Kinesiology Commons^™

The Control Of Amplitude And Direction In Bimanual Coordination, Zhujun Pan

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Spatial coordination of bimanual movements is important when performing daily activities. Whereas, older adults and individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) commonly show difficulties in temporally coordinating the hands in bimanual coordination tasks, the effects of aging and Parkinson’s disease on the quality of spatial coordination between the hands are unclear. Thus, the present work investigated the impact of older age and PD on the spatial interference in a bimanual task in which 48 right hand-dominant participants (16 young adults, 16 older adults and 16 individuals with PD) drew simultaneously two lines with both hands with varied movement amplitudes (3 and …

The Effects Of Peripheral Nerve Impairments On Postural Control And Mobility Among People With Peripheral Neuropathy, Shuqi Zhang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Approximately 20 million Americans are suffering Peripheral Neuropathy (PN). It is estimated that the prevalence of all-cause PN is about 2.4% in the entire adult population, whereas over 8-10% in the population segment over the age of 55 (Martyn & Hughes, 1997). Peripheral Neuropathy leads to a high risk of falling, resulting from the deficits of postural control caused by the impaired peripheral nerves, especially the degenerative somatosensory system. To date, there is no effective medical treatment for the disease but pain managements. The deficits of postural control decrease the life quality of this population. The degeneration of peripheral nerves …

An Analysis Of A University Reclassification Effect On Applications Following A Move To A New Intercollegiate Athletic Association, Dylan P. Williams

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Scholars have argued that athletics are utilized by universities to advertise their school to all individuals (Collins, 2012; Dwyer, Eddy, Havard, & Braa, 2010; Toma & Cross, 1998; Washington & Ventresca, 2004; Weaver, 2010). Expectedly, university officials are willing to contribute resources in order to develop an effective athletics program to establish an institution’s legitimacy among other universities (Collins, 2012; Toma & Cross, 1998; Washington & Ventresca, 2004). One tactic employed by schools focuses on the process of athletic association reclassification into the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) from other member associations (e.g., National Association for Intercollegiate Athletics). Officials consider …

Factors Influencing Glycogen Branching Enzyme Activity In Mouse Liver, Scott Fuller

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Glycogen is the storage polysaccharide in a spectrum of organisms ranging from yeast to humans. Glycogen has a highly branched structure somewhat resembling a tree or shrub, with the branch points formed by glucose molecules being joined by α 1,6-glycosidic linkages. These linkages are formed by the action of branching enzyme. Branching of glycogen is critical to health, with a lack of branching causing glycogen storage disease type IV, which is fatal in humans by age 2. While glycogen branching enzyme has been studied in clinical medicine, modulation of the enzyme has received comparatively little attention. This dissertation undertook three …

Physical Activity For African American Females : Salience Of Race, Gender-Role, And Exercise Identities, Jasmine M. Hamilton

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Social identity theory explores the process of self-identifications based upon perceived shared commonalities with others in order to positively affiliate with group membership and accounts for inter-group and intra-group behaviors (Deaux, 2001; Hogg & Abrams, 1999; Tajfel, 1982). Social identity is also dependent upon environment and situation dynamics (Turner, 1982). African American females are at risk for high levels of physical inactivity. Researchers have suggested the use of frameworks that move investigations beyond assessing social aggregates such as race and gender to understand why this is true. Racial identity, gender-role identity, and exercise identity (derived from social identity theory) provide …

Physical Self-Concept And Gender : The Role Of Frame Of Reference And Social Comparison Among Adolescent Females, Emily Kristin Beasley

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Quality physical education can positively influence students’ emotional development, specifically their perceptions of competence, self-esteem, and self-concept. Unfortunately, girls often become less engaged and involved in physical education as they grow older and consistently report lower physical self-concepts than males. Physical self-concept is associated with multiple positive outcomes, yet there is only speculation addressing why females report lower physical self-concepts than males in physical education. The overall purpose of this dissertation was to investigate potential explanations for gender discrepancies in physical self-concept among physical education students. One qualitative and one quantitative research study was conducted to address this issue. The …

An Etho-Conventional Decision-Making Model For Sport Managers, Adam G. Pfleegor

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The need for an ethically conscious sport management workforce is evident in contemporary athletics (Simon, 2010). As the complexities of regulations continue to increase, the intricacy of ethical-decisions faced by managers similarly intensifies. Interestingly, future sport managers are rarely prepared with appropriate ethical decision-making education (Malloy & Zakus, 1995). This lack of education is problematic due to the far-reaching implications that managerial decision-makers have on firms. The aim of this investigation was to develop a novel ethical decision-making model for sport managers that can be practically implemented to resolve ethical dilemmas that they may encounter on a daily basis. The …

The Effects Of Chronic And Acute Exercise Modalities On Substrate Utilization And Plasma Adiponectin Concentration, Greggory Ryan Davis

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Impaired lipid metabolism at rest has been linked to the development of insulin resistance and an attenuation of plasma concentration of the hormone adiponectin. However, it has been suggested that increasing fatty acid oxidation at rest, via exercise or otherwise, may augment plasma adiponectin. The current literature addressing changes substrate utilization and possible direct effects on adiponectin during and following exercise is not well established. Therefore, the purpose of this dissertation was to examine concomitant changes in adiponectin and substrate utilization both at rest and during various exercise modalities, as this may provide implications for improving metabolic responses and in …

Plasma Nitrite Reserve And Vascular Function Before And After Handgrip Training In Patients With Heart Failure, Daniel Paul Credeur

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

There is a direct relationship between vascular health and physical function. The controllers of this relationship are unclear, but appear to involve biomechanical and biochemical influences on the vascular wall. Purpose: The purpose of this dissertation was twofold: (1) to explore the relationship between vascular health and physical function in three populations (elderly, young and chronic heart failure patients); and (2) to determine the modifying role of physical activity, inactivity and exercise training on controllers of this relationship. Methods: Four projects were designed to address 3 key issues in exercise vascular biology, including the influence of the pattern of blood …

Examining The Perceptions Of Teachers' Efficacy In Handling Student Misbehavior (Tehsm) In Classroom And Physical Education Settings, Costas Nicou Tsouloupas

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Research has found dealing with student misbehavior as the most prominent source associated with teachers’ negative behavioral outcomes at work. One approach for understanding teachers’ behavioral responses to student misbehavior is through the efficacy beliefs of teachers. This line of inquiry has lead to the advancement of the concept of teacher efficacy in handling student misbehavior or TEHSM. TEHSM was found to significantly and negatively mediate the relationship between teachers’ perception of student misbehavior, emotional exhaustion, and turnover intentions respectively. To date, limited information is available regarding the makeup of TEHSM which gives emphasis to the significance of this dissertation. …

Physical Activity And Health-Related Quality Of Life Among Elementary Students: An Integrated Perspective, Xiangli Gu

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

School physical education (PE) not only offers and promotes health-related physical activity, but also encompasses the promotion and development of perceptions of mental health (USDHHS, 2010). It has been suggested that health-related quality of life (HRQOL) can predict future health, monitor children’s psychosocial health, and identify those most at risk or in need of support at an early stage. Assessing physical activity (PA) and health-related quality of life have become major issues in pediatric public health and also serve as a major goal of Health people 2020 (USDHHS, 2010). Research including assessment of theory-based mediators of health-related outcomes is needed …

Assessment Of Core Stability: Developing Practical Models, Andy Waldhelm

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Core stability is a concept in the health and fitness professions which became popular in the early 1990s. Despite its popularity, core stability remains a generalized term, which is poorly understood and lacks a universal definition and gold standard assessment. This makes it difficult to identify the role of core stability in athletic injury prevention and performance. To better assess core stability, the objective for this dissertation was to construct a reliable core stability index using measurements which best define and evaluate core stability. The purpose of our first experiment was to introduce and determine the intra-tester reliability of clinical …

Examination Of Metabolism In Diabetic Offspring, Ryan Damion Russell

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to categorize aberrant metabolic function in diabetic offspring (FH+). This study examined metabolic flexibility (MF), and changes in fasting blood-glucose concentrations and markers of lipotoxicity with resistance training in college age FH+ and FH-. Results are significant at p = 0.05. MF testing indicate no baseline differences in RMR, VO2, REE, fat or CHO use were noted between T2D, FH+, or FH-. Passive stretching caused increased metabolism overall, however the T2D group temporarily displayed increased CHO use during passive stretching, which quickly returned to pre-stretched levels during recovery as compared with FH-. Both T2D …

Sources Of Self-Efficacy In Distance Runners, Ashley Ann Samson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Self-efficacy theory (Bandura, 1997) asserts that people will be more likely to engage in behaviors that they believe they can successfully perform and avoid behaviors in which they feel that they will be unsuccessful. Researchers have concluded that individuals with high levels of self-efficacy are more likely to pursue challenging goals, cope with pain, and persevere through setbacks, while those with low self-efficacy avoid challenges and tend to give up when confronted with obstacles (Llewellyn, Sanchez, Asghar, & Jones, 2008). Endurance sport, particularly distance running, is a domain in which being able to cope with pain and persevere through setbacks …

Target Eccentricity Effects For Defensive Responses, Taegyong Kwon

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Defensive actions involving goal-directed responses to visual stimuli presented in different parts of the viewing field commonly include movements either toward (TOWARD) or away from (AWAY) the actual stimulus. One can categorize the type of defensive movements by outcome or the level of stimulus-response (S-R) compatibility, where a congruent response corresponds to a response in the TOWARD condition and an incongruent response corresponds to a response in the AWAY condition. In an effort to better understand defensive responses, which have received less attention in the literature than offensive movements regardless of their importance in combative situations, we studied the responses …

Exercise-Induced Alterations In Melanocortin Receptor Expression And Inflammation, Tara Michelle Henagan

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Inflammatory cytokines play a significant role in the pathogenesis of obesity-related diseases and have been implicated as integral factors in both early and late phases of atherosclerosis. Lifestyle modifications such as increasing physical activity and making dietary changes to induce weight loss are part of the primary prescription for the treatment of metabolic syndrome. Additionally, physical activity has been implicated as a potentially effective regimen for the control of inflammation, yet little is known about the anti-inflammatory mechanistic alterations induced by physical activity.

Exercise training causes acute changes in inflammation immediately post exercise, evidenced by upregulation of inflammatory cytokines and …

Dynamic Acromiohumeral Interval Changes During Scapular Plane Arm Motions, Melissa Deen Thompson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This purpose of this dissertation is to explore changes in the acromiohumeral interval during dynamic motion in the scapular plane. All of the experiments were completed in the Football Operations Athletic Training Room at Louisiana State University. The first experiment which investigated dynamic acromiohumeral interval changes in baseball players during a loaded and unloaded scaption exercise from 0°-75°, has been accepted for publication by the Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery (in press, 2010). The mean acromiohumeral interval (AHI) for unloaded and loaded scaption decreased significantly (p<.001) from the arm at the side until 45° and loaded scaption narrowed AHI at 60° (p=.005) and 75° (p=.003). The second experiment investigates AHI and scapular upward rotation (SUR) changes in baseball and softball players during scaption exercises from 0°-75°. Significant load related narrowing of the AHI at 45°(p=.005), 60°(p=.001), and 75°(p<.001) and a significant load-position interaction (p=.001) at 0° and 75°was observed for all subjects. No gender differences in SUR or AHI were found. AHI and SUR displayed moderate positive correlations at 30° for both the unloaded scaption (r=.648, p=.001) and the loaded scaption (r=.445, p=.038) however, no significant relationships were present at 0°, 45°, 60° or 75°. The third experiment compared dynamic acromiohumeral interval and scapulohumeral rhythm changes in trained and untrained females during scaption exercises from 0°-90°. In general, AHI was maximal with the arm at the side and declined significantly (p<.001) during arm elevation until 60°, but increased significantly (p<.001) between 60° and 90°. Significant load related narrowing of the AHI at all positions (p<.05), a more negative SUR at 0° (p<.001) and a more positive SUR at 90° (p=.009) was observed for all subjects. Female athletes had significantly stronger external rotators (p<.001), larger overall AHI (p=.003) and more SUR (p=.008) than untrained females. Significant positive correlations (p<.05) between AHI and SUR were observed at 0°, 30°, and 60° during both loaded and unloaded scaption.

Identification Of Falls Risk Factors In Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Validation Of The Comprehensive Falls Risk Screening Instrument, Jennifer Marie Fabre

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Identifying risk factors and those at risk for falls is necessary. The first purpose of the dissertation was to validate the Comprehensive Falls Risk Screening Instrument (CFRSI) that weights falls risk factors and includes the subscale scores of history, physical, vision, medication, and environment, and a total falls risk score. The CFRSI total falls risk score was compared to subscale scores, physical activity, physical function, health-related quality of life (HRQL), and history of falls (Study 1). The second purpose of the dissertation was to determine associations between the CFRSI total falls risk score, race, education, and income (Study 2). Data …

Does Practice Of Multi-Directional Stepping With Auditory Stimulation Improve Movement Performance In Patients With Parkinson's Disease, Zahra Kadivar

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a debilitating neurodegenerative disorder causing many physical limitations. Rhythmic auditory stimulation (RAS) influences motor complications not alleviated by medicine and has been used to modify straight line walking in this population. However, motor complications are exacerbated during more complex movements including those involving direction changes. Thus immediate RAS effects on direction switch duration (DSD) and other kinematic measures during a multi-directional step task were investigated in PD patients. Long term RAS application was also explored by evaluating functional gait and balance and kinematic step measures before and after 6 weeks of multi-directional stepping either with (Cue, …

A Comparison Of Isotonic And Elastic Resistance Exercise On Trapezius Muscle Balance In Overhead Athletes, Phillip Page

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The scaption exercise (elevation of the arm in the scapular plane) is often performed in shoulder rehabilitation and preventive exercise programs. Three studies were performed to better understand the activation characteristics of the upper trapezius (UT) and lower trapezius (LT) muscles during scaption. The purpose of these studies was to 1) quantify and compare trapezius muscle activation ratios and onset of activation in normal subjects, 2) compare the findings from normal subjects with overhead athletes, and 3) compare the activation ratios and onset of the trapezius with 2 modes of resistance (elastic and isotonic) in overhead athletes. Methods. Healthy college-aged …

A Divided-Attention Timed Stepping Accuracy Task As A Procedural Learning Intervention Improves Balance And Functional Performance In Healthy Older Adults, Susan Joy Leach

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

For both healthy individuals and individuals at high risk of falling, certain environments, such as a dual-task situation, require more resources than others to prevent a loss of balance. Stepping assessment tasks can be used to predict falls, and it has been suggested that impaired voluntary stepping may be a contributing factor to falls (Lord & Fitzpatrick, 2001). In this research, a stepping task was used not as an assessment, but as a therapeutic intervention. The purpose of this research was to determine how training with a task that provides a procedural learning environment can affect balance and functional outcomes. …

Development And Application Of An Optimization Model For Elite Level Shot Putting, Michael Young

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Shot putting is one of the most ancient forms of athletic competition. Considerable research has been performed on the event. Despite this fact, research examining performance in the women’s shot put and using the spin technique is very limited. Also, only one attempt has been made to optimize the movement of elite shot putting and no attempts have been made to use the optimization model as a standard for technical training intervention. A series of three experiments were used to explore the development of an optimization model for shot putting and its application as a basis for technical intervention for …

A Critical Examination Into Motivation And Gender In Youth Physical Fitness Testing, Elizabeth A. Domangue

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Fitness testing in physical education classes has emerged as an important component in efforts to assess and address health concerns related to children’s physical inactivity. To date, motivational aspects of fitness testing, especially in regard to students’ future intention to participate in fitness-related activities, have not been closely examined. Fitness testing practices have been identified as a dominant discourse in physical education that continue to separate girls’ and boys’ physicalities along gendered lines. This lack of understanding about the motivational implications of fitness testing programs, coupled with concerns related to the gendered nature of fitness testing, emphasize the significance of …

Motivating Middle School Students To Be Physically Active: The Role Of Supportive Environments, Tao Zhang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

It is clearly documented that promoting regular physical activity participation at young ages increases the likelihood that school-aged students will lead active lifestyles as adults. Unfortunately, more than a third of school-aged students do not engage in sufficient amounts of physical activity necessary to produce significant health benefits (USDHHS, 2000, 2008). Public health officials and physical educators highlight the importance of promoting motivation for physical activity by creating a supportive physical activity environment that should positively influence students’ choices to be physically active. The major objective of this dissertation was to explore the roles of supportive social environments and physical …

Systematically Increasing Contextual Interference Is Beneficial For Learning Novel Motor Skills, Jared Marak Porter

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Traditionally, contextual interference (CI) has been investigated by the use of extreme low and high levels of CI (blocked and random practice schedules); with results generally suggesting that higher rather than lower amounts of CI facilitated motor skill learning (Magill & Hall, 1990). To better understand the CI effect, two experiments were conducted investigating an alternative form of practice schedule. Practice using this alternative schedule provided novices experiences with systematic increases in CI, which were compared to traditional blocked and random scheduling. Experiment 1 tested the hypothesis that practicing variations of the same tasks with systematic increases in CI would …

A Comparison Of Fall-Related Psychological Measures In A Community-Based Setting, Delilah Susanne Moore

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Falls and the fall-related psychological concerns associated with these events pose a serious public health problem among aging adults. Fall-related psychological instruments can be useful in quantifying important endpoints for fall prevention programs (Jorstad et al., 2005), yet no research currently exists to justify the use of these psychological instruments in a community-based falls risk screening. Therefore, the purpose of this dissertation was to examine the psychometric properties of several fall-related psychological measures in a falls risk screening context by: (a) examining the reliability and validity of the Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I), Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC), modified Survey of Activities …

The Influence Of Peripheral Neuropathy On Walking Kinematics And Physical Function, Bradley Manor

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The 108th Congress (2005) has reported that 20 million U.S. citizens suffer from Peripheral Neuropathy (PN). Characterized by sensory nerve deterioration, PN reduces somatosensation (Padua et al., 2005) and increases the risk of fall-related injury (Richardson et al., 1992). The purpose of this dissertation was to provide insight into 1) the effects of acute loss of foot sole sensation on locomotor system health, 2) the effects of PN on locomotor system health, and 3) the underlying impairments associated with reduced physical function within the older adult and PN populations. Locomotor system health was assessed by the magnitude of stride-to-stride variability …

The Use Endocrine Markers To Predict And Monitor Performance In Strengh [Sic] And Power Activities, Jason B. Winchester

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Hormones are typically considered to be chemical messengers, which are designed to be released from specific cells where they are carried to their target tissues for binding to receptors. It is this binding of a hormone molecule to its specific receptor which allows for an action to occur (Hadley and Levine 2006). Testosterone is the predominant androgen in the majority of mammalian species and is largely responsible for regulation of reproduction and maintenance of sexual function. In addition, in adult mammals, T has multiple other roles including the growth of muscle and bone, hematopoesis, blood coagulation, development and regulation of …

Brachial Artery Flow Mediated Vasodilation: Effect Of Chemical Analytes, Diet, Exercise, And Genetic Markers, Joanie Brocato Wilson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The goal of this research was to gain a better understanding of interplay between molecular biology, physiology, biochemistry, functionality with disease and interventions. The primary findings of the first study were that there was a significant inverse correlation between homocysteine and brachial artery flow mediated dilation (BAFMD) and baseline brachial artery diameter. Interestingly, there was a significant difference in BAFMD between methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) genotype groups. Regression analysis indicated that the MTHFR genotype, homocysteine and age were significant predictors of BAFMD. The second study revealed that vascular reactivity as measured by BAFMD was modifiable. A meta-analysis of 22 intervention …

Exercise And Peripheral Vascular Function In Health And Disease, Arturo Arce

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

“Chronic disease will never reach its clinical horizon to compromise health if it is attacked at its origin” [1]. Knowledge that one’s risk for cardiovascular events is related to the severity of endothelial dysfunction, and evidence that exercise training can improve endothelial function, has prompted speculation that measures of vascular function may serve as a “barometer” for cardiovascular health. This dissertation consists of three experiments intended to study vascular function and the manner in which it may influence or may be influenced by physical function. Project one examined the influence of high and low volume circuit weight training on forearm …