Kinesiology Commons^™

How Do Social Norms Affect Physical Activity And Performance On An Endurance Task?, Keith David Randazzo

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Despite the extensive benefits associated with a physically active life style, less than 50% of US adults engage in recommended levels of physical activity (PA), so finding ways to structure environments to promote PA is an important concern. Social norms, conceptualized as an individual’s perception of peer behavior, provide a framework for exploring factors that influence decisions to be physically active. Although researchers have investigated how social norms influence a variety of behaviors, the PA domain has not been fully explored. The focus of this dissertation is to apply social norms theories to investigate how normative information influences PA intentions …

An Investigation Of The Generalizability Of Buoyancy From Academics To Athletics, Jackie Rae Victoriano

LSU Master's Theses

Buoyancy, the ability of an individual to handle everyday setbacks, has been applied successfully to academics, and has implications for performance and well-being. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if the concept of buoyancy can be successfully applied to the domain of sports (i.e., athletic buoyancy). This study sought to examine the relationship between academic and athletic buoyancy, as well as the efficacy of five sport-oriented predictors (5Cs), confidence, coordination (planning), commitment, composure (anxiety), and control, on both athletic and academic buoyancy. Sport club athletes (N = 285) aged 18 to 31 years completed a one-time survey assessing …

Cardiovascular And Autonomic Nervous System Function: Impact Of Glucose Ingestion, Hydration Status And Exercise In Heated Environments, Kate Suzanne Early

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Cardiovascular function is under the influence of autonomic nervous system, both of which can be assessed non-invasively. The purpose of this dissertation was to examine these non-invasive markers of cardiovascular and autonomic function and their relationships with exercise training, glucose ingestion and hydration status. A series of three studies were conducted to gain insight to various influences on cardiovascular and autonomic function. The first study examined the influence of exercise training of brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (BAFMD) using meta-analytic techniques. Sixty-six studies included in the analysis demonstrated exercise training improves BAFMD compared to controls. Results indicated exercise training significantly alters …

Assessment Of Anti-Saccades Within 24 To 48 Hours Post-Concussion, Nathan D'Amico

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

INTRODUCTION: Oculomotor control dysfunction is present in about 90% of concussed athletes, with anti-saccades being the most prominent. PURPOSE: To investigate anti-saccades, reflexive gaze deviations from a fixed point or area of interest, between NCAA Division I athletes 24 to 48 hours post-concussion (PC) and healthy, matched controls (MC). METHODS: 10 PC (4 female, 6 male; age: 18.9 ± 0.9 years) and 10 MC (4 female, 6 male; age: 18.3 ± 0.6 years) wore a monocular eye tracker (240Hz) while performing 2 trials of the 60-second WiiFit Soccer Heading game. During play, participants were instructed to not deviate their gaze …

Effects Of Sex, Age, Body Height And Body Weight On Spinal Loads: Sensitivity Analyses In A Subject-Specific Trunk Musculoskeletal Model, F. Ghezelbash, A. Shirazi-Adl, N. Arjmand, Z. El-Ouaaid, A. Plamondon, J. R. Meakin

Études primaires

Subject-specific parameters influence spinal loads and the risk of back disorders but their relative effects are not well understood. The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of changes in age (35–60 years), sex (male, female), body height (BH: 150–190 cm) and body weight (BW: 50–120 kg) on spinal loads in a full-factorial simulation using a personalized (spine kinematics, geometry, musculature and passive properties) kinematics driven musculoskeletal trunk finite element model. Segmental weight distribution (magnitude and location along the trunk) was estimated by a novel technique to accurately represent obesity. Five symmetric sagittal loading conditions were considered, and …

Role Of Altered Gut Microbiota In Tumor Development, Mucus Production And Inflammation In Apc Min/+ Mouse Model, Kamaljeet Kaur

Theses and Dissertations

The microbiome forms an integral part of the gut microenvironment. Once ignored, the topic has gained momentum in research during the past decade, where studies have strongly suggested the association of microbiota with health and a misbalance thereof, to many disease conditions ranging from inflammation and colitis to diabetes, obesity and colon cancer. The Human Microbiome Project (HMP, NIH common fund - 2008) has used a variety of high throughput analyses in order to study gut microbiota in health. The consortium has so far been able to isolate and characterize more than 1,300 reference bacterial strains from the human body. …

The Effects Of External Focus Of Attention Exercise Rehabilitation On Dual Task Walking In Parkinson's Disease, Eric N. Beck

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Parkinson’s disease impairs control of well-learned movements, and therefore, individuals with Parkinson’s disease are forced to walk with greater conscious control. This causes difficulties while walking and completing a secondary task simultaneously (dual tasking), in that distractions from conscious control of walking increase the risk of falls and injury. Although, attention-based exercise may be a potential avenue to decrease the demands associated with walking in Parkinson’s disease. For example, an external focus of attention (on manipulated objects) has been found to recruit the networks that are important for walking with little conscious control (automatic control networks). In contrast, an internal …

The Influence Of Joint-Site, Limb Preference, And Physical Activity On Joint Position Sense, Amanda N. Forsyth

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Joint position sense provides the body with information about where limb segments are relative to one another in three-dimensional space. The ability to utilize this sense is imperative for smooth, coordinated, and accurate movement in everything from activities of daily living to competitive sport (Ghez & Sainburg, 1995). Researchers currently use joint position sense as a measure of proprioceptive acuity. However, limited research has investigated the influence of potential confounding factors on proprioception. Specifically, literature on how joint-site specificity and lateral preference influence proprioception displays several incongruent findings. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was (1) to determine if …

Investigating The Relationship Between Personality Traits And Athletic Performance Among Elite Hockey Players, Brittney H. Conway

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

"An interesting trend in the personality literature has been the assessment of the relationship between personality traits and athletic performances. In non-sport settings, the conscientiousness trait has been found to be strongly related to a number of good outcomes including job and training proficiency, academic performances, and physical activity (Barrick & Mout, 1991; Poropat, 2009; Rhodes & Smith, 2006). In the athletic setting, similar findings have been found with soccer players (Piedmont, Hill, & Blanco, 1999), football players (Tran, 2012) and Division 1 collegiate athletes (Saale-Prasad, 2014). However, in professional hockey these findings have generally not been replicated (Karp, 2000; …

Upper Extremity Strength And Power Field Tests As Predictors Of Pole Vault Performance In Female Collegiate Athletes, Carmen Schluter

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

"The purpose of this study was to determine if select upper-extremity strength and power field tests, and the test battery, predict pole vault performance in female pole vaulters. There is very little research on female pole vault athletes, specifically non-elite athletes. Field tests previously shown to be predictive of performance in males were examined to determine if they were also predictive for females. Four tests were used (8 lb backwards medicine ball (MB) throw, 3 m seated rope pull, three pull-ups for time, and maximum pull-ups) to determine if pole vault performance (season personal record for each athlete) could be …

Estimates Of Persistent Inward Current Decline In Human Soleus Motor Units During Fatigue, Kirby Mendes

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Fatigue is defined as any exercise induced reduction in strength or power, and can be attributed to central and peripheral components. Many central and peripheral mechanisms have been extensively studied, but few studies have looked at the changes in the intrinsic properties of motor neurons and their contribution to fatigue. Persistent inward current (PIC) is an important intrinsic property of motor neurons responsible for setting a large increase in the gain of motor output and may contribute to fatigue. Inhibitory inputs such as reciprocal inhibition (RI) have been shown to turn off PICs and reducing the gain of output. PIC …

The Bigger Picture: Piecing Together The Experiences Of Family Members Living With High-Functioning Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Lauren Thomson

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The purpose of this research was to explore the experiences of family members living with a child with ASD. The specific research questions that were addressed included: 1. How is a family member affected by having a child with ASD in the family unit; and 2. How does living with a child with ASD affect family functioning? The theoretical orientation of phenomenology was used to guide this research and to allow the “voice” of family members of children with ASD to be heard. The purpose of phenomenology is to distill individuals’ experiences with a phenomenon down to an “essence” of …

The Effects Of A Low Back Pain Vibration Modality On Trunk Postural Control, Adam R. Cornwall

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Abstract

Introduction: Low back pain (LBP) is prevalent worldwide and is affecting even more individuals as the population ages. There has recently been an increase in production of low back pain (LBP) vibration modality belts that apply localized vibration to the lumbar region of the spine as it has shown to reduce pain. However, vibration is also known to perturb muscle spindles and thus interfere with proprioception. If a LBP vibration modality causes a proprioceptive deficit in the trunk lumbar region it could potentially increase an individual’s risk of injury due to poor postural control. Therefore, the effects of a …

The Influence Of Hip Mobility And Fatigue On Spinal Flexion And Muscle Activation In Rugby Scrum Performance, Joshua D. Clayton

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Introduction: Rugby scrumming is a means of restarting play following a minor rule infringement that can occur up to 28 times per game. The scrum poses a significant injury risk, with more days missed due to injury per event than any other rugby activity. Rugby players also have a significantly higher rate of spine injury than the general population, perhaps due to flexion in combination with high compression forces, which has been cited as the main mechanism of injury. Flexion of the spine has also been associated with poor hip mobility and quadriceps fatigue in other athletic tasks and may …

The Effects Of Eating Disorders And Menstrual Irregularity On Bone Mineral Density In Sorority Women: A Cross-Sectional Study, Rachel Robertson

Honors Theses

Past research has reported bone loss among women diagnosed with eating disorders as a direct result of estrogen imbalance (Cobb et al., 2003; Gibson et al., 1999; Kim et al., 2012; Zuckerman-Levin et al., 2014). Menstrual irregularity may result from estrogen imbalance, which is characteristic of an eating disorder and ultimately causes bone loss. Past studies have focused on this three-way relationship between eating disorders, menstrual irregularity, and bone mineral density (BMD) specifically in female athletes (Cobb et al., 2003; Gibson, Mitchell, Reeve, & Harries, 1999) but rarely in recreationally trained or sedentary females. Previous research has also focused on …

An Exploratory Approach To Manipulating Dynamic Stability: Investigating The Role Of Visual Control During A Precision Foot Placement Task, Russell Cg Kennedy

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

ABSTRACT

Background: The visual system provides the body with an accurate sensory system; designed to gather information at a distance and acts as a feedforward control mechanism during human locomotion. By doing so, visual information contributes coordination of the head-arm-trunk (HAT) segment and modulating foot placement. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a constrained pathway during a complex navigational stone-stepping task on HAT segment control and how the visual system guides locomotion during a complex foot placement task.

Methods: Nine university-aged females (Mean age: 22.5 years old +/-1.75) participated in this study. Participants …

What Lies Past Remission: The Perceived Late Effects Of Pediatric Cancer, Monica L. Molinaro

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Objective

Pediatric cancer survival rates are increasing (Childhood Cancer Canada Foundation, 2011) and with this, so are the late effects of pediatric cancer (Oeffinger et al., 2006). This research examines the lived experiences of the perceived long-term effects of pediatric cancer on adult survivors and their primary support persons in order to understand the multifaceted nature of the illness on adults, and how it affects others close to them.

Methods

The theoretical orientation used to guide the research was phenomenology in order to present an accurate depiction of all the participants’ lived experiences. Specifically, background questionnaires were administered and one-on-one …

The Effects Of Manipulated Somatosensory Input On Simulated Falls During Walking, Sarah Mitchell-Ewart

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Previous research has demonstrated that there is a distinct relationship between aging and instability. The somatosensory system plays a significant role in balance control in conjunction with vision and the vestibular system (Qiu et al., 2012). Evidence has shown that manipulation of the mechanoreceptors on the plantar surface of the foot has a direct effect on balance control. By manipulating these receptors with hypothermic anesthesia and vibration, researchers are capable of simulating the effect of sensory modification on healthy individuals, in order to understand the role that plantar-surface sensation has in adapting to perturbation during gait (Perry et al., 2001; …

The 2d:4d Ratio, Handedness, And Sex Across The Age Span, Helen A M Protopapas Ms.

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The ratio of the difference between the 2nd and 4th digits of the hand (2D:4D ratio) has been demonstrated to be an indirect indicator of prenatal testosterone levels. Prenatal testosterone has been found to play a role in brain development in utero, and thus may influence lateral asymmetries, such as handedness. Consequently, one of the aims of the current study was to examine relationships between the 2D:4D ratio, hand preference, and hand performance with the factors of sex (males and females), handedness (right handers and left handers), and age considered. A total of 104 participants were tested, 90 right handers …

A Comparison Of Cleated Footwear Conditions And The Effects On Ground Reaction Forces During The Phases Of A Side-Cut Task, Zachary Bridges

Honors Theses

Within sports and athletics, one area of interest is finding methods to increase the performance of athletes while simultaneously minimizing their risk for injury. In two of today's most popular sports (soccer and American football), cleated footwear is common equipment used to increase performance during sport-specific tasks. The interaction between cleated footwear and sport-specific tasks is one area of interest researchers are beginning to investigate and analyze the concerns of performance and safety. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the effects of American football cleats, soccer cleats, and running shoes have on ground reaction forces (GRF's) in …