Kinesiology Commons^™

The Lived Experiences Of Adult Siblings Of Individuals With Asd, Brianne Redquest

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are the most prevalent neurological and severe developmental disorder affecting 1 in 88 Canadians, reflecting a 78% increase over the last 6 years (Autism Speaks Canada, 2013). ASD is a lifelong disorder which requires a tremendous amount of support and caregiving from family members. As a result, siblings may have unique experiences associated with having a sibling with ASD. As such, the purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences of adult siblings of individuals with ASD. The study employed a qualitative methodology, more specifically phenomenology (Patton, 2002). One-on-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with …

An Exploratory Examination Of Families Engaged In An Adventure Running Kids Program, Heather Isnor

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Academics and practitioners have only just begun to delve into the health benefits of outdoor activities in the last few years. In general, the forested settings of these activities have been documented to decrease stress levels, increase recovery rates from disease, and lessen the symptoms of mental illnesses (Kuo & Faber Taylor, 2004). It is believed that the natural environment acts as a setting where humans can engage in physical activity, aesthetic experiences, and social interactions that, in turn, release stress and lead to improved well-being (Bird, 2012). Currently, however, children are experiencing limited exposure to nature and which has …

Effects Of A Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback Intervention On Athletes’ Psychological Responses Following Injury, Andrew S. Rollo Mr.

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of heart rate variability biofeedback (HRV BFB), a form of psychophysiological skills intervention, to improve athletes’ psychological response following an injury. Further, to examine the effects of HRV BFB on self-efficacy, perceived stress and anxiety, pain management, and the psychological responses of injured athletes. HRV BFB effects on athletes’ physiological indices including HRV, HR, and respiration rate were also assessed. Participants were 32 athletes who had sustained a moderate to severe musculoskeletal sports injury, ranging in age from 18 to 36 years (M_age = 20.82, SD = 3.41). …

Physical Fitness Characteristics Of An Active Firefighter Population Serving An Urban Area, Michael R. Antolini

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Firefighters require a high level of physical fitness in order to meet the demands of their profession. While physical fitness testing is required to join the department, firefighters are not subject to further formal exercise testing throughout the duration of their careers. Active, career firefighters were tested on a variety of physical fitness measures related to body composition, strength, power, and endurance over three testing sessions. 49 firefighters (40.5 ± 8.3 yr, 89.5 ± 13.0 kg, 27.8 ± 3.6 kg/m2) were found to have a resting heart rate of 57.7 ± 8.2 bpm, blood pressure of 121.5 ± 11.9/71.5 ± …

Parental Pressure, Anxiety, And Performance Among Age Group Swimmers, Timothy Michael Dasinger

LSU Master's Theses

Background/Purpose: Parents introduce children to youth sport and can increase a child’s level of enjoyment in the sport. However, parents can also place too much pressure on the child, which can lead to increased pre-competition anxiety and decreased performance (Bois, Lalanne, & Delforge, 2008; Scanlan & Lewthwaite, 1984). The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among perceived and desired parental pressure, pre-competition state anxiety, subsequent performance, and intention to continue the sport in youth swimmers ages 9-18. Method: A sample of 43 swimmers (17 male, 26 female; M=12.8±2.6 years) on a United States Swimming (USS) sanctioned club …

Can Gravitational Influences Explain Endpoint Precision Between Visual Conditions?, Chelsea Marie Soebbing

LSU Master's Theses

Reaches to remembered target locations often result in different endpoint precision when compared to reaches to actual (seen) targets. Interestingly, errors are observed whether the reach to the remembered location is performed in an environment with or without allocentric cues (visual cues from the environment) available. People tend to point below remembered target locations in the dark relative to normal room lighting while seated, standing, and reaching with a step. In this study we questioned the effect of gravitational influences on upper extremity reaching and pointing accuracy in dark and illuminated environments. We hypothesized that alterations in body orientation would …

Methionine Restriction-Induced Metabolic Changes In C57bl6j Mice, Cory Christopher Cortez

LSU Master's Theses

Introduction: Eighty percent restriction of normal dietary methionine (MR) intake has been shown to increase energy expenditure and attenuate the rate of adiposity gain in rodents, despite a paradoxical increase in energy intake. Energy expenditure in rats was shown to increase, even though physical activity level stays the same. This observation suggests that metabolic mechanisms account for the majority of increased energy expenditure measured in methionine restricted animals. Purpose: To observe and document the onset of physiological effects brought about and to determine the mechanistic role of the skeletal muscle on MR-induced metabolic changes in the C57BL6J mouse. Methods: C57BL6J …

The Anti-Inflammatory Effects Of Vitamin D And Exercise, Laura Ann Forney

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Elevated inflammation is associated with several chronic diseases, including obesity. Exercise is an established effective treatment of this condition by decreasing adiposity and independently regulating inflammatory pathways. The potential for vitamin D to confer anti-inflammatory benefits has been explored in cell culture studies, but few have explored its action at the whole body level. PURPOSE: To investigate the relationship between inflammatory markers in trained and untrained individuals with vitamin D levels either above or below a suggested optimal concentration. METHODS: College-aged females (N = 63), both trained and untrained, reported to the lab four times: to assess body size and …

Resiliency And Selfless Service Development In Army Rotc Physical Training: A Qualitative Investigation, Molly Voelz Fischer

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Leadership in the United States Army is essential for successful completion of domestic and international missions. Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) programs are used to effectively develop leadership skills within the Army. Physical training (PT) is a mandatory component in ROTC, used to improve physical ability and prepare cadets for the rigors of the “big Army” environment. Resiliency and selfless service development are seen as critical elements of leadership, yet little is known about the formal and informal experiences in ROTC PT that facilitate or hinder resiliency and selfless service during early career preparation. The overall purpose of this dissertation …

Comparison Of Muscular Strength And Hypertrophy In High Repetition Training Versus Low Repetition Training For The Bench Press Exercise, Tyler Mink

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Respiratory Muscle Warm-Up On Exercise Performance And Pulmonary Functions, Dennis Jonathan Guillot

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Effect of a Specific Respiratory Warm-up on Run Performance, Pulmonary Functions, and Rating of Perceived Breathing The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a respiratory warm-up for five minutes using an inspiratory/expiratory (IEC) device on pulmonary function (PFT) (FVC, FEV©û, FEF 25-75%, PEF), rate of perceived exertional (RPE) breathing, and performance time [300 yard shuttle run (300y) and 1.5 mile run (1.5m)] in asthmatics and non-asthmatics. Ten non-asthmatics males (22.6¡¾7.4 years) participated in phase I, twenty non-asthmatic males (24.2¡¾9.8 years) in phase II, and five asthmatics (20.8¡¾3.2 years) in phase III of this study. The Phase …

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 …

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 …

Comparison Of Two Different Sprint Interval Training Work-To-Rest Ratios On Acute Metabolic And Inflammatory Responses, Christopher R. Harnish

Theses and Dissertations

High intensity exercise is believed to yield greater results on health and human performance than moderate intensity exercise. Extensive research indicates that not only do high-intensity interval training (HIT) and sprint interval training (SIT) produce significant improvements in cardiovascular fitness and disease, they may be more effective at improving long-term metabolic function, including insulin sensitivity (Si), by producing more mitochondria. Moreover, compliance rates for HIT and SIT participation are reported to be the same or better than traditional moderate intensity exercise. Because lack of time is often cited as major hindrance to exercise participation, SIT is also seen as a …

A Comparison Of The Effects Of Static Stretching With And Without Whole Body Vibration On Hip Flexion Range Of Motion In College Age Males, Jessica Lynn Wilson

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of a single bout of static stretching with and without whole body vibration on hip flexion range of motion in college age males. A second purpose was to determine whether any acute effects would persist after one hour of rest. It was hypothesized that there would be a significant increase from baseline to posttest hip range of motion with both static stretching only and static stretching with whole body vibration. Further, the improvement would be significantly greater with the addition of whole body vibration. It was also hypothesized that any …

The Effects Of Aerobic And Muscular Endurance Based Resistance Exercises On The Cardiorespiratory System In College Age Females, Victoria Streif

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the cardiorespiratory response in college age females, between the ages of 19 and 24, before and after participating in a six week moderate-vigorous aerobic exercise program compared to a six week moderate-vigorous aerobic exercise program combined with a muscular endurance based resistance training program. Specifically, which mode of exercise has the most significant effect on cardiorespiratory fitness? Methods: Twelve sedentary college age females between the ages of 19 to 24 years, with a mean age of 20.9 years, participated in the study. Eligible participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: …

Augmented Eccentrics: Acute Effects On Jump Performance, James Matson

WWU Graduate School Collection

The purpose of this study was to examine the acute effect on countermovement jump performance when augmenting the eccentric load via the use of external resistance. Female subjects (n= 12) were recruited from the Western Washington University Division II NCAA volleyball team. The augmenting protocol involved the athletes holding Sandbells® at their side during the lowering phase, dropping them before the bottom of the countermovement, and immediately performing an explosive jump. The results indicated no significant effect of augmenting the eccentric phase with 28.98 ± 4.10 % of BW on performance measures that included: jump height, pre-load, modified RSI, peak …

The Effects Of Body Orientation And Humeral Elevation Angle On Shoulder Muscle Activity And Shoulder Joint Position Sense, Jordan D. (Jordan Daniel) Sahlberg

WWU Graduate School Collection

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of body tilt on shoulder muscle activity and repositioning accuracy during humeral elevation to three positions in the sagittal plane (70, 90 and 110 degrees). Thirty eight subjects underwent testing in an unconstrained joint position sense task. Kinematics were measured with a magnetic tracking device while muscle activation was measured with surface electromyography. The joint position sense task consisted of subjects moving their arms to a predetermined positing in space with the help of visual feedback from a head mounted display interfaced with the magnetic tracking device. Subjects were then …

Eccentric, Concentric And Isometric Strength In Trained And Untrained Older Adults, Fernando A. Rosete

WWU Graduate School Collection

The process of aging includes changes in muscle and connective tissue architecture and function, increased stiffness, loss of strength and functionality. Nonetheless, older adults are able to maintain eccentric (ECC) strength levels in a greater proportion, when compared to maintaining isometric (ISO) strength and concentric (CON) strength. The purpose of this study was to compare CON, ECC and ISO leg extension torque between trained (T) and untrained (U) older adults. Twenty older adults (60 years and older) who had no knee pathologies were recruited. A Biodex dynamometer was used to measure leg extensor torque for ISO, CON and ECC, in …

An Examination Of Behavioral And Temporal Consistency Of Pre-Performance Routines In Ncaa Division I Basketball Free Throw Shooting – A Naturalist Observational Investigation, Jacob Blumberg

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research has shown that pre-performance routines positively influence performance of closed and self-paced skills (Boutcher & Crews, 1987; Cohn, 1990; Otto et al., 2011). Boutcher and Crews (1987) suggested that pre-performance routines improve performance by helping reduce anxiety along with helping athletes’ retain mental sharpness and focus. Furthermore, several quantitative studies have examined the influence of both behavioral and temporal consistency of pre-performance routines on the success of a skill, yielding inconsistent results (Boutcher & Crews, 1987; Lobmeyer & Wasserman, 1986; Lonsdale & Tam, 2008; Jackson, 2003). However, research examining this phenomenon from a qualitative and naturalistic observational perspective is …

Antecedents Of Athletes’ Achievement Goal Orientations, Matthew Lachman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Theorized by Nicholls (1984), achievement goal theory describes the interaction of one’s perceived ability and two goal orientations, known as “task” and “ego,” that an athlete employs when setting goals. These goal orientations are what athletes employ when playing their sport. The result of this interaction is an athlete’s achievement behavior. Previous research has examined this theory extensively (Newton & Duda, 1999; Chin, Khoo, & Low, 2012; Smoll, Smith, & Cumming, 2007; White & Zellner, 1996). However, few studies have solely looked at factors that predict one’s achievement goal orientations. The purpose of this study is to address which demographic …

One Step At A Time: A Journey Of Hope, Inspiration, And Determination, Melinda Hermanns, Barbara K. Haas

Melinda Hermanns

Ua Scholar Poster Final.Ppt, Mary Jo Maccracken

Dr. Mary J. MacCracken

Comprehensive Psychology-2014-Stadulis-07.13.Cp.3.12.Pdf, Robert E. Stadulis, Angela Neal-Barnett, Mary Jo Maccracken, Lisa Fender-Scarr

Dr. Mary J. MacCracken

Ankle Plantarflexion Strength In Rearfoot And Forefoot Runners: A Novel Clusteranalytic Approach, Dominik Liebl, Steffen Willwacher, Joseph Hamill, Gert-Peter Brüggemann

Joseph Hamill

The purpose of the present study was to test for differences in ankle plantarflexion strengths of habitually rearfoot and forefoot runners. In order to approach this issue, we revisit the problem of classifying different footfall patterns in human runners. A dataset of 119 subjects running shod and barefoot (speed 3.5 m/s) was analyzed. The footfall patterns were clustered by a novel statistical approach, which is motivated by advances in the statistical literature on functional data analysis. We explain the novel statistical approach in detail and compare it to the classically used strike index of Cavanagh and Lafortune (1980). The two …

Skeletal Muscle Myofilament Adaptations To Aging, Disease And Disuse And Their Effects On Whole Muscle Performance In Older Adult Humans, Mark S. Miller, Damien M. Callahan, Michael J. Toth

Mark S. Miller

Skeletal muscle contractile function declines with aging, disease, and disuse. In vivo muscle contractile function depends on a variety of factors, but force, contractile velocity and power generating capacity ultimately derive from the summed contribution of single muscle fibers. The contractile performance of these fibers are, in turn, dependent upon the isoform and function of myofilament proteins they express, with myosin protein expression and its mechanical and kinetic characteristics playing a predominant role. Alterations in myofilament protein biology, therefore, may contribute to the development of functional limitations and disability in these conditions. Recent studies suggest that these conditions are associated …

Elite Female Tae Kwon Do Athletes Have Faster Reaction Time And Longer Movement Time Than Males During A Striking Kick, Ulysses Fernandes Ervilha, Valmar Fernandes Da Silva, Rubens Correa Araújo, Luis Mochizuki, Joseph Hamill

Joseph Hamill

Background & Study Aim: An important aspect of ap bal ap dolio tchagui kick in tae kwon do is that it is usually performed in reaction to a signal or event. That is, given a specific stimulus (i.e. the movement of the opponent), the tae kwon do athlete must react as quickly and accurately as possible to the stimulus. Reacting to a stimulus requires preparation and it is essential to determine this preparation of an elite athlete to perform a task. Therefore, to investigate this movement a reaction time paradigm is appropriate wherein the athlete accomplishes the kick in response …

Acute Effect Of Different Minimalist Shoes On Foot Strike Pattern And Kinematics In Rearfoot Strikers During Running, Roberto Squadrone, Renato Rodano, Joseph Hamill, Ezio Preatoni

Joseph Hamill

Despite the growing interest in minimalist shoes, no studies have compared the efficacy of different types of minimalist shoe models in reproducing barefoot running patterns and in eliciting biomechanical changes that make them differ from standard cushioned running shoes. The aim of this study was to investigate the acute effects of different footwear models, marketed as “minimalist” by their manufacturer, on running biomechanics. Six running shoes marketed as barefoot/minimalist models, a standard cushioned shoe and the barefoot condition were tested. Foot–/shoe–ground pressure and three-dimensional lower limb kinematics were measured in experienced rearfoot strike runners while they were running at 3.33 …

Validation Of A Previous Day Recall For Measuring The Location And Purpose Of Active And Sedentary Behaviors Compared To Direct Observation, Sarah Kozey Keadle, Kate Lyden, Amanda Hickey, Evan L. Ray, Jay H. Fowke, Patty S. Freedson, Charles E. Matthews

Patty S. Freedson

Purpose Gathering contextual information (i.e., location and purpose) about active and sedentary behaviors is an advantage of self-report tools such as previous day recalls (PDR). However, the validity of PDR’s for measuring context has not been empirically tested. The purpose of this paper was to compare PDR estimates of location and purpose to direct observation (DO). Methods Fifteen adult (18–75 y) and 15 adolescent (12–17 y) participants were directly observed during at least one segment of the day (i.e., morning, afternoon or evening). Participants completed their normal daily routine while trained observers recorded the location (i.e., home, community, work/school), purpose …