Kinesiology Commons^™

The Effect Of Passive Stretching And Isometric Contractions On Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness After A Typical Bout Of Exercise, John W. Gibson

Theses and Dissertations

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) is a common response to activities involving lengthening contractions. Muscle inflammation is associated with DOMS and may play an integral role in protecting a muscle from damage and soreness in response to subsequent bouts of lengthening contractions. Research in animals has shown that prior exposure to passive stretching and isometric contractions of a muscle resulting in muscle inflammation attenuates the muscle inflammatory response following subsequent bouts of lengthening contractions. The purpose of this study was to determine whether passive stretching and isometric contractions in humans would reduce DOMS following a typical bout of resistance exercise. …

The Relationship Between Diet Quality And Body Composition In College Women: A Cross-Sectional Analysis, Annette Elisabeth Perkins

Theses and Dissertations

Objective. Determine the relationship between dietary quality and body weight/composition in college women. Specific emphasis was made regarding adherence to current MyPyramid guidelines, fruit, vegetable and junk food consumption.

Design/Participants. The study used a cross-sectional design. One hundred and sixty three women were recruited to participate in the study. All participants were university students (20.4 ± 1.6 y). Diet intake was measured using the Dietary History Questionnaire (DHQ) and the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) was calculated to assess diet quality. Body fat percentage was assessed using the Bod Pod and BMI was calculated using height and weight measurements. Physical activity …

The Effects Of Whole Body Vibration On Strength Gains In The Bench Press, The Back Squat, And The Power Clean In Division I Football Players, Kelly S. Poppinga

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if whole body vibration effects strength gains in the bench press, the back squat, and the power clean in division 1 football players. Thirty-one NCAA Division 1 male football players volunteered for this study and were randomly assigned to a control group (C=16) or one of two vibration groups (V1=7, V2=8). Subjects followed the training program for eight weeks. A pre-test, mid-test, and post-test one repetition max was measured at 0, 4, and 8 weeks for the bench press, the back squat, and the power clean. A 3x3 factorial ANOVA revealed varied …

Measured And Estimated Ground Reaction Forces For Multi-Segment Foot Models, Dustin A. Bruening, Kevin M. Cooney, Frank L. Buczek

Faculty Publications

Accurate measurement of ground reaction forces under discrete areas of the foot is important in the development of more advanced foot models, which can improve our understanding of foot and ankle function. To overcome current equipment limitations, a few investigators have proposed combining a pressure mat with a single force platform and using a proportionality assumption to estimate subarea shear forces and free moments. In this study, two adjacent force platforms were used to evaluate the accuracy of the proportionality assumption on a three segment foot model during normal gait. Seventeen right feet were tested using a targeted walking approach, …

Electromyographic Analysis Of The Infraspinatus And Deltoid Muscles During Shoulder External Rotation Exercises With And Without A Towel Roll, Kazuto Sakita

Theses and Dissertations

Standing and sidelying external rotation exercises produce high activation of the deltoid and infraspinatus. Holding a towel roll under the arm at 30° shoulder abduction during these exercises may decrease deltoid activity and increase infraspinatus activity. The objective was to determine if the addition of a towel under the arm during standing and sidelying external rotation affects EMG activity of the infraspinatus, middle and posterior deltoid, and pectoralis major, compared to the no towel condition. 20 male volunteers (age; 26 ± 3, height; 1.80 m ± .07 m, weight; 77 kg ± 10 kg) had right dominant hand, bilaterally healthy …

Kinematic Changes Of The Tennis Forehand Ground Stroke As Post Contact Ball Speed Increases, Merrill D. Funk

Theses and Dissertations

Neuromuscular and kinematic patterns during the tennis forehand have been studied extensively. However, no one has evaluated potential upper-extremity kinematic changes during the forehand as ball speed increases. The purpose of this study was to evaluate changes in shoulder and trunk kinematics as forehand ball speed increased, in an attempt to better understand how kinematics may promote forehand ball speed. Peak trunk rotation angle, shoulder horizontal abduction/adduction and internal/external rotation angle, and corresponding angular velocities were measured between initial backswing and ball contact during forehands that were performed at three different speeds (50%, 75%, and 100% of maximal post-impact ball …

The Effects Of Resistance Training On Strength And Body Composition In Postpartum Women, Katherine Bishop Pratt

Theses and Dissertations

The postpartum period represents a high-risk period for body weight retention and obesity. Several studies have investigated the role of aerobic exercise on postpartum weight retention and other body composition outcomes; however, there has been little attention given to resistance training in postpartum women. Thus, the purpose of this four-month randomized study was to determine the effectiveness of resistance training on strength, body composition, return to pre-pregnancy weight, and bone mineral density (BMD) in postpartum women. Sixty postpartum women were randomly assigned to either a resistance training group or a comparison group. The resistance training group participated in a progressive …

The Effect Of Resistance Training On Strength And Total Physical Activity In Postpartum Females, Tiffany Kaye Hinman

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare strength and physical activity (PA) changes in postpartum women randomly assigned to either a four-month progressive resistance training (RT) program or a four month flexibility program. Sixty healthy women between six weeks and eight months postpartum initiated the study and 43 completed the entire study. The women tended to be overweight, were all non-smokers, and most were breastfeeding (97%) at the beginning of the study. Both groups (RT and flexibility) completed training exercises twice weekly. Both groups improved in all measures of strength (RT group: leg press, P < 0.001; bench press, P < 0.001; curl-ups, P < 0.001. Flexibility group: leg press, P = 0.009; bench press, P < 0.001; curl-ups, P = 0.005); however, the RT group had higher strength gains compared to the flexibility group over time (leg press, P < 0.005; bench press, P < 0.001; curl-ups, P < 0.007). In addition, both groups increased in low back flexibility but the group*period interaction did not reach significance (P = 0.096). Light-intensity PA increased in the RT group but not the flexibility group (P < 0.05). A group*period interaction was significant for light-intensity PA time (P = 0.031) and borderline significant for sedentary time (P = 0.054). However, controlling for the number of months postpartum and weight gain during the previous pregnancy resulted in a significant interaction for sedentary time (P < 0.05). No changes were found in moderate, vigorous, or moderate to vigorous PA within or between groups over time. In conclusion, twice-weekly RT increases strength and is associated with improvements in several PA outcomes in postpartum women; however, the mechanisms for this are unclear. The training sessions and/or increased spontaneous activity may have contributed.

The Role Of Nitric Oxide, Acetylcholine, And Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide On Skin Blood Flow During In-Vivo Electrical Field Stimulation, Robert S. Thiebaud

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to characterize a novel technique to study neurogenic control of cutaneous vasodilation. We monitored skin blood flow (SkBF) during in-vivo electrical stimulation (e-stim) intended to activate cutaneous nerves and used intradermal microdialysis to deliver receptor antagonists to characterize their contribution to cutaneous vasodilation. We examined the role of acetylcholine receptors (RACh), nitric oxide (NO), and vasoactive intestinal peptide receptors (RVIP) on the cutaneous vasodilation induced by e-stim in the absence of the sympathetic adrenergic nervous system. Six men and three women participated in the study. Three intradermal microdialysis probes were placed in the skin …

The Effects Of Low Frequency Ultrasound In Transdermal Drug Delivery, Aaron M. Wells

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: Determine if varying ultrasound frequency affects the delivery of 10% hydrocortisone concentrations during phonophoresis. Utilize intramuscular microdialysis probe for drug collection, thus improving the experimental model. Methods: Thirty one (10 in groups 1 and 2, 11 in group 3) healthy subjects participated in this study. Interventions: Subjects were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups receiving 10 minute ultrasound treatments applied to a standardized area of the gastrocnemius muscle of the right leg. The ultrasound was performed over the treated area using a 10% hydrocortisone compound mixed with standard ultrasound gel. The contralateral limb served as the control …

The Effect Of Lateral Spacing On The Spring Start, Kyle Louis Grossarth

Theses and Dissertations

Sprinters are always looking for an improvement in their time, from the gun going off until the finish. An effective start can lead to reaching top velocity sooner and a decreased finish time. New developments in starting blocks, more specifically the width of the starting block pedal, has allowed for variation in foot placement in the blocks. With the ability to change how wide an athlete can place their feet in the blocks, this study looked at trying to find an optimum spacing for college level sprinters. Thirteen Male College Sprinters (mean age = 23.08 years) participated in this study. …

The Effects Of Indoor Track Curve Radius On Sprint Speed And Ground Reaction Forces, Jesse Tipasa Tukuafu

Theses and Dissertations

Sprinting on a curve is significantly slower than on a straightaway. Although the dimensions vary from track to track, indoor track curves are among the tightest curves that athletes will sprint at maximal speed. Previous studies have provided theories for how speed attenuation occurs when running on a curve. Yet, no previous research has determined how the variability of indoor track curve radii affects trained sprinters at maximal speeds. Purpose: To determine the differences in running speeds, ground time (GT), and medio-lateral (ML) impulse, with different indoor track radii. A secondary purpose was to understand the between-leg differences in GT …

Comparison Of A Reduced Carbohydrate And Reduced Fat Diet For Ldl, Hdl, And Vldl Subclasses During 9-Months Of Weight Maintenance Subsequent To Weight Loss, James D. Lecheminant, Bryan K. Smith, Eric C. Westman, Mary C. Vernon, Joseph E. Donnelly

Faculty Publications

Objectives: This study compared LDL, HDL, and VLDL subclasses in overweight or obese adults consuming either a reduced carbohydrate (RC) or reduced fat (RF) weight maintenance diet for 9 months following significant weight loss. Methods: Thirty-five (21 RC; 14 RF) overweight or obese middle-aged adults completed a 1-year weight management clinic. Participants met weekly for the first six months and bi-weekly thereafter. Meetings included instruction for diet, physical activity, and behavior change related to weight management. Additionally, participants followed a liquid very low-energy diet of ~2092 kJ per day for the first three months of the study. Subsequently, participants followed …

Ground Reaction Forces Generated By Twenty-Eight Common Hatha Yoga Postures, Sylvia Joan Wilcox

Theses and Dissertations

Yoga adherents claim many benefits of the practice, including promotion of bone health and prevention of osteoporosis. However, few, if any, studies have investigated whether yoga enhances bone mineral density. Furthermore, none have identified force generation in yoga. The purpose of this study is to collect ground reaction force (GRF) data on a variety of common hatha yoga postures that would be practiced in fitness centers or private studios. Twelve female and eight male volunteers performed a sequence of 28 common hatha yoga postures while ground reaction force data were collected with an AMTI strain-gauge force plate. The sequence was …

The Effect Of Family Home Evening Nutrition Lessons On Nutritional Behavior In Latter-Day Saint Families, Jacquelyn Hansen Packard

Theses and Dissertations

Latter-day Saint (LDS) families with two parents and two children between the ages of 6-16 were recruited to participate in a weekly nutrition Family Home Evening (FHE) study and randomized into either a control group or an intervention group. Each family had to complete a nutrition screener prior to and after completing 6 weekly FHE lessons in the family's home environment. Online nutritional instruction was given to the intervention group for their FHE lessons, while the control group studied typical religious topics. Data taken from the nutrition screener were collapsed into a healthy or unhealthy diet score by averaging scores …

A Comparison Of The Traditional, Swing, And Chicken Wing Arm Movements On Volleyball Blocking In Ncaa Division 1 Female Athletes, Taubi J. Neves

Theses and Dissertations

Blocking is highly correlated with team success. The identification of specific techniques that produce a more successful block would be helpful knowledge for coaches and players. This study compared the traditional, swing, and chicken wing arm swings in combination with the running step footwork pattern in order to determine which arm swing enabled athletes to perform a more effective block. The time it took the athletes to get off the ground and get their hands above (vertically) the net was calculated. The distance the hand reached over the net or hand penetration (displacement between the net and finger in the …

Use Of Near-Infrared Light To Reduce Symptoms Associated With Restless Legs Syndrome In A Woman: A Case Report, Ulrike H. Mitchell

Faculty Publications

Introduction: We describe a potential new treatment option for patients suffering from restless legs syndrome. Contemporary treatment for restless legs syndrome consists mostly of dopaminergic drugs that leave some patients feeling nauseated and dizzy. A non-invasive, drug-free option would open new doors for patients suffering from restless legs syndrome. Case presentation: A 69-year-old Caucasian woman met International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group criteria for the diagnosis of restless legs syndrome. She had been afflicted with restless legs syndrome for over 30 years and tried many of the available pharmaceutical remedies without success. For this study she received 30-minute treatment sessions …