Kinesiology Commons^™

Effects Of Seat And Axle Position On Pain, Pathology, And Independence In Pediatric Manual Wheelchair Users With Spinal Cord Injury, Hannah Frank

Theses and Dissertations

Manual wheelchair (MWC) users with spinal cord injury (SCI) rely heavily on their upperextremities to complete daily occupations. Due to repetitive shoulder use during wheelchair mobility and propulsion, MWC users are at greater risk of shoulder pain and shoulder pathology, and thus decreased independence, and lower quality of life. The relative fit of the wheelchair and its parameters are critical and can further impact the user’s propulsion biomechanics. Parameters such as seat angle and axle position may put the user in detrimental shoulder positions for longer periods of time, impacting health outcomes even more. Although the effects of wheelchair setup …

Characterizing The Material Properties Of Abdominal Organs, Blake Allen Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Understanding the behavior of abdominal organs under load will greatly improve several fields involving injury biomechanics. In order to determine the behavior of abdominal organs under load and be able to predict the response, the mechanical properties need to be properly characterized. The characterization of these properties will provide researchers the ability to create finite element models that will provide a better understanding of the mechanism of injury resulting from traumatic events.

Finite element models of today, that simulate traumatic injuries, lack properly characterized material properties. The current body of literature contains a large range of material property values which …

Does Restricting Anterior Movement Of The Knees During A Barbell Back Squat Alter Lower Extremity Biomechanics?, Lucy Hayward Koshewa

Theses and Dissertations

INTRODUCTION: The strength implications of the barbell back squat make it ideal for use in training programs, rehabilitation, and competition. Even though the back squat is an integral part of these programs, there are also concerns about injury risk due to improper biomechanics. Restricted squats (knees kept behind the toes) are noted to reduce joint loading at the knees but may not take into account added potential risks for the entire lower extremity. Unrestricted squats are more representative of natural movement patterns but may increase joint loading especially at the knees. Research has explored the biomechanics of back squats in …

Cognitive Contributions To Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury Risk, Thomas Gus Almonroeder

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to explore how cognitive factors contribute to non-contact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury risk in young females. We specifically wanted to develop a better understanding of how the movement patterns of females with varying cognitive attributes/abilities are influenced as the cognitive demands associated with a task progress (Chapter 2). We also wanted to explore how task-related cognitive demands influence movement. We altered the cognitive demands associated with a movement task by requiring participants to execute a maneuver while attending to a simulated teammate (Chapter 3) or to a ball overhead (Chapters 4 & 5). …

Foot And Ankle Kinematic And Lower Extremity Muscle Activity During Descent From Varying Step Heights, Emily Gerstle

Theses and Dissertations

Ankle injuries are common during activities of daily living, particularly in negotiation of steps. Previous studies examining steps have generally focused on the ankle, knee, or hip and descent of multiple steps. Joint motion within the foot, utilizing a multi-segment foot model, during step descent has not been extensively studied. Although peroneal muscle activity differences have been identified between participants with healthy and unstable ankles during static activities, little is known about peroneal activity during activities of daily living. A better understanding of the foot kinematics and muscle activity in persons with uninjured ankles may help future studies elucidate the …

Role Of Sensation In Altered Phalanx Grip Force In Persons With Stroke, Leah R. Enders

Theses and Dissertations

Many individuals experience hand impairment after stroke leading to decreased ability to perform daily living activities. Previous research studies have investigated how stroke survivors' pinch grip control differs from healthy individuals, even though many individuals can only grasp with power grip after stroke. Furthermore, many stroke survivors experience tactile sensory deficit in their paretic limb in addition to motor deficit. It is currently unknown how stroke induced tactile sensory deficit affects power grip force directional control, which is important in terms of preventing object slippage and power grip normal force generation. Additionally it is unknown if power grip could be …

Biomechanical Evaluation Of A Jackhammering Task With And Without List Assist, Blake Allen Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

The construction and utility industries have relatively high levels of hazardous tasks that impose high physical demands on a worker. For the past decade these industry sectors had one of highest incident rates for non-fatal injuries (BLS, 2013). The task of operating a jackhammer presents several risk factors that promote the high rates of injuries to this industry sector. Until the introduction of the lift assist, relatively few interventions were available to make the task of operating a jackhammer safer. However, no research has been conducted to support that this device is able to make jackhammering safer. The aim of …