Kinesiology Commons^™

Accuracy Of Energy Expenditure Predictions And Activity Identification In Consumer-Based Activity Monitors, James Andrew Woodman

Masters Theses

INTRODUCTION: Consumer-based physical activity (PA) monitors are increasingly common, and must be validated against criterion measures to determine which models are accurate. Such studies will aid PA intervention research and individual consumers purchasing these devices. METHODS: Thirty participants (mean ±[plus or minus] SD; age, 25.5 ± 3.7 years; BMI, 24.9 ± 2.6 kg/m2[meters squared]) completed a structured PA routine including 11 activities ranging from sedentary behaviors to vigorous intensities. During the routine participants wore an Oxycon portable calorimeter (criterion measure of energy expenditure (EE)), a Basis Peak and Garmin Vivofit on the non-dominant wrist, and three Withings Pulse devices (right …

Effects Of Different Approach Directions And Sizes Of Selected Tennis Forehand Strokes On Knee Biomechanics, Louise Barbara Beggs

Masters Theses

Tennis is a global sport and knee injuries are prevalent, ranging from acute to chronic and minor, to severe. Different directional movements and speeds involved in tennis may lead to a higher chance of injury due to changing loading rates at the knee. This study investigates effects of diagonal and lateral forehand strokes with step or lunge on kinematics and kinetics of the knee on the dominant leg during simulated tennis play. Ten National Tennis Ranking Program (NTRP) players level 4.0 upwards were recruited for the study. A motion analysis system was used to obtain three-dimensional joint kinematics, and force …

Knee Biomechanical Characteristics Of Knee Unfriendly Movements In 42-Form Tai Ji, Chen Wen

Masters Theses

Tai Ji was one of recommended non-pharmacologic treatments for knee OA, but it is not clear that if all of the Tai Ji movements would be suitable and beneficial for knee OA patients. The purpose of this study was to examine 1) GRF and knee kinematic and kinetic characteristics of the identified knee unfriendly Tai Ji movements including lunges, pushdown, kick and pseudo-step 2) effects of high- and low-pose of these movements on those characteristics, and 3) compare biomechanical variables between the Tai Ji movements and slow waking. Seventeen volunteers performed three trials in each of eight movement conditions: high …

"It Starts With Having A Conversation": Lesbian Student-Athletes' Experience Of U.S. Ncaa Division I Sport, Jamie Fynes

Masters Theses

According to Griffin (1998), the U.S. NCAA Division I sport environment is not very welcoming for lesbian student-athletes because of existing negative myths and stereotypes. In addition, the experiences of both current and former lesbian collegiate athletes is an underrepresented research topic. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of 10 former U.S. NCAA Division I lesbian student-athletes using a semi-structured personal identity interview guide (Fisher, 1997) and Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) (Hill, Thompson, & Williams, 1997). Five domains, 19 categories, and related core ideas were found in the transcribed interviews. In Domain I: Stereotypes and …

Elementary School Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Role Of Physical Activity In Schools, Amanda Millwood Harrison

Masters Theses

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine and describe elementary school teachers’ perceptions of physical activity among children in an urban, Title I, school in Tennessee. Twelve elementary teachers in Second and Third grade were interviewed using a semi-structured interview. The interview protocol was developed to guide participants from broader concepts regarding physical activity to more focused discussions on the use of physical activity during the school day.

Data presented examines the perceptions of teachers’ overall view of physical activity among children during school hours, the amount of physical activity children engaged in during school hours, the impact …

Ncaa Division Iii Coaches’ Attitudes And Receptivity Toward Sport Psychology Consulting Services, Page Grace Allen

Masters Theses

In this study NCAA Division III (D-III) head coaches (n = 731) completed an online survey assessing their attitudes (i.e., stigma tolerance, confidence in sport psychology consulting, personal openness, and cultural preferences) and receptivity toward sport psychology consultant (SPC) services, previous experiences with and access to SPC services, willingness to encourage and seek SPC services, support for possible SPC roles at NCAA D-III institutions, and if their attitudes predicted their willingness to use SPC services. Results indicated that coaches who had previous experiences with SPC services and perceived them to be effective were more willing to seek SPC services …

Effects Of A Bacteriological Filter On Vo2max Measured By A Computerized Metabolic System, Christopher William Bach

Masters Theses

Purpose: To determine the effects of a purple bacteriological filter (PF) on the measured maximal oxygen uptake (VO_2max) during a maximal treadmill test as well as its effect on the expiratory flow measurements during a pulmonary function test. Methods: Male (n=7) and female (n=7) runners (18-35 years old) completed two continuous graded exercise tests (GXTs) followed by pulmonary function tests (PFT); one with a purple filter (PF) and one with no filter (NF). The GXT consisted of running at a constant speed on a treadmill while gradually increasing the grade until volitional exhaustion was reached. Following each of …

Classification Accuracy Of The Wrist-Worn Genea Accelerometer During Structured Activity Bouts: A Cross-Validation Study, Whitney Allegra Welch

Masters Theses

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine whether the left wrist cutpoints of Esliger et al., for the triaxial GENEA accelerometer, are accurate for predicting intensity categories during 14 different activities including; treadmill-based, home and office, and sport activities. Methods: 130 adults wore a GENEA accelerometer on their left wrist while performing various lifestyle activities. The Oxycon Mobile Portable Metabolic Unit was used to measure oxygen uptake during each activity. Statistical analysis used Spearman’s rank correlations to determine the relationship between measured and estimated intensity classifications. Cross tabulation tables were constructed to describe under or over …

Kids Can Bike! A Parks And Recreation Program To Promote Youth Cycling, Jessica Lynn Chandler

Masters Theses

Physical inactivity is a major concern, and is believed to contribute to the high prevalence of childhood obesity in U.S. schoolchildren. To address this problem, the Knoxville Area Coalition on Childhood Obesity launched a ‘Kids Can BIKE!’ program in 2012. The bicycling program is seven weeks long and is designed to increase physical activity, teach safe cycling skills, and explore Knoxville parks and greenways while having fun. The program targeted children in grades 4 and 5 who were already enrolled in an afterschool or summer program. Once a week, the children were transported to a location where they could safely …

Does Changing Step Width Alter Lower Extremity Biomechanics During Running?, Richard Arthur Brindle Iii

Masters Theses

A large percentage of runners incur a running related injury, with injury occurring most frequently at the knee. Runners with the most common overuse knee injuries have associated biomechanics that differ from healthy runners. Altering step width while running may influence those associated biomechanics. The purpose of this study was to determine the biomechanical response of lower extremity joints in healthy runners to increasing and decreasing step width during running. A preferred step width condition was collected first, followed in randomized order by a narrow step width condition and a wide step width condition. Step width was decreased to 0% …

The Effectiveness Of A Health Communication Campaign In Increasing Awareness Of The 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines For Americans Among College Students Living In Residence Halls, Virginia Marie Frederick

Masters Theses

The college years are an important time for young adults to learn and implement healthy lifestyle behaviors, such as physical activity (PA). In order to develop these habits, college students should be made aware of public health recommendations, such as the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (PAG). However, no studies have examined the level of awareness of these guidelines among college students. PURPOSE: To determine the level of awareness of the 2008 PAG in college students and study the effectiveness of a PA health communication campaign (HCC) designed to increase awareness. METHODS: This study utilized a quasi-experimental, two-group design. …

The Accuracy Of The Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run To Estimate Aerobic Fitness In Youth, Stacy Nicole Scott

Masters Theses

The FITNESSGRAM’s Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (PACER) test is a commonly used field test to estimate peak oxygen uptake (VO_2peak) in youth. However, little research has been conducted to determine the influence of weight status on the accuracy of the equations used to estimate VO_2peak. Purpose: To assess the agreement between VO_2peak measured using indirect calorimetry during the PACER and estimated VO_2peak in normal weight and overweight youth and to determine the influence of weight status on the accuracy of estimated VO_2peak in 10-15 year old youth. Methods: The study …

High And Low Active Transit Accessibility On Greenways: The Relationship With Physical Activity, Dana Lizbeth Wolff

Masters Theses

Greenways (GW) can be sited to increase the potential for individuals to access the GW through active transit (AT) and provide opportunities for individuals to meet PA guidelines. PURPOSE: To determine if GWs, with varying AT access potential, relate to user characteristics and their GW-related PA. METHODS: A trail intercept survey measuring access mode, GW-specific PA, and demographics of GW users was administered to 611 adults on 2 GWs with high and low AT potential (GW_high vs. GW_low). RESULTS: Users of GW_high(N=216) compared to GW_low (N=400) were more likely to be younger, male, never …

Why Is There Still So Much Confusion About Vo2 Plateau? A Re-Examination Of The Work Of A.V. Hill, Richard Vincent Castle

Masters Theses

Maximal oxygen uptake (VO_2max) is regarded as the gold standard for assessing aerobic fitness. In 1923, Hill et al. proposed that VO_2max represents the maximal ability of the body to take in and consume O₂ during strenuous exercise. Recently, however, controversy has arisen over the issue of whether a leveling off, or "plateau" in VO₂ is necessary to verify attainment of VO_2max. Purpose: To compare two different VO_2max protocols and determine if both protocols show direct evidence of an upper limit on VO₂. Methods: Nine runners (18-35 years old) completed …

Do Thigh Circumference And Mass Changes Associated With Obesity Alter Walking Biomechanics?, Carolyn Grace Westlake

Masters Theses

Differences in gait biomechanics have been observed between obese and healthy weight adults. It is possible that body segment parameters, particularly the thigh, contribute to the differences in knee biomechanics observed during gait between obese and healthy weight adults. The purpose of this study was to determine if increases in thigh circumference and/or mass associated with obesity alter walking biomechanics in healthy weight males and females. Thigh mass and circumference were increased proportional to a 10 unit increase in body mass index. Frontal and sagittal plane knee angles and moments, and temporospatial variables were recorded. For all dependent variables no …

Effect Of Tilted Surfaces On Ankle Kinematics And Emg Activities In Landing, Divya Bhaskaran

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of landing on a combined inverted and plantarflexed surface on the ankle kinematics and electromyographic (EMG) activities of the medial gastrocnemius (MG), peroneal longus (PL) and anterior tibialis muscles (TA). Twelve recreational athletes performed five drop landings from an overhead bar of 30 cm height on to each of these surfaces: a flat surface, a 25° inversion surface (inverted), and a combined surface (combined) of 25° inversion and 25° plantarflexion. The three dimensional kinematic variables and integrated EMG (IEMG) of the three muscles were assessed using one-way repeated measures analysis …

Accuracy Of Physical Activity Monitors In Pregnant Women, Christopher P. Connolly

Masters Theses

Purpose: To determine the step count accuracy of three pedometers and one accelerometer in pregnant women during treadmill walking. Methods: Subjects were 30 women in the second or third trimester (20-36 weeks) who were screened for pregnancy-related risk factors. Each subject was fitted with a belt containing three physical activity monitors: Yamax Digiwalker SW-200 (DW), New Lifestyles NL 2000 (NL), and GT3X Actigraph accelerometer (ACT). The Omron HJ-720 (HJ) was placed in the pants pocket. Subjects walked at 54, 67, 80, and 94 m•min-1 for two minutes each. Actual steps were determined by an investigator using a hand-tally counter. Percentage …

Validity Of The Crouter 2-Regression Model For Predicting Energy Expenditure: Transitions From Rest To Activity, Erin E. Kuffel

Masters Theses

The Crouter 2-regression model (15) is a new approach for predicting MET values. However, the Crouter 2-regression model may misclassify walking/jogging during transition periods (i.e. during the first and last minute of the activity) due to the high coefficient of variation resulting in an overestimation of MET values. Purpose: The purpose was to examine the Crouter 2-regression model for predicting MET values during transitions from rest to activity and back to rest. It was hypothesized that starting a walking bout partway through a minute will lead to a misclassification, due to the high coefficient of variation, and therefore over-predict MET …

Physiologic Changes Occurring During A 592-Mile Hike On The Appalachian Trail, Patricia Gayle Williams

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to assess physiologic changes during a 592-mile hike of the Appalachian Trail. The participants included 2 physically active nonsmoking male adults, 23 and 26 years of age. The participants were both experienced backpackers attempting a 592-mile northbound hike of the AT in the summer of 2006. Participants were tested before and after hiking. Participants underwent the following tests: resting BP, resting HR, height and weight, body fat, BMD, lactate threshold, VO_2peak, maximal HR, curl-ups, push-ups, and sit-and-reach. Although the hike was ended prematurely after 474 miles, many changes were observed. Body mass, body …

The Effects Of Hiking Poles On Performance And Physiological Variables During Mountain Climbing, Rachel Louise Duckham

Masters Theses

The primary purpose of this study was to compare performance when hiking with and without poles during a maximal effort mountain ascent. In addition, the study determined if there were differences in physiological responses, such as heart rate, estimated energy expenditure, and blood lactate accumulation. 15 physically active men and women (mean age 29±6) hiked with and without walking poles up a 4-km trail ( 426-meter elevation gain). Performance was determined by the time taken to reach the top of the mountain. In addition, differences in physiological variables including heart rate (HR), estimated energy expenditure (EE), and blood lactate accumulation …

Physical Activity And Weather: The Association Of Physical Activity With Weather-Related Factors Measured On The Knoxville Third-Creek Greenway, Ryan Allen Burchfield

Masters Theses

The primary purpose of this study was to examine the association of outdoor physical activity (PA) with weather-related factors (temperature, humidity, heat index, and precipitation) when data was measured onsite (Knoxville Third-Creek Greenway). Secondary to this research question, this study explored whether the source of weather-related data (site-specific vs. public domain) influenced the strength of association with outdoor PA. PA, the dependent variable, was measured as trail counts by an infrared trail counter. Weather-related factors were obtained by an on-site weather station and through the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a public domain weather source. Hourly PA (trail counts) …

Effect Of Long Term Resistance Training On A Senior Population With Trained Peer Leadership, Richard John Burke Iii

Masters Theses

Purpose: The goal of this study was to examine the physical effects of a two-year peer-led resistance training and aerobic program in a group of community dwelling older adults.

Methods: Nine community-dwelling older adults (Age = 81.2 ± 7.1 yrs; Males = 1, Females = 8) were trained for six weeks, monitored and corrected for one year, and then completed two years of peer-led weight training three days/week. Pre and post training physical function assessments included 6-minute walk distance (endurance, functional mobility and gait speed), 8 foot timed up-and-go (balance and agility), back scratch (shoulder flexibility), sit-and-reach (flexibility), number of …