Kinesiology Commons^™

The Influence Of Corrective Exercises On Functional Movement Screen And Physical Fitness Performance In Army Rotc Cadets, Marissa Jae Basar

Theses and Dissertations

Context: The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) is a screening tool designed to identify limitations in mobility and stability throughout the body. The existing literature has demonstrated the FMS is effective at identifying movement dysfunctions; however, there is limited evidence on the effectiveness or improving FMS scores through individual corrective exercises. Theoretically, improving functional movement may provide assistance in improving physical performance and potentially decrease occurrence of injury. Objective: To examine if an individualized corrective exercise program is effective at improving FMS scores in Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) cadets. In addition, the study aimed to correlate improvements in composite FMS …

P18. Backstroke Start Performance: The Impact Of Using The Omega Backstroke Ledge, Gordon E. Barkwell, James P. Dickey

Western Research Forum

Background: FINA recently approved use of the “backstroke ledge” (Omega OBL2) to improve backstroke start performance in competition, but its performance has not been thoroughly evaluated. The purpose of this study was to compare starts performed on a flat wall to those performed with the OBL2, and to identify factors that contribute to better start performance. Methods: Ten elite backstroke swimmers performed three flat-wall and three OBL2 starts. Horizontal impulse, vertical impulse, takeoff velocity and takeoff angle were calculated from the force plate data. Entry distance, time to 10 m and start of hip and knee extension were recorded using …

P17. P3b Event-Related Potentials Show Changes In Varsity Football Players Due To Accumulated Sub-Concussive Head Impacts, Jeffrey S. Brooks, James W. Thompson, James P. Dickey

Western Research Forum

BACKGROUND: Concussion has been a focus in football at all levels of participation. However, there is a growing appreciation that repetitive sub-concussive impacts may have more significant effects on overall neurological health than the isolated diagnosed concussions that have been the focus of recent research. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the number of head impacts that players experience throughout the season and their P300 evoked potential.

METHODS: Canadian university football players (n=45) were separated into three groups based on player mass and position/skill (small-skilled, big-skilled and big-unskilled). Groups were separated into low and high …

P27. Acute Impact Of An Extremely Low Frequency Magnetic Stimulus On Human Neurophysiological Function - Magnetophosphene Perception, Cadence M. Baker

Western Research Forum

Background: Magnetophosphenes are classified as colourless, flickering lights that are perceived with closed eyes in the dark, and upon exposure to a magnetic field (MF). Uncertainties exist involving the MF threshold for magnetophosphene perception.

Methods: Forty subjects will be enrolled in this experiment aiming to provide a frequency-response curve of magnetophosphene perception under MF exposure. Subjects will sit in a whole head MF exposure device wearing a 64-channel MRI-compatible EEG cap. Subjects will be exposed to a MF with a frequency of 5-300 Hz, in the form of an increasing flux density ramp (increasing magnetic field flux density from 0-100 …

P30. Optimizing Current Steering In Deep Brain Stimulation For Treating Parkinsonian Axial Motor Symptoms, Daphne Hui

Western Research Forum

Background: The proposed study will investigate deep brain stimulation (DBS), of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) to improve gait dysfunctions in advanced Parkinson’s Disease (PD). DBS requires implantation of electrodes into the brain that contain contacts where current traverses to stimulate neurons. Imprecise electrode implantations are inherent in surgical implantation; thus, contributing to the elusiveness of DBS on gait.

Methods: The proposed investigation will divide current between two contacts to receive 0, 30, 50, 70, or 100% of current, to find the best combination to improve gait. Gait changes associated with fractional combinations will be visually assessed with clinical scales, and …

P34. The Effects Of Standing Desks On Classroom Performance Of University Students, Siobhan Smith

Western Research Forum

Background:

It is well established that there are many health risks associated with prolonged sedentary time.¹ Unfortunately, research conducted on university students is limited but yet they experience excessive periods of sitting time during class and while studying.

Methods:

Recently, we investigated the effect of sitting, dynamic sitting, and standing desks on classroom performance of university students.² Participants performed three 3-minute classroom simulations, one for each of the three desks. The order of the desks and simulations were randomized. Each of the simulations included a different typing and memory task.

Results:

Results showed no significant difference in the …

Using Yoga To Reduce Stress And Bullying Behaviors Among Urban Youth, Erin E. Centeio, Laurel Whalen, Erica Thomas, Noel Kulik, Nate Mccaughtry

Kinesiology, Health and Sport Studies

Background/Purpose: Obesity and secondary conditions continue to disproportionally affect the health of children living in urban areas. Studies show that a lack of resources and physical activity-unfriendly communities discourage 60 minutes of daily activity, including strengthening exercises, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Using Social Ecological theory, the purpose of this study was to examine the multi-level influences of a yoga-based intervention on urban, inner city youth. Method: Using a mixed-methods design, ninety-three 3 - 5^th grade students at five urban elementary schools participated in a ten-week yoga intervention. Analysis/Results: RM-ANOVA results …

The Effectiveness Of A 4-Week Yoga Intervention On The Activation And Timing Of Transverse Abdominis And Lumbar Multifidus, Pain And Functional Disability Among Healthy And Low Back Pain Participants, Tamara Sagadore

Theses and Dissertations

Low back pain (LBP) poses a significant long-term health problem and requires the exploration of complementary alternative medicines, such as yoga. LBP patients often present with a delay in the onset of contraction of core musculature, which is necessary to stabilize the spine in dynamic movements. The aim of this study was two-fold. First, it was to determine the effectiveness of a 4-week yoga intervention on the timing of muscle activation and activation ratio of the transversus abdominis (TrA) and lumbar multifidus (LM) muscles among all participants. Second, it was to determine the effectiveness of a 4-week yoga intervention on …

The Therapeutic Effects Of Dry Cupping On Iliotibial Band Tightness, Madeline Marie Biehl

Theses and Dissertations

Context: The iliotibial band (ITB) is a muscle-like structure on the outside of the thigh and plays a vital role in movement and can become tight if overused. This tightness can lead to a wide array of injuries in an otherwise healthy individual. Previous research has proved the need to treat a tight ITB, but techniques previously researched have not proven to be effective in reducing ITB tightness. Dry cupping is a method in which suction is generated from a vacuum-sealed cup using a pump in order to alleviate pain, reduce tightness, and promote healing. Recently, cupping has been used …

Association Of Fruit And Vegetable Intake With Cardiorespiratory Fitness In Adolescents, Jonathan C. Grimwood

Theses and Dissertations

An association has been established between total dietary energy intake and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in adolescents. However, there is little research examining specific dietary components, such as fruit and vegetable intake. PURPOSE: The primary purpose of this research is to determine if an association exists between fruit and vegetable (F/V) intake and CRF in adolescents. A secondary purpose of this study is to determine if an association exists between F/V intake and body mass index (BMI). METHODS: A sample of 424 adolescents (234 males and 190 females), age 10-18 years, completed the Dietary Behavior section of the Youth Risk Behavior …

Children With Moderate To Severe Cerebral Palsy May Not Benefit From Stochastic Vibration When Developing Independent Sitting, Anastasia Kyvelidou, Regina T. Harbourne, Joshua L. Haworth, Kendra K. Schmid, Nicholas Stergiou

Journal Articles

Purpose: Determine sitting postural control changes for children with cerebral palsy (CP), using a perceptual-motor intervention and the same intervention plus stochastic vibration through the sitting surface. Methods: Two groups of children with moderate or severe CP participated in the 12 week interventions. The primary outcome measure was center of pressure data from which linear and nonlinear variables were extracted and the gross motor function measure (GMFM). Results: There were no significant main effects of intervention or time or an interaction. Both treatment groups increased the Lyapunov exponent values in the medial–lateral direction three months after the …

Walking To A Multisensory Beat, Charlotte Roy, Julien Lagarde, Dobromir Dotov, Simone Dalla Bella

Journal Articles

Living in a complex and multisensory environment demands constant interaction between perception and action. In everyday life it is common to combine efficiently simultaneous signals coming from different modalities. There is evidence of a multisensory benefit in a variety of laboratory tasks (temporal judgement, reaction time tasks). It is less clear if this effect extends to ecological tasks, such as walking. Furthermore, benefits of multimodal stimulation are linked to temporal properties such as the temporal window of integration and temporal recalibration. These properties have been examined in tasks involving single, non-repeating stimulus presentations. Here we investigate the same temporal properties …

Psychophysiological Tracking Of A Female Physique Competitor Through Competition Preparation, Brandon Jay Rohrig, Robert W. Pettitt, Cherie Pettitt, Todd Kanzenbach

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 10(2): 301-311, 2017. Natural physique competitions are based on subjective judgments of how a competitor appears on show day. Prior to competition, there is a prolonged dieting phase referred to as contest preparation. The primary goal is to reduce body fat levels while maintaining skeletal muscle mass. The study tracked the physiological and psychological changes for a 24 year old female preparing for a physique competition. Purpose: The study was conducted to describe the physiological and psychological changes of a female physique competitor who engages in long-term contest preparation. Methods: Diet, body composition, blood work, …

Changes In Anthropometric And Physiological Characteristics Of Male Collegiate Rugby Union Players Throughout A Season, Edward Kyle Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Rugby Union is a physically demanding sport requiring a variety of anthropometric and physiological characteristics to maximize performance. Factors such as muscular power, speed, agility, maximal aerobic power, mobility, and body composition all factor into player performance. PURPOSE: To determine changes in body composition, anthropometric and physiological characteristics of collegiate rugby union players throughout a competitive season. METHODS: Participants included 37 (20.3 ± 1.5 years) men from a collegiate rugby club. Muscular power (vertical jump), speed (10m and 20m sprint), agility (L-drill), mobility (FMS active straight leg raise and shoulder mobility) maximal aerobic power (VO2peak via 20m multi-stage shuttle run …

Design Of An Instrumented Cane For Real-Time Force Feedback, Samantha Sack

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Stroke is a major cause of adult disability in the United States, and many affected stroke survivors require the use of an assistive device post-stroke. Even so, the effects of these assistive devices on specific movement outcomes like propulsion in rehabilitation are not well studied. The goal of this study was to develop an instrumented cane capable of recording accurate force data and providing real-time feedback to the user. A standard, single-point cane was instrumented with a force cell that measures force applied to the cane and a motor that vibrates once a threshold value has been applied. The force …

Movement Variability And Sensorimotor Cortical Activation During Forward And Backward Walking, Boman Groff

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Previous research has used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to show that motor areas of the cortex are activated more while walking backward compared to walking forward. It is also known that head movement creates motion artifacts in fNIRS data. The aim of this study was to expand on previous findings by examining cortical activation during forward and backward walking, while also measuring head movement. We hypothesized that greater activation in motor areas while walking backward would be concurrent with increased head movement.

Participants (N=8) performed forward and backward walking on a treadmill. Participants wore motion capture markers on their head …

Quantifying Static And Dynamic Stability Using Mobile Sensors, Mason Schleu

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Balance disorders impact millions of people causing substantial impact on quality of life due to psychological and physical hardships associated with poor balance. However, a clinically relevant, low cost, self-service system in detecting such disorders does not exist. Previous research has shown the built in accelerometer and gyroscope sensors of a smart phone to be valid tools in detecting standing balance performance using traditional linear analysis, however, such a system has yet to be proven useful in detecting dynamic postural variability. Indeed, more quantitative methods than are typically used in clinical settings are necessary for early detection of poor postural …

An Investigation Into The Correlation Between Step Width Variability And Balance Deficits In Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Jordan Freeman

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) experience a higher incidence of falls. Further, gait variability has been shown to be a useful predictor of future falls. It is unknown if balance measures and gait variability are related. Our purpose was to investigate if step width (SW) variability is related to balance deficits in patients with COPD. We hypothesized that functional balance tests will closely correlate to the step width variability as compared to subjective balance questionnaires. Nine subjects with COPD and six controls performed a series of balance measures: sensory organization test (SOT), motor control test (MCT), Fullerton advanced …

The Effect Of Bilateral Vestibular Stimulation On Locomotor Adaptation, Allison Hoover

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Locomotor adaptation requires input from vision, somatosensory and vestibular systems. The contribution of the vestibular system is important for maintaining postural control during gait specifically orientation of the head on the trunk and acceleration (linear and angular) feedback. Disrupting this system causes instabilities during locomotion. However, it is not clear, how much the vestibular system contributes to gait adaptation. Eighteen healthy adults adapted to a split-belt treadmill task with or without additional vestibular perturbation using bilateral mastoid vibration. The symmetry index for step length and step time, as well as the change in standard deviation in stride time for both …

Augmenting Human Muscle Performance Through Added Foot Stiffness, Samuel F. Ray

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

In human walking, the relationship between foot and ankle structure and function is not fully known. The foot and toe structures seem to dissipate energy while the ankle generates force through the plantarflexor muscles. Increasing foot stiffness through added carbon fiber insoles has been shown to increase force output and decrease contraction velocity of the ankle plantarflexor muscles. This shift in the muscular force-velocity operating range may be beneficial in fast walking. During fast walking, muscle fascicles contract at high velocities and low force output. We predict that added foot stiffness can reduce the metabolic cost of fast walking by …

A Comparison Of Balance Between A Smoker And Never-Smoker, Robert J. Barber

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

“Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) the third leading cause of death in the United States.” “While COPD is defined in terms of fixed airflow limitation, it’s also characterized by the frequent association of complications outside the lung, including compromised balance.” Research has shown “medio-lateral (i.e., side-to-side) balance is altered in patients with COPD compared to controls and is further affected by challenging sensory systems (e.g., eyes closed or uneven surface).” “Smoking increases risk for onset of COPD”, therefore the objective of this study was to investigate balance in smokers. It’s hypothesized that smokers will demonstrate balance deficits, compared to never-smokers. …

Influence Of Neuromuscular Fatigue On The Reliability Of Gait Variability Measures, Nicholas Reynolds

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Walking in healthy young adults displays an optimal pattern of variability from one stride to the next. This level ensures that each step taken is not stereotyped but also not completely unpredictable. Previous studies have investigated differences in stride-to-stride characteristics comparing groups of young to groups of elderly. The consistency of gait variability measures on an individual level remains to be determined. The first aim of this study is to determine the between day and between trial consistency of gait variability measures in healthy young adults. We hypothesize that there will be a high level of consistency from day-to-day and …

Effects Of Serial Subtractions On Elderly Gait Speed In A Virtual Reality Setting, Taylor Leeder

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Falls are the leading cause of fatal injuries in older adults aged 65+ with one in three adults falling each year. Cognitive processes are involved in gait, and thus, as cognitive changes are normative with age, this may impact fall risk in the elderly. Sixteen older adults aged 70.8±5.3 years took part in a dual-task (DT) study where they walked on a split-belt self-paced treadmill with and without a virtual reality (VR) setting while simultaneously performing a serial subtraction (SS) task. For SS, individuals were given a random 3-digit starting number and told to subtract by three from that number …

Treadmill Walking In Claudication, Shane Lentz

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

INTRO. Claudication is lower leg pain that resides with rest. There are two potential causes of claudication: Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) and Lumbar Spinal Stenosis (LSS). Vasculogenic claudication is the defining characteristic of PAD. There is little research that exists to differentiate the two forms of claudication and there is little no non-invasive to determine which condition is causing the claudication. The purpose of this study is to utilize biomechanics to distinguish between individuals with claudication that arises from neurogenic versus vasculogenic causes. METHODS. Four LSS subjects completed a walking test on a treadmill (Gardner Test). The treadmill is pressure …

Effects Of Whole Body Heating During Warm-Up On Strength, Power, And Flexibility, Trevor Krzyzanowski

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Background/Hypothesis: There has been little research investigating the use of external heat to enhance muscular performance. The purpose of this study is to compare the differences between warming up in a hot (H) and neutral (N) temperature environment on muscle performance. Methods: Seven (M:3/F:4) Division I collegiate athletes (age = 20 ± 1; weight = 78.8 ± 24.7 kg; height = 176.2 ± 7.6 cm; body fat 19.7 ± 11.3%) each completed 2-trials in a randomized, counter-balanced order. Subjects warmed up in a temperature and humidity controlled chamber at 20 °C (N) and 40 °C (H), both at 40% humidity, …

An Investigation In Muscle Activation During Load Carrying, Sidney Baudendistel

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Carrying items is essential to everyday living, but is often reported to be a functional limitation in individuals with respiratory dysfunction. The interaction between breathing and carrying a bimanual load (i.e., carrying an evenly distributed load in each hand) is not well understood and limits the capacity to derive interventions to address functional limitations. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of two bimanual loads, 10% and 5% of body weight, on gait. Fourteen healthy, young adults walked with and without a load on each wrist (2.5 and 5% of body weight) using wrist weights. The mean, …

Comparison Of Whole-Body Cooling Techniques For Athletes And Military Personnel, Emma A. Nye, Lindsey E. Eberman, Kenneth E. Games, Colin Carriker

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 10(2): 294-300, 2017. The purpose of this study was to evaluate cooling rates of The Polar Life Pod®, a military protocol and cold water immersion. A randomized, repeated measures design was used to compare three treatment options. Participants exercised in an environmental chamber, where they followed a military march protocol on a treadmill, followed by the application of one of three treatments: Cold water immersion tub (5 – 10 °C), Polar Life Pod® (5 – 10 °C), Ice sheets at onset (5 – 10 °C). Mean cooling rate for CWI was 0.072 ºC/min, 0.046ºC/min for …

Orchard Sports Injury Classification System 10.1 Plus: An End-User Study, Ashley K. Crossway, Kenneth E. Games, Lindsey E. Eberman, Neil Fleming

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 10(2): 284-293, 2017. The purpose of this study was to establish the level of ease of use and effectiveness of the Orchard Sport Injury Classification System (OSICS) 10.1 Plus for recording injuries and interventions. Three hundred and forty-two (males=148, females=192, no response=2; age=30.9±9.5y; experience=9.1±10.5y) athletic trainers (ATs) in the United States completed the survey. Participants were primarily employed in the secondary school (n=135) or collegiate setting (n=171). Participants entered system includes the OSICS 10.1 to catalog injuries and Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes to document interventions. Participants completed an 18-item end-user evaluation to assess the …

A 15-Week Vitamin D Supplementation And Indoor Cycling Intervention Reduces Exercising Heart Rate, With No Effect On Glycaemic Control In Healthy Adults: A Pilot Investigation., Ffion Curtis, Rhys Thatcher, Sam Rice, Glen Davison

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 10(2): 274-283, 2017 Significant positive correlations are often observed between vitamin D concentrations and physical activity levels. Whilst this may be due to individuals who are physically active spending time outdoors (i.e. increased opportunity for vitamin D synthesis), there is growing evidence to suggest a more complex relationship between vitamin D status, physical fitness and health outcomes. To explore this further thirty-nine healthy adults were randomly allocated to 15 weeks of exercise training (Ex), no training (NoEx), 2000 IU/day vitamin D (VitD) and/or placebo (Pla) supplementation (giving four possible allocations: NoEx+VitD; NoEx+Pla; Ex+VitD; Ex+Pla). Vitamin …

Effect Of Caffeine On Near Maximal Blood Pressure And Blood Pressure Recovery In Physically-Active, College-Aged Females, Laura E. Connahan, Christopher A. Ott, Vaughn W. Barry

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 10(2): 266-273, 2017 The purpose of this study is to determine how caffeine affects exercise blood pressure (BP) and active and passive recovery BP after vigorous intensity exercise in physically active college-aged females. Fifteen physically active, ACSM stratified low-risk females (age (y): 23.53 ± 4.07, weight (kg): 60.34 ± 3.67, height (cm): 165.14 ± 7.20, BMI (kg/m²): 22.18 ± 1.55) participated in two Bruce protocol exercise tests. Before each test participants consumed 1) a placebo or 2) 3.3 mg·kg^-1 of caffeine at least one hour before exercise in a counterbalanced double-blinded fashion. …