or towards a greater prevalence of PIC, respectively. …

The Effect Of Loading Rate On Annulus Fibrosus Strength Following Endplate Fracture, John Mcmorran

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Low back pain is the most prevalent cause of chronic pain for North Americans, and its correlation with endplate damage, and deficient mechanical properties in the annulus fibrosus (AF) makes this injury particularly concerning. To date, biomechanical alterations in the AF following endplate fracture have not been well described. Owing to the AF’s collagenous composition, and the intrinsic biomechanics of intervertebral discs (IVDs) during compression, it was hypothesized that the mechanical properties of AF specimens would show rate-dependent alterations in their tensile and adhesive strengths following endplate fracture. The purpose of the present study was to quantify the mechanical properties …

The Task At Hand: Fatigue-Associated Changes To Corticospinal Excitability During Writing, Kezia Cinelli

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Corticospinal excitability as measured via transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is highly dependent on the task being performed at the time of stimulation. As such, this study sought out to measure corticospinal excitability during the relevant, daily task of writing and compare it to the conventional abduction task often utilized. We used single-pulse motor evoked potentials (MEPs) to provide a measure of corticospinal excitability and cortical silent period (CSP) duration, and paired-pulse conditioned MEPs to assess short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) and intracortical facilitation (ICF) recorded from the right first dorsal interosseous (FDI) of 19 participants on two randomized and counter-balanced days. …

Physical Fatigue Negatively Affects Decision-Making During A Closing-Gap Aperture Crossing Task When Using Joystick-Controlled Locomotion, Natalie Snyder

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Goal-direct locomotion is made possible through the integration of sensory input from the visual, vestibular, and somatosensory system. However, changes in collision avoidance behaviours and action capabilities (i.e., affordances) may occur when a sensory conflict is introduced (i.e., via incongruent input from a sensory system). Further, changes to the person (such as physical fatigue) may have negative implications on the cognitive abilities of an individual following physically fatiguing exercise. This in turn could affect an individual’s ability to avoid collisions with objects or other individuals in their environment. Thus, the objective of this thesis was to explore how physical fatigue …

Exploring The Potential Neuromuscular Adaptations Associated With Sprint Interval Training, Samer Hassan

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Purpose. The primary purpose of this study was to explore the acute (a single sprint interval training or SIT exercise session) and chronic (3 weeks of SIT) neural adaptations that may occur with the SIT (30 second sprint and 4 minutes of rest).

Methods. 28 recreationally active participants were pseudo-randomized into either a control group (CTRL) or training group (TR) and tested at 4 time points after baseline VO_2max testing. Participants were tested, pre-training/pre-fatigue, pre-training/post-fatigue, post-training/pre-fatigue, post-training/post-fatigue. The fatigue protocol was a SIT session (4 x 30-s sprints). The TR completed a 3-week running SIT protocol (3x/wk) progressing …

Incidence Of Responders Vs Non-Responders With Sprint Interval Training, Kyle Schulhauser

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The current study examined the incidence of non-response to a traditional 30:240 s sprint interval training (SIT) protocol, as well as for 2 modified SIT protocols of 15:120 s, and 5:40 s over 4 wk of training in 84 recreationally active males and females (52m, 32f). Pre- and post- testing measures included: aerobic capacity (V̇O_2max), aerobic performance (5-km time trial), and anaerobic capacity (30 s sprint). Non-response was determined using 2x typical error for each variable. Chi square analysis indicated a significant difference (P = 0.032) in the frequency of non-responders for aerobic performance where the 30:240 group …

The Relationship Between Caregiver Burden And Depressive Symptoms In Ontario Home Care Clients, Nicole Williams, Samantha Jamal, Dawn M. Guthrie

Health Sciences Faculty Publications

The onset of depressive symptoms is common in home care clients and their caregivers. Understanding the experience of the informal caregiver can assist clinicians in providing services to maximize the well-being of both the client and their caregivers. The objectives of this article are to examine risk factors for the development of depressive symptoms. A longitudinal analysis design was completed for clients with 2+ assessments. The development of depressive symptoms was defined as a Depression Rating Scale score of 3+ on re-assessment. The results-overall, 10.7% of clients experienced new depressive symptoms and clients with a caregiver who was feeling distressed, …

A Deterioration In Hearing Is Associated With Functional And Cognitive Impairments, Difficulty With Communication And Greater Health Instability, Nicole Williams, Dawn M. Guthrie, Jacob G.S. Davidson, Kathryn Fisher, Lauren E. Griffith

Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Objectives: To examine the relationship between hearing deterioration and several health-related outcomes among home care clients in Ontario. Design: Longitudinal analysis was completed for clients with at least two comprehensive assessments. Hearing status, based on a single item, ranged from zero (no impairment) to three (highly impaired). Hearing deterioration was defined as at least a 1-point decline between subsequent assessments. Results: Seven percent experienced a 1-point deterioration in hearing and roughly 1% had a 2/3-point decline. After adjusting for other covariates, increasing age (odds ratio = 1.94; 95% confidence intervals [CIs] = [1.45, 2.61]) and a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease …

Combined Impairments In Vision, Hearing And Cognition Are Associated With Greater Levels Of Functional And Communication Difficulties Than Cognitive Impairment Alone: Analysis Of Interrai Data For Home Care And Long-Term Care Recipients In Ontario, Dawn M. Guthrie, Jacob G.S. Davidson, Nicole Williams, Jennifer Campos, Kathleen Hunter, Paul Mick, Joseph B. Orange, M. Kathleen Pichora-Fuller, Natalie A. Phillips, Marie Y. Savundranayagam, Walter Wittich

Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Objectives: The objective of the current study was to understand the added effects of having a sensory impairment (vision and/or hearing impairment) in combination with cognitive impairment with respect to health-related outcomes among older adults (65+ years old) receiving home care or residing in a long-term care (LTC) facility in Ontario, Canada.

Methods: Cross-sectional analyses were conducted using existing data collected with one of two interRAI assessments, one for home care (n = 291,824) and one for LTC (n = 110,578). Items in the assessments were used to identify clients with single sensory impairments (e.g., vision only [VI], hearing only …

A Comparison Of The Stability & Pressure Distribution Between Young Adults And A Transtibial Amputee During Obstacle Crossing, Colin Kirst

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Falls are identified as the largest risk and leading cause of injury for multiple populations, including young adults and individuals with a transtibial amputation. Furthermore, obstacle crossing is identified as the number one cause of a trip, which subsequently leads to falling. Previous research provides conflicting results and a lack of specificity in certain outcome measures of dynamic stability during obstacle crossing. Therefore, the purpose of this thesis was to gain foundational knowledge on outcome measures related to dynamic stability during an obstacle crossing protocol. An additional purpose was to investigate the dynamic stability of young adults, and speculate on …

Exploring The Relationship Between Group Cohesion And Compassion In Varsity Athletes, Theo Chu

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Compassion is a prosocial behaviour characterized by kindness and a non-judgmental attitude to reduce one’s suffering. Typically, it is thought of as a behaviour we express outwardly to others, but compassion can also be directed internally toward ourselves. This is known as self-compassion. The benefits of having compassion for other people have been largely studied in employment settings and everyday life behaviours. Moreover, research has shown self-compassion is also related to many positive outcomes. Compared to compassion for others, self-compassion has been studied in sport, however it is still in its infancy. Although research has demonstrated the importance of both …

Sprint Interval Training: Assessing Effectiveness And Adherence In A Real-World Setting, Gregory Howe

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Introduction: Perceived lack of time is an oft-cited reason for not engaging in physical activity. One proposed solution is high-intensity interval training (HIIT), or a more intense version known as sprint interval training (SIT), which involves repeated “all-out” efforts interspersed with short recovery periods. Although convincing evidence demonstrates the efficacy of SIT on cardiorespiratory fitness and other health factors, whether individuals will independently perform and benefit from this type of exercise outside the supervised lab setting is unknown. Purpose: To compare the effectiveness and adherence of performing running SIT and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) protocols in a real-world setting. Methods: …