Kinesiology Commons^™

Reliability Of Popliteal Artery Flow-Mediated Dilation In The Seated Position, Taskina Akhter

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) is a noninvasive measurement of endothelial function, which is a useful prognostic tool for cardiovascular disease risk. Despite its widespread use since 1992, the reproducibility of FMD varies widely between studies. This variability in reproducibility is especially significant in the case of the popliteal artery due to different methodological approaches. Studies perform popliteal FMD in various body positions, with the prone and seated positions most common. However, no studies have examined the reproducibility of both the seated and prone positions of the popliteal artery FMD. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine the test-retest and …

Biomechanical Adaptations While Performing Bilateral Drop Landings With A Unilateral Ankle Tape Application, Eric Daniel Jenkins

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Ankle sprains are the most common injury in sport and exercise performance, which makes the utilization of ankle taping a common procedure to both prevent potential sprain, as well as protect against reinjury. However, unilateral ankle taping may have unintended consequences on the mechanics of the ankle and other joints of both legs. The aim of this dissertation was to determine the effects of ankle taping on lower body kinetics and kinematics, stiffness, and coordination during a bilateral landing task.

Twelve female participants completed a total of 90 drop landings across two visits, randomized from landing platforms of 30, 45, …

Age, Lower Extremity Muscle Strength, And Running Biomechanics In Healthy Female Recreational Runners, Heather Mcconchie Hamilton

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Middle-age and older runners demonstrate differences in running biomechanics compared to younger runners. Females and males demonstrate differences in running biomechanics, and females experience additional hormonal changes with age due to menopause. Despite the biomechanical and physiological differences between females and males, little research has investigated the effect of age specifically in female runners. The overall purpose of this research was to determine the relationships among age, lower extremity muscle strength, and running biomechanics in healthy female recreational runners. Healthy female recreational runners aged 25 – 65 years were recruited. Participants ran on an instrumented treadmill at a training pace …

Age-Related Differences In Motor Performance, Jessica Anne Prebor

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this work was to study the age effects on average performance and variability of movement responses in children, young adults, and older adults across multiple motor tasks. Optimal motor performance is observed in healthy young adults with declines observed at either end of the lifespan. This pattern has been represented as a U-shaped/inverted U-shaped curve. Little is known about if this pattern persists in chewing dynamics. While chewing has been found to improve aspects of attention, a cognitive function, research is limited on the relationship between chewing and other motor tasks.

The first aim of this research …

Salivary Microrna As A Concussion Biomarker And The Implications For Athletic Trainers' Practices, Thomas Richard Campbell

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Many concussions are sustained globally each year; however, research suggests that a large number may go undiagnosed due to a reliance on subjective information from patients and limitations of current objective measures. Recently, efforts have been focused on identifying clinical biomarkers of concussions, including salivary microRNA (miRNA), to improve healthcare professionals’ concussion management practices. Even if salivary miRNA were shown to be a valid and reliable measure for managing concussions, healthcare professionals, such as athletic trainers (ATs), must be familiar with the tool and have positive attitudes toward the implementation into clinical practice. Therefore, the purpose of this dissertation was …

Identification Of Chronic Postural Stability Impairments Associated With History Of Concussion, Nicholas Reilly

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Concussion is the most common form of traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, there is a disproportionate level of understanding between the acute and chronic impairments associated with traumatic brain injury. Specifically, problems maintaining balance during standing and walking are cardinal signs of acute concussion, but the temporal extent to which postural control deficits remain following the initial injury are not well defined or understood. The purpose of the projects composing this dissertation was to examine the long-term effects of a prior history of concussion on static (i.e. standing) and dynamic (i.e. gait) postural control. To address this, healthy adults aged …

An Investigation Of The Effect Of Chewing On Rhythmic Motor Tasks, Brittany S. Samulski

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Chewing gum and walking has traditionally been cited as the quintessentially difficult dual task, but little is known regarding chewing effects on motor control. The aims of this dissertation include describing chewing patterns across adulthood, describing chewing’s influence on secondary motor tasks, and investigate entrainment patterns of chewing and gait per established patterns of coupled oscillators. Three experiments were conducted to describe chewing patterns and to examine the effect chewing has on other motor tasks, particularly walking, in young and old adults. The first experiment used a metronome to manipulate chewing rates and measured associated gait parameters. This experiment established …

The Impact Of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstructive Surgery On Neuromotor Function, Cortney Noel Armitano

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to examine the systemic neuromechanical implications in individuals who have had an ACL reconstruction (ACLR) compared to healthy controls. The specific aims addressed were to: 1) examine differences in inter-limb coordination during walking at different speeds, 2) examine differences in trunk, neck and head acceleration during gait, and 3) investigate whether the reaction time responses assessed during stepping are negatively affected by ACLR.

The findings of study 1 revealed that maximal coordination stability was achieved when walking at the person’s preferred gait speed. However, individuals with a previous ACLR exhibited reduced coordination stability between …

The Comparison Of Gait Characteristics Between Older Adults Who Do Tai-Chi Chuan And Older Adults Who Do Not Do Tai-Chi Chuan, Shu-Ya Chen

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Tai-Chi Chuan (TCC) is a traditional Chinese exercise which has become popular in the Western world recently. The reported health benefits of TCC exercise include increased lower extremity muscle strength, improved balance, improved cardiopulmonary function, reduced tension, and improved overall wellness. However, no study has demonstrated the effects of TCC exercise on walking performance. The purpose of this study is to determine whether TCC exercise has an effect on normal speed walking of older adults. Twenty-four older healthy women over 55 were recruited in this study, 12 subjects practiced TCC exercise at least two times per week and the others …

The Effect Of Jogging On Anterior Knee Laxity After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction, Fawzi F. Bouzubar

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Jogging is commonly performed in the latter stages of the rehabilitation program (2½-3 months) following ACL reconstruction. However, its cyclic loading effect on the ACL graft, 4-6 months after surgery has not been examined. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine changes in anterior knee laxity before and after 15 minutes of jogging on the treadmill. Subjects (N=l 1) were 8 males and 3 females (X age= 30.27 ± 4.76 years; heights= 175.7 ± 10.7 cm; weights= 81.1 ± 15.9 kg) with unilateral ACL reconstruction (central 1/3 patellar tendon graft, postoperation range = 4-6 months). Measurements were made …

Patellofemoral Joint Compressive Forces During Backward And Forward Running At The Same Speed, Hesham N. Alrowayeh

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

A previous study found that the patellofemoral joint compressive force (PFJRF) during backward running was less than during forward running at free speed. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the patellofemoral joint compressive forces during backward and forward running at the same speed. Ten runners (4 females, 6 males) between the age of 20-25 (X=22, SD=2) ran in backward and forward directions at the slow speed of 2.3 mph (1.0 m.sec^-1). Using the inverse dynamic technique the knee extensor moment and PFJRF during the slow backward and forward running were calculated. Results showed that the …

The Effect Of Floor Sitting Posture On Low-Back Pain, Knee Pain And Hip Pain Among Kuwaiti Men, Sameera H. Al-Jedi

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Background and Purpose. Ground resting posture is common in Kuwait and other Arab communities. Kuwaiti men gather daily, especially on weekend nights socializing in the Diwaniya. Diwaniya is a special room in every Kuwaiti house. The Diwaniya is traditionally furnished with seating cushions and pillows. Men are seated on the floor in a tailor-sitting posture for long periods of time. The tailor-sitting posture flexes the trunk. hips, and knees. The flexion position has been shown to decrease the lumbar lordosis and increase joint compression in hips and knees. However there are no studies about the effect of floor sitting …

Comparison Of The Emg Activity Of The Supraspinatus And Infraspinatus Muscles During Various Closed Chain Exercises, I-Chen Lin

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Advantages of closed chain exercises used in the lower extremity have been well documented. However, the effects of closed chain exercises on the upper extremities have not been studied very much. Thus, the purpose of this research is to analyze the EMG activity of the supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles and compare the relative amounts of activities by performing different isotonic closed chain exercises and an open chain exercise in normal subjects. The supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles in 1 o healthy subjects were studied with fine wire, intramuscular, electromyographic electrodes while performing 5 closed chain exercises and a D2. open chain …

Windlass Taping Technique For Symptomatic Relief Of Plantar Fasciitis, Beth Anne Ernst

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

This study investigated the biomechanical and symptomatic effects of a newly described taping technique to support the longitudinal arch in symptomatic plantar fasciitis patients. The subjects were 20 individuals all diagnosed by a physician with unilateral plantar fasciitis, ambulating full weight-bearing without an assistive device.

Measurements were taken pre and post-taping for calcaneal position, tibial position and navicular height, with the subjects serving as their own control. The subjects also reported pain level pre and post tape using a visual analog scale. The statistical analysis performed on the biomechanical data was the t-test, and Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed ranks test was …

Reliability Of The Modified-Modified Schober Method Of Measuring Lumbar Range Of Motion, Mira H. Mariano

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability of the Modified-modified Schober (MMS) method of measuring lumbar flexion and extension on subjects with low back pain. Thirty patients (19 females, 11 males) between the ages of 18 to 61 years (mean=40.0, SD=l 1.7) were measured by two physical therapists who each had six years of orthopedic experience.

Each subject was evaluated twice, in random order, by each tester using the MMS method. Trials 1 and 2 were used to calculate intratester reliability for each tester and intertester reliability was calculated between the two testers. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) …

Changes In Spinal Height Supine And Walking In Subjects With And Without Lower Back Pain, Dave Gregory

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop and test a device that could be used in clinical situations to measure spinal height in subjects with lower back pain.

Introduction: Spinal height measurement provides information on the impact of spinal loading on the intervertebral disc. The stadiometer is presently the most accurate device for this purpose but users of the device must be trained to be measured. This excludes untrainable subjects such as those with lower back pain. For this study, a new ins1rument was developed combining aspects of the stadiometer and other devices to produce a simpler method …

The Relationship Of Foot Types To Pressure Distribution Patterns Of The Forefoot During Gait, Hui-Ji Fan

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Pressure distribution under the foot has been considered a useful indicator in the treatment of foot problems. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between foot types and pressure patterns under the forefoot. Fifty-four healthy subjects (19 males, 35 females, mean age=27 years, S0=4, range=21-39) participated in this study. A BTE pedobarograph was used to record pressure distribution under the foot during barefoot walking. Foot types were classified as neutral, pronated, and supinated. Pressure distribution under the forefoot was classified as medial, central, and lateral patterns. The medial pattern had the highest peak pressure under the first …

Data On Gait Characteristics Of Four, Five, And Six Year Old Children Using Three Dimensional Video Motion Analysis, Donna Soave Nichols

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study resulted from a need to gather and analyze data on gait characteristics of normal children using the Peak Performance Technologies, Incorporated system, initiate a data base for the Motion Analysis Center at Old Dominion University and compare a computerized motion analysis system to studies using different methods. Fifteen children, aged four to six, were evaluated during gait using a video-based computerized motion analysis system manufactured by Peak Performance Technologies, Incorporated. The gait characteristics studied were stride length, cadence, angular displacements and angular velocities of the pelvis, hips, knees and ankles. The results showed that methods …

Correlation Between Hamstring Spasticity And Range Of Motion And Selected Gait Parameters In Pediatric Clients With Spastic Diplegia, Erin Mccain Glace

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Spasticity is often considered the primary limitation to function in children with spastic cerebral palsy. The purpose of this study was to study the relationship between hamstring spasticity and a functional activity, specifically gait. The gait parameters chosen were step length, stride length and velocity. A secondary purpose was to study the relationship between hamstring contracture and the same gait parameters. Reliability data were calculated for tone and ROM measurements. Eleven subjects (8 male and 3 female) between the ages of three years and fifteen years with a primary diagnosis of spastic diplegia were recruited for this study.

Hamstring spasticity …

Reliability Of Assessment Of Postural Control In The Sitting Position In The Hemiplegic Subjects By Use Of A Functional Reach Task, Karen Dreher Carter

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

No single standardized and reliable method exists for measuring postural control in sitting in the stroke patient population. Postural control in sitting is often a portion of the total physical therapy assessment of the hemiplegic patient. The purpose of this research was to investigate the reliability of a functional reach test as a measure of postural control in sitting in the adult hemiplegic population. The measurement method was performed on 23 adult hemiplegic subjects, ages 62-88 years (mean= 73.6 + 7.9 years). Two physical therapists scored the subjects on the functional reach task. once the functional reach measure was obtained …