Kinesiology Commons^™

Correlation Between Cognitive Functions, Balance And Risk Of Fall In Elderly With Alzheimer’S Dementia, Salma S. Soleman Hernandez, Flavia Gomes De Melo Coelho, Sebastião Gobbi, Florindo Stella

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

The Alzheimer’s dementia (AD) represents a clinical condition inherent to many chronic and neurodegenerative diseases that are usually related to a decline in the cognitive and physical functions. The objective of this research was to verify the correlation between cognitive functions, balance and risk of fall in elderly with AD when submitted to a systemized physical activity program. The sample consisted of 16 elderly divided in two groups: the Intervention Group (IG) n=9 77.7±7.5 years and the Control Group (CG) n=7 84.4 ± 6.1 years. Both groups were submitted to the tests: Mini Exam of the Mental State (MEEM); Berg’s …

Impacts On Balance When Walking In Occupational Footwear, Harish Chander

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hazards and challenges present in the workplace pose a number of potential risks for injuries and illness. Nearly 3.1 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illness were reported in 2010 (BLS, 2010). The probability of falls has been related to balance decrements. Further, an important point of distinction is 45% of all falls have been attributed to inappropriate footwear (Menant et al. 2008) Previous studies have shown decrements in balance as a result of different footwear (Menant et al. 2008) and after an increased workload over a specific period of time (Yaggie & McGregor, 2002; Gribble & Hertel, 2004). Occupational footwear …

Use Of A Video Game Based Balance Training Intervention On The Balance And Function Of Children With Developmental Disabilities, Gina C. Siconolfi-Morris

Theses and Dissertations--Rehabilitation Sciences

Many children with developmental disabilities (DD) have physical impairments and limitations in their participation. Rehabilitation research often focuses on either physical impairments or participation restrictions, when both need to be investigated. The purposes of these two studies were to evaluate an at home therapist directed video game balance training intervention on balance, gait velocity (GV), hip strength and activities of children with DD. The pilot study was a single-subject non-concurrent multiple baseline design. Balance measures included: weight bearing symmetry; center of pressure area and velocity; time to boundary mean minima and standard deviation; and timed up and go. The participant’s …

Discriminating Between Copers And Those With Chronic Ankle Instability With Clinical Outcomes, Erik A. Wikstrom, Jessica Plante

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Introduction: Chronic ankle instability (CAI) is a common consequence of lateral ankle sprains and a leading cause of post-traumatic ankle osteoarthritis. Despite a history of a lateral ankle sprain, there are some individuals (copers) who appear to have a mechanism that allows them to avoid recurrent lateral ankle sprains and giving way episodes. To date, research has identified differences in perceptual (e.g. self-assessed disability), mechanical (e.g. ligament laxity), and sensorimotor (e.g. balance) outcomes between copers and those with CAI. However, the vast majority of these outcomes are considered research and/or laboratory based and thus impractical for most clinicians to use …

The Acute Effects Of Static Stretching Of The Gastrocnemius On Limits Of Stability In Young Adults Versus Elderly Adults, Matt Bugnet, Kirk Player

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background and Purpose: Balance is an important part of everyday life for all individuals with many body systems interacting to achieve optimal balance. Proprioceptive organs aid in this interaction, while also acting as stretch receptors. Therefore, it is possible that stretching may influence the overall balance of the individual. The purpose of this study was to investigate the acute effects of stretching on dynamic balance of healthy young and elderly adults. The two groups were used to determine if stretching may discriminately affect balance at different ages.

Subjects: Thirty healthy adults between the ages of 18 and 35 …

Dynamic Stabilization During The Landing Phase Of Plyometric Exercises, Erich Petushek, Luke Garceau, Tyler Vanderzanden, Brad Wurm, Christina Feldmann, William Ebben

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

This study examined the differences in and the reliability of time to stabilization (TTS) of several plyometric exercises. Twenty six men performed a variety of plyometric exercises representing a continuum of intensities of landing instability, including line hops, cone hops, squat jumps, tuck jumps, countermovement jumps, dumbbell countermovement jumps, and single leg countermovement jumps on a force platform. A repeated measures ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc corrections was used to evaluate the differences in TTS between plyometric exercises. Practitioners who use plyometrics to train dynamic stability and balance should create programs that progress the intensity of the exercises based on …

The Effects Of Abdominal Training On Postural Control, Lower Extremity Kinematics, Kinetics, And Muscle Activation, Matthew J. Gage

Theses and Dissertations

Context: Abdominal training may decrease the risk of lower extremity injuries through improved balance and postural control. Objective: To determine the effect of an eight-week abdominal-training program on center of pressure, lower extremity joint angles, and abdominal muscle activation during a single-leg drop landing. The effects of abdominal training on abdominal muscle thickness was assessed. Design: A cohort research design. Setting: Research laboratory. Other Participants: Sixty healthy physically active college-aged students participated. They were divided into three groups: Control, Chronic ankle instability (CAI), and Healthy. Nineteen Control (age = 22.0 ± 2.72 yrs, mass = 74.1 ± 13.8 kg, height …

Reliability Of Sixteen Balance Tests In Individuals With Down Syndrome, Romina Villamonte

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability of sixteen balance tests in individuals with Down syndrome (DS). The following tests were performed on 21 participants with DS, aged 5-31 years of age; standing test on firm and soft surfaces with the eyes opened and closed, a balance subset of the Bruininks-Oseretsky test, full turn, timed-up-and-go test, forward reach, and sit-to-stand. Each participant completed all 16 assessments twice on one day and then again on a subsequent day for a total of four trials. Seven tests had reliability coefficients greater than 0.55; one-leg stand on floor (0.76), on …

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, …

Functional Ankle Instability Does Not Effect The Average Center Of Pressure Position In The Coronal Plane, Jessica A. Presnell

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Context: It is not known if functionally unstable ankles have a different medial to lateral center of pressure placement compared to the contralateral uninjured limb. Objective: To compare the average medial/lateral position of the center of pressure, from the midline of the foot, in functionally unstable ankles to the contralateral uninjured ankle. Design: A 1 X 2 within subject design guided this study. The independent variable was ankle health (functional ankle instability or uninjured). Setting: Laboratory. Patients or Other Participants: Twenty-six, physically-active, volunteers who suffer from unilateral functional ankle instability (F AI) [M: 10 F: 16 age: 21±2.1 y ht: …

Comparison Of Black And White Elderly Women On Muscle Mass Bone Mineral Density And Balance., Tyanez Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Few studies have compared balance between aging black (BW) and white women (WW) and examined its relationship to muscle mass and bone mineral density (BMD). Nineteen BW and 56 WW between 60-91 years participated. Upper and lower body strength, body composition, BMD, volitional and non-volitional control of dynamic balance, and physical activity ratings were assessed. There were no differences in strength between the groups. A trend was reported for total body BMD (p=0.07). WW exhibited better control of rapid volitional movements, in the limits of stability and rhythmic weight shift tests. The relationships of strength and muscle mass to BMD …